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As they wound their way through the narrow aisles, Hali caught Pippa’s eye, and the fae gave her a sly smile before fluttering off to give them some space. Hali’s cheeks flushed, but she couldn’t help returning the smile. Pippa might be a nosy little minx, but in this, Hali was grateful for her meddling.
After a few minutes of searching, Hali found the tome she was looking for and handed it to Osric. “This should be right up your alley. It’s rather a dry read, but the information is quite thorough.”
Osric’s lips quirked up in a wry smile. “I’ll take thorough over entertaining any day. The history of the Old Kingdoms is far too important to rush through.”
Hali’s heart did a little dance. It wasn’t just that Osric was handsome and mysterious, though he was certainly both of those things. It was the way his eyes lit up with a smoldering intensity when he talked about his research, the passion that seeped into his voice. Hali could listen to him talk about musty old tomes and ancient artifacts all day.
“It’s why I find this work so fascinating,” Osric said, his fingers brushing against the cover of the book. “There’s so much power to be unlocked in the study of the past. Don’t you agree, Miss Brightminer?”
“I do,” Hali said, leading him back toward the front of the shop. “But I must confess, I’m more drawn to the secrets themselves than any power they might hold. The way a rare book can offer a glimpse into a world long gone, or a new perspective on a historical event . . . It’s a kind of magic all its own.”
She glanced over at Osric, worrying her lower lip with her teeth. She’d bared a piece of her soul to him just now, and she could only hope he understood.
As they neared the front of the shop, Osric began to unbutton his linen shirt, and Hali’s breath caught in her throat. She’d only caught the briefest glimpse of the glowing runes that snaked across his chest that one time he’d been in the shop, but it was all she could think about. They were beautiful, in a way that had nothing to do with the molten embers that flickered within them, and everything to do with the strength and bravery it must have taken for him to claim that part of his identity.
“I, uh, I hope I’m not being forward,” Osric said, as he fanned himself with the now-open lapels of the tunic, “but I’ve been working in the forges all morning, and I’m afraid I must be positively filthy. Might I use your washroom for a moment?”
A wave of hissing steam rolled off his bare skin, the runes glowing white-hot across his chest, and Hali’s face flushed. “N-no, of course. Do what you need to do.”
Hali’s heart was pounding so hard she could barely hear anything else. She’d been too caught up in her own head to pay attention to the words they’d been using, but there was something about the way he’d said them, the way he’d smiled at her, that sent a jolt of something through her.
As Osric set about cleaning himself up, Pippa fluttered back into the room, and fixed Hali with a knowing grin. “He’s even more handsome in the daylight, isn’t he? And did you see those runes? I’ve never seen anything like them.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Hali said, but the blush that spread across her cheeks belied her words.
Pippa’s grin only widened. “Uh huh. Look, I’m going to go make another round of pastries. You just . . . do your thing, all right?”
Hali groaned, fanning herself, and Pippa darted off before she could come up with a suitable retort.
A few minutes later, Osric emerged from the washroom, the scent of sandalwood and smoke clinging to his damp skin. He’d pulled on a clean linen shirt, leaving the top few buttons undone, and his short chestnut hair fell in loose waves.Oh, oh. She’d been right before; he was even more stunning in the daylight. There was a rawness to him, a kind of vulnerability in the way he looked at her that sent a thrill through her, and she suddenly felt very much like the one who was being studied, rather than the other way around.
“I’m sorry to run so quickly, but I’m afraid I really must get back to the forges. My boss is a real taskmaster, and I don’t want to give him any reason to dock my pay.”
“O-oh, yes, of course,” Hali stammered, her mind still reeling from the sight of the runes on his chest. “I wouldn’t want you to get in trouble on my account.”
He flashed her a smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling with the kind of warmth that made Hali’s heart flutter. “Thank you for understanding. You’ve been a real help in my search for these artifacts. I just hope I’m not wasting your time.”
“Never that,” Hali said, her voice a breathless whisper. “I could talk about rare tomes and ancient lore for hours on end.”
“Then I look forward to our next conversation.” He turned to go, then paused, his hand on the doorknob. “Perhaps over a cup of tea? I know a lovely little teahouse not far from here.”
Hali’s heart leaped into her throat. “I . . . I would like that very much.”
Osric’s smile was like the sun breaking through storm clouds. “Wonderful. I’ll stop by again soon, then. In the meantime, I’ll get to work on tracking down those primordial artifacts.”
He gave her a little half-bow, then headed out into the midday sun, leaving Hali’s heart a fluttering mess.
As soon as he was gone, Pippa fluttered back over, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Well, well. I do believe you have an admirer, Miss Brightminer.”
Hali’s cheeks burned, and she swatted at the fae. “Oh, hush. It’s nothing like that.”
“Uh huh. Tell that to the stars in your eyes. And the way you were practically glowing just now. I haven’t seen you look that happy since . . . well, since forever, really.”
Hali’s mind was still reeling from her encounter with Osric, but as she absentmindedly reached into her pocket, her fingers brushed against the scrap of paper she’d found. She pulled it out, and frowned to herself.
How curious that the same book she’d been showing to Osric just now was the same one she’d found the coded paper inside. Twice in one day the old tome had turned up.
A strange coincidence, to be sure, but she was finding a rather lot of those these days.
