Total pages in book: 208
Estimated words: 209645 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1048(@200wpm)___ 839(@250wpm)___ 699(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 209645 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1048(@200wpm)___ 839(@250wpm)___ 699(@300wpm)
I watched my feet as we made our way back to camp and fortunately Jazz didn’t press the conversation.
We were outside her tent before she spoke again.
“He’s fine-looking, that’s certain,” she said quietly. “But he’s Airenzian, Elena. Maybe he’s one of the good ones, as well as one of the good-looking ones, but don’t forget that, in the end, he’s Airenzian, and lose yourself in the forgetting.”
Now that, I had a feeling, was good advice.
I looked into her eyes and nodded.
She gave me an encouraging smile, a warm hug, then moved into her tent.
I walked to mine.
When I was inside, I saw there was one lantern still lit, the one by my trunk, which was thoughtful for I could use it to move about and prepare for bed without bumping into things in the dark.
This I did with my back to the pallet and I did it without thinking any further about how thoughtful it was that Cassius had left a lantern glowing for me (something I did not do in the times I went to bed without him).
Once changed, I blew out the light and quickly moved to the bedding because the autumn chill was claiming Wodell, and I’d learned the Firenz desert nights could be cold, but the wet Dellish chill was biting.
Cassius had not moved or made any noise while I was in the tent, so I suspected he was asleep.
This suspicion was incorrect, and he did not delay in communicating that to me for I’d barely pulled the quilt over me before his arm was about my waist and the warmth of his front lined the cool of my back.
His deep voice also vibrated into my hair, causing a trill to trace down my neck and spine.
“Did you see pixies?”
“Yes,” I told the dark.
His arm about me tightened.
My, but I liked his strength.
And his warmth.
And how very long he was.
“I should have let you apologize the way you apologize,” he shared.
This was unfortunate, for now I was wondering why I’d even apologized.
I decided not to reply.
He continued to share.
“I do not respond well to shouting.”
I decided that it might not be constructive for me to reply to that either.
“I should also have let you say farewell to Dora.”
Like he should be able to let me do anything.
I clenched my teeth together.
“And I see now it was hasty that I made arrangements with your mother without your participation, but although I made it clear how I feel about stipulations in such matters, I will also note that I did it not once thinking you wouldn’t agree with me,” he said.
So now he was making caveats while (somewhat) apologizing.
“It would be useful if you participated in this conversation, Elena,” he remarked when I remained silent.
And now it would be useful if I participated in our conversation, one he instigated, when earlier he made it clear he had no desire to participate in the one I commenced.
“I wish to go home,” I announced.
His arm got even tighter.
Indeed, it was near to cutting off my breath.
“Pardon?” he asked.
“I wish first, for you to let me breathe,” I wheezed.
His arm loosened, though not that much, at least I could breathe.
And speak.
“I wish to go home,” I repeated.
“To leave me?”
“No, you can come with me.”
His body pulsed in surprise behind me.
“To The Enchantments?” he asked.
“We are delayed due to Ha-Lah and Aramus going to the sea. We have time. The sea is much farther away than The Enchantments. If we don’t dally, it’s but a few days ride from my home to Notting Thicket. We’d be there before Ha-Lah and Aramus, for certain.”
“You could see Dora,” he murmured.
“Yes.”
“And I could see your home.”
I felt my eyes grow round.
Had he lost his mind?
“No,” I said.
“No?” he asked.
“You’ll wait outside The Enchantments while I go in, see Dora and visit with my mother.”
For a moment, he was completely still.
After that moment was over, neither of us were for I found myself on my back with Cassius for the most part on me.
“Say that again,” he growled.
“I would…you would…that is…” I stammered, staring at his shadowed head and not able to think because first, he seemed suddenly to be very annoyed in a way that was concerning and second, his weight felt altogether too good. I decided to finish with, “My visit won’t last long.”
“You’d have me wait outside The Enchantments?” he asked.
“Um…”
“Like a dog waiting for his master to return?” he demanded.
“Not exactly like that,” I mumbled.
“Not exactly like that?” he bit.
“Not at all like that,” I amended. “Like a human male fishing and, um, practicing with your bow and, well, whatever else men do when they while away time.”
“While away time waiting for you,” he declared like I’d said, “While away a hundred years waiting for me to live my life, marry another, have dozens of children and perhaps take a trip to the heavens.”