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“I’m sorry, your what curse on who now? Wait, you cursed your mate?”
“Never mind. But youdidsense it?”
“Yeah, I could. I thought I was just sensing underlying, mutual attraction, but then when we met up at the Blairs’, it was like you were both radiating it. I’d have been able to tell with my eyes closed.”
“That’s perfect!” I was so excited, I forgot to lower my own voice, and quickly had to contain myself. “Darla, I need to makeanother veiling spell to protect Kai and me, and you’re gonna help me test it.”
“I am?”
I nodded eagerly. “You’ll be my litmus test for how much it’s working. If you can sense it, then I know I need to do better.”
“Hell yeah. If I can help, I’m down.”
I grinned and felt my spirits lifting, but of course, Darla had to keep right on going.
“So, why is it you two need veiling spells, and who are you protecting yourselves from?”
Damn it, of course she had questions. Darla always had questions.
“No comment.”
“All right, then, you just keep on being a cryptic cryptid. But whatever you need, I’m happy to provide.”
“I still need to brew the potion and prepare the ritual, but do you think I could steal you tomorrow?”
“Whatever you need, I’m there.”
The crazy thing was, I really believed her.
I half expected Kai to show up at my door that night asking me to follow him to his quarters, and woke up half-surprised I’d slept through the night. Surprised and maybe a little…disappointed?
No, no, it was silly. It was good Kai wasn’t a shadow at my door. The less time we spent together before I got my ass in gear with the veiling spell, the better.
I had the morning to myself, so I sat at my desk and looked over the ingredients I had. Some I’d harvested with Darla, and some I’d had for a few years. Once I was sure I had everything Ineeded, I calculated a rough draft of which amounts I’d need of what.
I was going to need my chalk stick, made with quartz crushed inside, and to wet it with moon water. I was going to need my little burning bowl. Oh, and some candles made of wax harvested from the equinox. Those were expensive, though, and I was going to need to replenish my supply once everything was said and done.
I was able to make some progress but didn’t finish before work. Part of me wanted to call off or leave early, considering my spell was for the good of our whole people, but with only three healers, I really couldn’t afford to. Our patients needed me, and even if our infirmary and secondary room weren’t full, I needed to make sure all of our stores were properly supplied before I left… unless we ended up staying.
That would be a boon, but not one I was expecting. After all, Kai seemed sure he’d have to go to the capital.
So, I worked my ten and a half hours, then hurried back to my room, though I did manage to stop a runner and tell him to bring me any food—it wasn’t like I’d taste it, anyway, with my hyperfocus. There I spent most of the night balancing, calculating, and putting a full first try together.
It took two more days before I finally had something worth testing. As soon as my next shift was over, I went to find Kai. Funny how I used to go a month or more without even seeing him, but now the few days we were apart felt like somuch.
Was he mad at me? I couldn’t think of any reason why, unless it was what I’d said about the side effects of the first curse I’d put on him. I felt so bad about what I’d done, even if I also felt like I’d do it again if I had to.
Yes, I knew it was wrong to manipulate and mess with someone’s mind. It was a violation of his bodily autonomy forme to just reach within his brain and mess with his memory so much.
But was it so wrong to protect him? I supposed time would tell. I’d already promised I wouldn’t cast a spell on him without his permission, and I intended to honor my vow.
I found my mate standing in a hall with a small gaggle of our higher-ups, Oren included. I could hear bits of their conversation, and it sounded like they were discussing what to do with the training for our newest recruits, who’d seen quite an intense battle right off the bat. The general consensus was they were pleased with the actions of our newbies, but there should be a change in priorities during training.
I waited until there was a break in the conversation, then stepped into Kai’s peripheral vision. His eyes found me at once, and he raised his eyebrows. He was asking me a question, and though we exchanged no words, I knew exactly what he was asking and gave him a nod.
A moment later, he dismissed the others, said something to Oren, then strode over to me.
Again, without another word, I turned and walked toward Darla’s office. I’d never thought about it before, but it felt good to have such a connection with my mate—one where not everything needed to be spelled out.
