A creak came from the hall.
Waking again, I glimpsed a dark shape moving past the open doorway.Is the cottage haunted?I stayed as still as possible. My eyes were probably playing tricks on me.
Creak.
Unless my ears were playing tricks on me too, something was definitely outside the bedroom.Please just let it be the typical creaks and groans an old house makes, I thought as I carefully wiggled free of my men and got out of bed.
Lake’s snores stopped, and his wolf ears flicked. Then, the puffs started up again. He was out like a light. They all were. And instead of curling back up with them, I was doing what I screamed for every dumb person in a horror movienotto do and went to investigate the mysterious noise.
Well, I never said I was a wise muffin lord.
After stepping into my slippers, I crept from the room and started down the hallway. The very dark hallway. Just as I was about to chicken out and rush back to the safety of the three men in my bed, a light flickered on from downstairs. The glow reflected off the wall near the staircase.
Waking Maddox would be the logical thing to do. Because if it wasn’t a ghost, it was a burglar. And although I’d been told my cuteness was a weapon, I doubted batting my eyes at the bad guy would have much effect on their decision to rob me blind. Or turn me into an Evan kabob.
But I didn’t wake him. Instead, I kept moving forward and went down the stairs. Outside, the sky was dark but gradually lightening. Dawn was close.
The glow came from the reading parlor, and I tiptoed that way. Peeking around the archway, I saw… nothing. The fire burned though. The source of the light. But who had lit it? Briar was strict when it came to the fire and wouldn’t have kept it burning all night.
“Looking for me?”
I squeaked and flung around.
Rowan perched against the wall, arms crossed and a curve to his lips. “Careful now, or you’ll wake the others. We wouldn’t want them coming to ruin our fun so soon.”
“Rowan,” I breathed out.
“Gods. I like the sound of my name on your lips.” He pushed from the wall and neared me without a sound. He could rival Lake on his stealth. Which also meant the creaks I’d heard were intentional. He’d wanted me to come investigate. He hadknownI would.
Not sure how I felt about that.
“Why are you here?” I shuffled back several steps, passing beneath the archway and into the reading parlor. He followed. “An even better question,howare you here? Did you pick the lock on the door?”
“No.” Rowan backed me up against one of the bookcases and rested a hand on the shelf beside my head. His scent tickled my nose, stirring up those annoying butterflies in my belly that had no right to flutter because of him. “A locked door means very little to me. I can go anywhere I please.”
“The shadows,” I said. “That’s how you got in? You can use them to go from one place to another.”
“Seems you aren’t just a pretty face after all.” He glided the backs of his fingers over my cheek, the contact so light it was more a whisper of air than an actual touch.
“I have my moments.” I should’ve shoved him away and yelled to wake my men. But I didn’t. I couldn’t. Despite his nefarious behavior, I knew he wouldn’t hurt me. Even without my protection stone. Which I just realized I wasn’t wearing.
It was on the nightstand.
“This would’ve been the opportune time to have that dagger I gave you.” Rowan withdrew from me but didn’t go far. I got the impression he wasn’t used to physical touch. When he touched me, it was always the lightest of caresses and very brief. “What if I’d been someone with ill intent? You’d be flat on your back right now with a blade in your gut. Silly boy.”
“An Evan kabob,” I muttered. “You didn’t answer my question. Why are you here?”
“I heard you’re leaving for Exalos soon.” He did a rolling motion with his fingers, bending in a short bow. “I came to offer my services.”
“Your services? Not sure how much being kidnapped will help me.”
“Was that sarcasm?” He tsked. “You should know that only attracts me more, little treasure. I like a challenge. You should also know that the retrieval of goods is only one of my many skills.”
“The retrieval of goods? That’s what we’re calling it now?” I glanced toward the window. The sky was lighter now. “Today’s my day off. I wanted to sleep in, but I’m still up before the sun.”
“Day off? I thought the café was only closed one day a week.”
“Usually, yes,” I answered. “But since I leave for Exalos tomorrow, the café’s closed so my men and I can spend the day together.”
