Page 38 of The Elven Healer's Apprentice

Adela was adorable when flustered. Her coloring heightened, and her jade eyes flashed green fire and intelligence. And at that moment, her rich hair tumbled about her shoulders in very touchable curls with delightful wisps about her face.

“The same is true of the new queen and the wife of my cousin, the spymaster. There seems to be a sudden influx of humans into our population this generation.”

“And all of them are considered soul mates?” She narrowed her eyes at me.

I shrugged. “I am not sure about Illeron’s match. However, Casimir insists Veta is his, and Emrys behaves as though his wife is, though I haven’t heard him say so. All three pairs have joined life forces.”

“And you think we are soul mates?”

“I do.”

“And the kiss?”

I smiled at the blush that tinged her cheeks, which only made it darken when she noticed my expression. “It confirmed some suspicions I had.”

She eyed me warily. “Are you going to insist I merge life forces with you?”

I frowned at her. “Do you really believe me capable of that?”

She studied me far longer than I expected before she asked, “Which do you suspect I doubt: the insisting or the merging?”

“The insisting, clearly.”

She frowned at me. “If mud were clear, perhaps. I assume you could join our lifeforces, though I suspect it would be very one-sided considering I am human. I am more uncertain about the insisting. You tend to pressure people to do what you believe is right.”

“Never over a decision like this,” I protested. Decisions of this nature needed to be honest and wholehearted. I marveled that I was even considering marriage, let alone the idea that she was my perfect match. But the evidence kept accumulating. I couldn’t ignore it.

“Adela, I am your friend—” Glimpsing her reaction, I hastened to clarify. “I mean, I consider you a friend and hope you regard me the same. Hopefully, we can explore this potential deepening of our friendship together and see if we both want to pursue something more.”

She eyed me with a glint of humor in her eyes and a slight twitch of her mouth.

“Are you laughing at me?” I demanded.

“A little.” She suppressed a smile. “I consider you a friend, too, Merlon. You don’t need to worry about that.”

Profound relief coursed through me. “I am not sure which revelation has shaken me more: the fact that you don’t hate me or that you consider me a friend.”

She laughed, and all was right with the world again.

“We should head to bed, or we will be asleep on our feet tomorrow,” I pointed out.

She agreed, retreating to her bed while I settled once again on the floor. The room fell into silence once again. I lay in the stillness and plotted how I could court Adela without spooking her.

Chapter Twelve

Adela

I woke to the low rumble of Merlon’s voice. I didn’t catch the words.

However, I heard Hubert’s urgent tones clearly. “The unicorn won’t move, Merlon. I need to go out to tend the sheep and goats. The creature lowers its horn and threatens to charge each time I open the door. It is a stubby horn, but it can still do some damage, and I have a wife to support.”

Merlon sagged against the much shorter door. His arm slung over the top of the wood panel as he hung his mussed head. The usual straight line of his shoulders drooped. “She is probably here for Adela.”

“Then do something.”

“What is wrong?” I asked as I slung my feet over the edge of the bed and began undoing the mess of hair left by sleeping without binding my hair properly. I finger-combed the thick tresses as I rose. The sky outside the windows had barely lightened toward dawn, and a bird was trilling loudly. I ached as though I hadn’t slept at all, but I knew I had after our late-night talk.

“Sage,” Merlon responded without lifting his head. Exhaustion rumbled in his voice. “Apparently, she escaped herpen and came here seeking you. According to Hubert, she won’t let him leave his house to tend his animals.”

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