Page 64 of Earth Dragon
“That’s kind of you,” Shannon commented.
“Oh, it’s selfish of me as well,” he smiled. “I get fed well here.”
She laughed at that, seeing the absolute truth in that statement.
“I’ve never been fed so much within the span of a few hours,” she said.
“And it keeps on coming. Try staying here for a week,” he laughed.
“But it’s not the food that feeds you,” she remarked.
“No, I suppose it isn’t,” he agreed.
He watched her as she explored the space, gingerly touching the different tools. She looked good in this space of his. He could see her so easily in every space, now that he was letting himself indulge. He should tell her, but he sensed that she was annoyed that he had so quickly written her off. He should apologize, but there was a calm in him that said she would forgive him.
The way she had blushed when he, spoke of declaring to everyone that she was the woman he loved had put that calm in him.
Her black locks caught the light from the torches, gleaming softly, and he knew how soft they were. How soft she could be. But she would have to harden herself against what she was expected to do. The confrontation that lay ahead of her.
“Are you going to be okay?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “The crystal… There was a burning sensation before, so I suppose that least it’s responding to me.”
“Would you like to try again?”
“We came down here for you,” she remarked, gaze staying on him now that he had finally caught it.
“I have to wait for the wood to arrive,” he said. “And the crystal needs to be ready when we put it in the wreath. Was that not why you came down here with me? To prepare the crystal?”
“Oh, yes,” she smiled, shaking her head at herself. “How stupid of me.”
She brought out the small box from a pocket in her gown, tipping the crystal into the palm of her hand.
Rainbows.
Everywhere.
“I was sorry to hear about your mother,” he said. She nodded, eyes on the crystal. “Do you miss her?”
“I try not to think about it,” Shannon said.
“I do not mean to pry.”
“You’re not,” Shannon reassured. “I simply… I cannot.”
“Perhaps you should,” Ewan encouraged gently. “It seems something happened with the crystal when you did.”
Shannon closed her eyes, concentrating. Then opened them, resting her gaze on him and jerked, taking a step back. Opening her palm, she looked at her hand.
“Did it burn you again?” he asked.
She shook her head. “It felt as though it jumped.”
Ewan furrowed his brow. “Air,” he said.
“What?”
“Burning you was fire. Jumping… Could it have tried to get airborne? As if catching the wind? You stood by the well...”
