Page 36 of The Elven Healer's Apprentice

“What do you have to be sorry for?” Merlon demanded, running his hands through his hair and standing the white curls on end. A few fell forward over his forehead, giving his usually severe features a boyish, approachable appearance.

“Startling you.” I gained my feet and straightened my gown.

“Did I hurt you?” His voice rumbled low and dark in the stillness.

Unfamiliar with the tone and what it might mean, I glanced over at him. Fear and concern warred across his features as he assessed me from head to toe.

“Only a few more bruises than before. Nothing compared to what I have endured in the past.”

To my utter surprise, my reassurance had the opposite effect on the elf. In two strides, he towered over me, standing so close I could hear the pained gasp that caught in his chest as the air heated with the warm prickle of his magic. His hands, large, capable, and gentle, cradled my face. He guided it up so that our gazes met. Intense blue fire flared in his gaze. “Where does it hurt?”

“No.” I placed my hand on his chest and pushed. “No healing me.”

Confusion darkened his features. “Why?”

“Because it is hurting you, and I don’t need it.”

“But—”

I stopped his protest with my hand over his mouth and a sharp shake of my head. “Remember our conversation about wraithwalking?”

Merlon nodded ever so slightly beneath my hand.

The friction of his mouth against my fingers almost distracted me, but I held strong. “You need to recover your strength; bruises will heal.”

For a moment, anger flickered across his face. I could feel his mouth tightening beneath my fingers, reminding me that I still hadn’t moved them from his face. I began withdrawing them, but he caught my wrist.

“Are you certain?” he asked.

“I am.”

I sensed him releasing his hold on his magic, and the prickly sensation of its presence decreased.

The tension in his torso eased, but he didn’t release my wrist. Instead, he used it to draw me closer. “Strange,” he murmured.

“What?” I felt puzzled at the way he studied my features, a slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“My magic is generating more quickly than usual.” His arm stole around my waist, drawing me closer. Placing my palm flat against the center of his chest, he covered it there with his hand as he studied my expression. “I would like to conduct an experiment.”

Acutely aware of his warmth in the cool room and the strength of his arm, I tried to keep some space between us while I watched his face.

“What kind?”

Amusement quirked his mouth and lightened his eyes to a silvery-blue. “I wish to kiss you. May I?”

I blinked up at him for a moment while I tried to process his request. “How would that be an experiment?”

His smile deepened. “Do you trust me?”

My whole being answered in the affirmative. “To a point.” My mind warred between the desire to be close to him and the desire to guard my heart against the potential emotional pain such vulnerability might allow.

He winced. “Clearly, I have some work ahead convincing you. But for now, do you trust me not to physically harm you?”

“I do.”

“May I kiss you?”

My eyes strayed to his mouth.

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