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“I have a feeling you’re not.” A rogue shiver sprinted up my spine, and I shook the frost from my fingertips.
Aisling noticed the white veins of frost before I was able to hide them, and stared at me agape, before she realized her mistake and clamped her mouth shut, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to stare.”
I rolled my eyes, “I don’t blame you. Most would. At least those who wouldn’t want me burned at the stake.”
“You really need to learn how to control that.”
“You think?”
“Are you buy this evening? I’m going to help Loris with Valin again, and I’ll see if she can speak to why his memory hasn’t returned—if there’s a reason for it I don’t know of. But afterwards, if you’d like we could practice your healing Grace.” She phrased it as more of a hopeful question than an offer which made her hard to refuse.
I had been looking forward to alone time with Alaric, but I supposed that could wait…
“That would be great.”
“Great,” she chimed, her eyes bright as she jumped from the settee, “I’ll be back after dinner.”
“Good luck—with Valin, I mean.”
She gave me one bouncing nod, before leaving the parlor, her long rich brown hair bouncing as she went.
How amazing it would be—to be someone like her. Not a care or worry in the world other than minding her studies. Was it wrong of me to get her involved?
Was it dangerous? I wasn’t sure, but I wouldn’t deny her the chance to help. I would expect my men—or anyone I respected to extend me the same courtesy.
Chapter Twelve
Ifiddled with a particularly large knot in my hair, deciphering Melîn scrolls and books with Finn in the dining room. I had offered to help and though I was glad he accepted, he truly knew how to bring his work home.
We were just about to start eating lunch that Jaen was finishing up serving with a little more light in her eyes than I thought I’d noticed before. But though the lunch was abundant—the table laden with platters of various fruits, baskets of fresh buns, and wooden planks meticulously arranged with salted meats, and cheeses—the sheer amount of food was nothing compared to the mountains of tomes and scrolls he hadcartedfrom the library and royal archives. Yes,carted,with a wood and iron trolley now sitting bereft at the other end of the long table.
“Thank you, Jaen,” I said as she finished setting down the tea and honey.
She beamed, curtsying in her apron—holding it up as if it were a gown, though it fell only to mid-calf. I wondered how old she was. It was hard to tell—harder than I’d thought it would be. The seven sisters had this air about them—you could tell, almost right away they were ancient, though they looked no older than I did. If I had to guess, I’d say Jaen was young, maybe only recently changed to immortal.
That was one thing youcouldtell—whether someone had been through thechange. It was a sense—sort of. The skin loses its imperfections. Hardens slightly. The hair shines, and the eyes grow brighter. But the most obvious trait all changed Fae share is the slight pointing and curving of the ears. It’s all part of the heightened senses of immortality, or at least, that’s what they say. All I knew was that pointed ears made the simple task of pulling a shirt over my head more annoying than it had ever been before.
“Liana,” Fin said, and my head floated back down from the clouds, “Did you hear me?”
I shook my head, “No, sorry. What did you say?”
He pointed to the scroll he had laid out in front of him, barely concealing his amusement. “It’s interesting, though not very helpful—”
“Like everything we’ve looked at.”
He rolled his eyes with exaggerated slowness, “Just listen, would you?”
“You have my undivided attention,” I said, pouring my self a cup of tea, and beginning to fill my plate.
“Wait for Rin,” Finn warned.
I waved him off, “I’m waiting, just read me the godsforsaken thing.”
“How can you be so infuriating and so… so adorable at the same time?”
I pursed my lips to contain the urge to burst into laughter at the confused look twisting his features, “It’s a gift, I suppose.”
He cleared his throat before going back to examining the parchment with a thoughtful and focused scrutiny. So like, and sounlikehis twin. Even with hard lines in his forehead and tension in his jaw, he was still soft. Like a big hulking fell-cat that just wants to nap and play.
