Page 64 of Desire

Darian looked at me again. “What memory did you take?”

CHAPTER TEN

“I didn’t takeany memory. It’s hidden, not gone. When it no longer matters, it will return.” I held Darian’s gaze and felt his doubt. It cut deeply.

“You don’t trust me,” I said.

Guilt flitted over his expression.

“I understand,” I said. “I don’t fully trust myself either. But I trust Garron. If he thought it was dangerous to teach me the spell, he wouldn’t have. And if he thought the memory was better forgotten, then I believe him.”

Darian sighed and held me close. “Brandle won’t be happy. You might need to offer more than a kiss to distract him from it.”

“Such as?”

“A bath should do. I would find it difficult to focus on anything you said if your hands were sliding over my skin unhindered by clothes and aided by soap.” He shifted underneath me. “Bathe me instead, and I’ll gladly calm Brandle’s temper.”

I snorted and set my head on Darian’s shoulder.

“I’m less concerned about Brandle’s reaction and more about Edmund’s. I don’t want him to lose his temper and tear his stitches.”

“And you can’t bathe him,” Garron said in agreement. “You are wise. How do you plan to tell him?”

“I don’t know. Do you have a suggestion?”

“He’s Eadric’s twin and has a similar fascination. We all do, truthfully.”

I frowned in confusion for a moment, then flushed in understanding. Darian grinned widely.

“My smart, beautiful Princess. I look forward to seeing how you tame my brother’s temper.” He stood with me. “Since Brandle just finished, I believe now is the perfect time.”

He carried me out the door with Garron trailing behind us.

“Let me walk, Darian, or they will misunderstand and worry that I’m unwell.”

He kissed my neck again and set me down.

The others stood around the benches. Liam lay on his stomach on one and Edmund on his back on the other. Wet cloths covered Liam’s back, but nothing covered Edmund’s bare torso and the neat row of stitches that almost crossed his midsection.

His eyes were closed, and his breathing steady.

I went to him, kneeling near his head to kiss his cheek.

“Here. Get him to drink the rest of this,” Brandle said, handing me the cup.

I took it and slipped my hand under his head. Eadric knelt on the other side and placed his hand under mine to help me.

“Drink, Edmund,” I said.

He opened his mouth and drank the rest of the tea. Feeling the echo of Edmund’s pain, I looked at Brandle.

“I added the leaves to take away the pain. Why isn’t it working?” I asked.

“It is working,” Brandle said. “His breathing isn’t hitched, and he’s not shaking anymore. Liam’s already sleeping. They will be fine, Kitten. I promise.”

“Should we move them inside?” I asked.

“I would prefer not to move them until they wake again.”

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