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And with the message crafted, he tossed the crow into the air. The creature took flight and was soon gone.
I watched the creature disappear into the far horizon and a question formed on my lips. “How far can those things travel?”
“A hundred miles, and some have been rumored to fly even farther than that, but those require more magic than those that are normally sold in the shops.”
I lifted my eyes to the rest of the starlight sky. It really was breathtaking seeing so many twinkling stars, but a slight breeze ruined the warmth left by Ben’s kiss. The wind came from the direction of the ocean and cut through my thin attire. I wrapped my arms around myself and shivered.
“You’re cold,” Ben commented as he studied me with those beautiful red eyes.
I sheepishly smiled at him. “Sorry about that. Could I get a rain check on your wooing?”
Even in the dim light, I could see the disappointment on his face. He hid it well in his voice. “Of course.”
I stepped up to him and cupped his face in both my hands. “And the answer is yes.”
He blinked at me. “Pardon?”
I stood on my tiptoes and pecked a teasing kiss on his lips. “I’d like to go on more dates, and if things get more serious then I wouldn’t mind that, either.”
A smile slipped onto his lips as he set his hands on my hips. “Excellent, because I thought we might share a room tonight.”
I snorted. “You want to jump in with both feet, eh?”
He chuckled as he took my hand and led me to the house. “One must start somewhere, and I already had David bring your extra clothes up to our room.”
I lifted an eyebrow. “What extra clothes?”
“The ones I had Tully discreetly stash in the carriage,” he revealed as we neared the house. “I thought we might be away for a few days and you would need a fresh change of clothes.”
“Those thunder tracts are pretty dusty,” I admitted as I looked down at myself. Though I’d cleaned up for supper, there were still some stubborn stains from the course that hadn’t washed out.
“I would be glad to help you out of your clothes,” he offered with a twinkle in his eyes.
I snorted. “I’m sure you would, but I think I can undress myself.”
CHAPTERSEVENTEEN
We slippedinto the house and I noticed the dining room was empty. A few loud snores came from the bedrooms at the top of the landing as we passed by them and into Ben’s room. That is, our room. I walked over to the dresser and opened the top drawer. There were my socks beside his.
Ben noticed my unease and had remained in the doorway. He grabbed the door handle and smiled at me as he took a step into the hall. “I think I will grab some snacks for us before the kitchen is closed.” And with that he closed the door behind himself.
I couldn’t help but smile at his gallantry as I picked out some night attire. By the time he returned I had enough time to scrub the remainder of the dirt from my body and learn a new language.
Ben swept into the room with a flourish and a tray. He strode over to the bed on which I sat and set the small platter on the nightstand close beside me. The tray was filled with all manner of cold cuts of meat and cheeses, and their fragrances floated past me like the teasing tail of a cat.
“Take whatever you desire,” he told me as he stepped back.
I couldn’t help but snatch a piece of cheese from the tray, but I soon noticed my waiter had moved over to the dresser. He drew out his own night clothes and proceeded to undress himself. I found myself gnawing on my bit of cheese as I watched him remove his shirt. His back was as smooth as silk, and I couldn’t see any place where the wings would come out.
“How do the wings work?” I called out to him.
He half-turned to me and grinned. “Magic.”
He reached for his pants and I reached for another piece of cheese. Purposefully very slowly. By the time I looked back Ben was dressed in his shirt and bottoms, and his bare feet padded across the floor. He plucked a piece of meat from the tray and tossed it into his mouth.
Ben slid his tongue across his lips. “I had forgotten the taste of Hannah’s specialty salted meat.”
I swallowed the rest of my food and nodded. “It’s all delicious.”
