Page 88 of Desire

“I find it frustrating to have so many unanswered questions.”

“I understand. Truly. For now, let’s continue our test. Locate the caster again.”

After I said I found them, he had me cast a simple spell to see if the caster would cloak themself.

“Nothing changed,” I said, closing myself off again. “Why would the caster cloak themself even if they did sense me all the way out here? Casting is allowed in Turre, isn’t it?”

“It is. However, casters in Turre cloak themselves if they sense another caster’s attention on them.”

“Why?”

“The queen,” he said. “Her need for power is absolute. She would never allow another caster of significance to exist in her domain. And the abilities she deems significant vary. To protect themselves, most casters hide.”

“Which is why I would have never been able to hire the caster I needed,” I said, understanding.

“Precisely.”

“Then how will I manage once I break the curse?” I asked.

“That is a question for another day,” he said. “I believe my brothers are seconds away from tossing me into the well for consuming so much of your time.”

I glanced over my shoulder at the others lingering around the cooking fire. Edmund caught my gaze and took a step in my direction. A word from Brandle, which I couldn’t hear, stopped him. Edmund pivoted and stalked off toward the clearing. Eadric jogged after him. I’d warned Edmund the day prior that he would lose his next chance to sleep beside me if he injured his brothers. Though Edmund’s feelings were the most visible, he wasn’t the only one struggling.

“I can feel their frustration and impatience,” I said. “Why did everyone stop touching me, then?” It had been days since any of them had helped me with my morning bath or even petted me while sleeping.

Facing Garron, I watched him lift a hand in the air, even as his face flushed red. I swatted his hand down.

“Don’t call Brandle over here. I want an answer fromyou, Garron.”

“You stopped bleeding.”

“And?”

A deeper hue consumed his face.

“They…we…”

“Until I’m ready to have sex, no one will touch me again? Is that it?” I guessed.

He nodded, and I crossed my arms.

“No.”

He frowned a little, and some of the heat eased from his face.

“No?”

“Correct. I do not accept that sex must be a condition to receive your affection.”

He shot a panicked look at Brandle. I grabbed his chin and forced his attention back to me.

“Garron, I’ve been told to do as I’ve pleased, and I have. I’ve embraced all of the touching and petting and affection given to me and pushed aside my embarrassment and guilt. Changing the rules now feels like you’re all changing your minds.”

“Snow, that’s not?—“

I covered his mouth with a hand.

“I love the names each of you have given me, but I need to know that you no longer believe my presence is as fleeting as winter, Garron. That you continue to call me that at the same time you’ve all withdrawn from me leads me to doubt. Everything.”

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