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"Ah, sorcerer. You honor me with another visit," the knight greeted. She looked down at Mara and smiled. "You rescuing another damsel already?"
"Not tonight, Avalon. This is the saint I mentioned on the blood moon," Augustus replied.
Avalon dismounted and held a gloved hand out to Mara. "A pleasure to meet the woman that has finally softened this old bastard's heart."
"I wouldn't go that far." Mara shook Avalon's hand. "How can no one see you?"
"The magic isn't right in the air, and the sorcerer here fixed me with a glamour that does a good enough job most days."
"Avalon is one of the few fae allowed within the city. She guards the portal to make sure that no fairies or creatures try and cross over or kidnap any humans for fun."
Augustus loved the shocked look on Mara's face. Her eyes were taking in the shining knight, the sword on her back, her sharply pointed ears, and the stallion waiting for its master.
"Avalon, be a darling and tell Mara what happened on the blood moon," he said, crossing his arms.
The knight raised a brow at him but obliged. "The eclipse opened the portal, and I had a hell of a time of it. Some smaller creatures got past me and tried to drag a poor lass off. With Augustus's help, we stopped them from hurting her too badly, and he took her to safety. What's this about sorcerer? Is the lass okay?"
"See for yourself," Augustus said as the woman in question came up the pathways. She waved at them, and Mara's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Hey, I know you!" she greeted Mara. "I was hoping you got home okay. You looked like you had a hell of a night."
Mara mumbled something incomprehensible.
"It is a pleasure to see you in one piece, Miss Cassie. I trust you are recovering from your ordeal," Avalon said, bowing at the woman.
"I am. I told Augustus that I wanted to see you again and thank you properly." Cassie smiled shyly, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Would you like to walk with me?"
Avalon gave her a dazzling smile. "It would be an honor, my lady. Good evening, Augustus. Mara." The knight and the woman walked off together, the horse trailing after them.
Mara's mouth opened and closed and opened again. Augustus held out his hand. "Come on, saint. Let's go home and have a drink before the storm comes."
Mara didn't look at him, only slipped her hand into his with a sigh.
Twenty-One
"A saint'sheart once lost is lost forever." — Sayings of the Blessed Crow.
Mara had expected Augustus to be gloating or at least teasing her, but he did none of those things. They walked in a silence that was now comfortable again.
She had been angry and melancholy for days, wanting him and hating him. Now she didn't know what to feel apart from embarrassment.
"Are you hungry?" Augustus asked, unlocking his front door. "I've been worried about you for days and barely ate. Now I want to eat everything."
"I could eat too," Mara admitted, toeing off her boots. She hugged her arms around herself. "Augustus? I'm…I'm sorry."
"It's okay. I can't say I wouldn't have jumped to the same conclusion if our positions were reversed." He tilted his head, thinking about it. "Actually, I wouldn't have walked away that night. I would've created a scene."
Mara's lips twitched. "Really?"
"Without a doubt. A massive one. No one can throw a tantrum like a sorcerer. I probably would have thrown a lightning bolt at the guy or something equally ridiculous," Augustus replied. He snapped his fingers, and the fireplace sparked to life.
"Get warm, little saint. I'll get us a drink and order some food. I know an ifrit that has the best Persian food in the city. He thinks I'm too skinny, so he's determined to overfeed me any chance he gets."
"Sounds perfect," Mara said, swallowing the lump in her throat because it was exactly what she needed. Fire, food, and his company were all she wanted.
Mara held her hands out to the fire and smiled at the warmth rushing through her. She had been cold inside for days. Now, impossibly, she was back in Augustus's house with butterflies dancing in her stomach.
Overhead, thunder rumbled like a warning. The city had been troubled with winter storms ever since the blood moon, and Mara had done her best to ignore the taste of ozone and lightning in the air. It reminded her too much of the sorcerer she had been doing her best to avoid.
