Page 75 of Desire

Edmund’s fingers toyed with mine as Daemon undressed and got into the tub.

“Will you wash my hair, Lamb?” Daemon asked.

I glanced over my shoulder at him.

“I refilled the buckets,” he said, nodding to them.

“Will you behave?”

“Yes. Darian already warned me how painful his ice bath was.”

I frowned. “Painful?”

“Ah, no need to worry, Lamb. He will recover and father children someday.”

Edmund chuckled, and I glanced at him in confusion. Without opening his eyes, he released my hand.

“Go help if you wish. It’s not easy bathing in that tub.”

I repeated the process for Daemon, then Brandle, and Eadric.

“Ah, this is nice,” Eadric said with a sigh as I scrubbed his hair. “I like when you touch me.” Some of his happiness faded, and he glanced at Edmund, who was finally sleeping again.

“He won’t be happy if he catches you worrying,” I said.

“I can’t help it. Edmund never gets hurt. Not like this. He’s the strong one. The fast one. He can best any of us.”

“They targeted him,” Brandle said. “They knew who our real fighter was and used Liam to distract us so they could get to Edmund.”

“So they won’t wait long to try again,” Darian said.

“Agreed,” Daemon said. “Do you know what they’re doing, Lamb?”

I paused scrubbing and let myself feel the forest around us.

“They found their companion. They’re angry. Very angry. And afraid,” I said, sifting through everything. “It’s the coin. They’re afraid we know what they’re for. They won’t attack tonight. Or any time soon. They’re going to watch and heal.”

“Good,” Brandle said. “That will give us time to heal. We’ll still keep watch as we planned, though.”

“I’ll take the first watch,” Darian said.

It tookthree days and another cup of tea for Liam and Edmund to fully heal. During that time, the trackers watched but didn’t make any move to attack again.

I also told Edmund of the spell Garron taught me. He was predictably angry, but at Garron. However, I didn’t distract him from his temper as the others tried coaxing me to do. Edmund’s promise hung between us every time he looked at me, and I wasn’t yet ready to repeat what had happened with Darian.

Instead, I stole Garron away to study and hone my skills until I could cleanse and reheat bathwater with barely a thought. Once I mastered that, he brought me outside to work in the garden again.

“Most casters are limited to indirect magic, which is the manipulation of energy to boost what is already there. However, I think you have the ability to cast direct magic.”

I recalled the concepts from the books Mother had placed in the attic.

“You mean blood magic?” I asked, alarmed.

“No, that is not what I’m suggesting you practice. Ever. Remember, when you cast, it’s using energy. Always. The energy source you use isn’t what defines direct or indirect magic. It’s the type of casting that defines that.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Think of the tea you make. The spell is simply enhancing the existing healing properties of the herbs used, which are then consumed by the person who needs healing. That’s an indirect cast since the magic is indirectly affecting the person consuming it. Removing dirt from the water, heating it, and growing seedlings are all indirect as the cast encourages what is already there.

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