Page 78 of Haunted

She rushes to my side and sits beside me. “No, I love it.”

I smirk at the floor, ignoring my racing heart rate. She has no idea what she does to me.

“You!” She shoves me in the arm. “You’re teasing me.”

I laugh. Shove me again, and I will hold your hand prisoner within mine. “So, please don’t be upset,” I say, pushing aside my thoughts. “I hope you don’t think I’m taking advantage of you either, or that I expect you to be the resident physician. We need a healer though, and I thought you could teach me. I’m a tad rusty.”

She gushes. “Spread the word. I’ll come to those who are too sick to venture out in the snow. Those who need extended care can sleep here, and I’ll tend them.”

I rise before her glowing countenance affects me more than it already does. “Excellent. Niawen, you’re beaming.”

She jumps up beside me and pecks me on the cheek.

A wave of astonishment passes over me. My gift had more of an effect than I counted on. “That was unexpected.” I turn and, with decisive steps, slip out of the room.

Despite the warning bells that play in my head, telling me to resume caution, I catch myself whistling.

Niawen might soften the beast inside me after all.

I debate whether I should have left my old tome in the room with her, but she needs to have a warning. If she finds my book of incantations, she’ll know more of what kind of person I truly am.

I had to leave it, yet my body draws tight with anguish.

She is innocent. I must keep telling myself this. Every hurt she has experienced in this world is your fault. You are the catalyst.

She must find the book and know who I am.

57

Every evening as of late, Niawen and I sit in one of my libraries, either reading together or playing cards or chess. She tends to hold a look of contentment on her face. I don’t dare probe with my light when I am so close, but my heart warms considerably every time I think of her.

As I think of her now, as I’m secluded in my study.

“Ahem, my lord.”

I turn to the guard interrupting my thoughts.

“We have word. The eastern scouts spotted a dragon.”

My heart races without my permission. “A dragon? Was it Seren?”

“No, my lord.”

“What was it doing?”

“It dropped below the cloud veil and circled the citadel early this morning.”

“Just one?”

“Yes, my lord,” he says.

“Is it gone now?”

“It flew above the clouds and out of sight.”

I nod and dismiss the guard while holding on to my calm.

The guard knows nothing of the significance of this, but after several centuries, it was only a matter of time before the empress grew curious to my whereabouts.

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