Page 60 of Ghostly Touches

“Her husband shot her in the face then killed himself.”

Oh. This is not the answer I expect. Not sure how to react, I stand there, feeling foolishly inadequate. Willow takes a seat at the table and places a plate in front of her and one across from her. She looks in my direction and quirks a brow at me.

“Won’t you join me?” She pats the place beside her.

I move towards the table. When I’ve taken my seat, I still feel off kilter. Before meeting Willow, I hadn’t spoken to someone outside of the Brotherhood in decades. And the few conversations I’ve had with her have been all business. I’m not quite sure how to proceed. So I focus on breakfast. Not sure how to eat the meal in front of me, I watch Willow break off a piece of biscuit with her fork and smear it through the gravy. I do the same and take a bite.

Immediately, I start to cough.

Willow laughs as she uses her napkin to wipe at the corner of her mouth. “Careful, I made it spicy.”

When I’ve cleared my throat, I stare down at the food on my plate. I’m not sure what I expected this to taste like, but the flavor that burst on my tongue is divine. Yes, there’s certainly a spice to the dish, but I… Iverymuch enjoy it. I take another bite, and then another. Before I know it, my plate is empty.

“There’s plenty, so help yourself to more.” Willow waves behind her towards the stove.

I may just take her up on that, but for the moment, I let the food sit in my stomach. As Willow sips her tea, I study her face. Her cheeks look warm, her wet hair is pulled up into a messy bun on top of her head, and there’s a glow about her. The soft planes of her face are unmarred by age, and her eyes are clear and full of life. But I can also see something there in her eyes that I didn’t notice before. I can’t pin down exactly what it is hidden there, but it unsettles me. I can’t stand mysteries. I have enough on my mind to keep me up at night. I don’t need more. This, however, can be solved quickly. I just need to get to know Miss Harvest here to figure out what’s going on inside her head.

“Breakfast is an unexpected treat this morning.”

Willow’s eyes slide from her plate to my face. The corners of her mouth twitch up into an amused smile.

“If you can’t tell, I very much enjoy food.”

With a figure like Willow’s, there’s no doubting it.

“And I also enjoy cooking. So, since I was hungry it seemed like making breakfast for everyone would be the best bet. Eating a hearty meal is something you’re going to have to get used to around me.”

If we end up having to spend our time in the Third Realm, these meals will never happen. Anything with any type of aroma would attract monsters from miles away. Freeze dried, tasteless gruel is all she’ll be subjected to. I refrain from saying this. A decision about our next move hasn’t been made yet.

“I’m not sure if my stomach could handle a meal like this more than once a day.”

She shakes her head. “A king needs a hearty meal if he’s going to power through the day. You’ll get used to it.”

My body locks up in surprise.

“What did you just call me?”

Willow reaches out to grab her teacup before bringing it to her lips and giving me a pointed look.

“Isn’t that how you’re acting, like a king? A man in charge of his people, making sure to do what is best for us all?” She takes a sip of her tea. “Theo, it’s not hard to see that you care about the men around you. You work tirelessly to be a warrior, a brother, and a friend. Anyone who doesn’t see that within the first five minutes of being around you is an idiot. You’re their king.”

She puts down her cup and tilts her head to the side as she considers something.

“I suppose, since we’re all tied together, that means for the time being you’remyking, too.”

She flashes me another smile before returning her attention to her breakfast. As she looks away, I catch that unspoken thing flash stronger in her eyes.

But I’m too distracted by her words to give that more attention. I feel strangely stripped bare. Willowseesme. Her easy assessment of me is both disconcerting and uncomfortably humbling. In my chest, my heart flutters. I dislike how much she’s seen and learned. We’ve hardly been around each other for her to see so much of me. Why is she paying so much attention? There must be ulterior motives. I’ll be on guard from now on.

I watch as she covers her mouth as she yawns.

“Didn’t sleep well last night?”

“I slept fine,” she answers quickly, followed by the twitch of her mouth as she tries to suppress a smile.

“Sounded like you were up most of the night.”

One of her brows shoots upwards as she gives me a sharp look. “Is that judgment I hear in your voice?”

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