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My brow furrowed, and Lorik raised his head. I quickly looked down at him.
“Sorry—I’m crushing you,” he murmured lazily. Sleepy already.
“I don’t mind it,” I told him truthfully. “It feels nice.”
What had caused the mark to appear so suddenly? I was certain I would’ve noticed it before now. I’d been caring for him and his wound, had sat beside him while he’d been sick with infection for nearly an entire day, and he’d been undressed then. No, this mark was new. But what had created it?
And I knew just as certainly that Lorik wouldn’t tell me if I asked. There was a part of me that worried he was like Veras—secretive in his business dealings but no less dangerous. What was Lorik involved in? And did I want to know? Or did I justwant to enjoy him while I had him? Because even I knew this wouldn’t last forever.
Then again, I didn’t like to think of myself as a coward.
“Lorik,” I said gently, my heart suddenly pounding.
“Hmm?”
“What’s that mark on your wrist? I don’t think it was there before, right?”
He tensed briefly against my side, though he brought his arm around me, clasping me tightly to him. My bed didn’t allow for too much room, but that suited me just fine. His body was stretched behind me, and he tucked my bottom into his groin, his knees drawing up to lock against mine.
“No, it wasn’t,” he answered. “I’m being summoned.”
“Summoned?” I asked, softly incredulous. “Summoned by who?”
“I suppose you could say my employer,” he answered wryly. There was a hint of amusement in his tone. “Part of my duty, Marion, is to protect the Black Veil. Against Shades mostly. But when one strays too close to a village, for example, I get summoned to take care of it.”
“Then why haven’t you gone?” I asked, squirming to turn in his arms so I could face him. “When you say employer—”
“No more questions, you inquisitive thing,” he said gently, pressing a kiss to my lips. His eyelids were heavy, but his gaze was soft. “I’m not allowed to answer most anyway.”
When he saw the brief flash of frustration cross my features, his expression turned pleading.
“Have patience with me, Marion,” he told me. “This is new to me too. A part of me has been alone this long because of this very reason. Because of what I cannot say. There are codes in your Healers’ Guild. You are bound to oath, as am I.”
When he put it like that…
“All right,” I whispered. I nodded against his chest. “I understand.”
Lorik blew out a breath. Relief? He kissed my forehead. “Thank you.”
“This job of yours…it’s not terribly dangerous, is it?”
Lorik chuckled lowly. “Worried for me?”
“A little,” I admitted.
“I’m very good at what I do, little witch. You don’t have to worry about me.”
I…believed it. I’d seen him dispatch the Shade quickly, even injured as he had been. And his injury to begin with…it must’ve had something to do with this mysterious duty, didn’t it?
“I do have to leave, though,” Lorik said quietly.
I heard the words. I felt them sink into me and felt icy disappointment spread through my limbs, settling in my belly, making me cold.
“When?” I asked, licking my dry lips.
“Tonight,” he answered.
I swallowed, thinking how empty the bed would feel.
