Page 18 of A Kingdom of Magic and Rain

Emeraldians believed that all animals belonged in nature instead of being domesticated. My little pet companion couldn’t stay with me forever, but I worried about returning him to the wild, given the worsening weather.

“We will keep an eye on him for the first few weeks,” Gray said. “We’ll make sure he has food and shelter until he finds a new home. He’s from these gardens, so he won’t be going far, but the longer he stays with us, the more difficult it will be for him to acclimate back. Hopefully he’ll find a nest and hibernate until the weather improves.”

My stomach twisted at his words. The weather might never improve⁠—

No. It will improve. It has to.

“Are you all right?” Gray asked in a gentle tone.

I lifted my eyes from the sleeping hedgehog and met his empathetic gaze. “I…” I wanted to tell him the truth. I wanted to tell someone the truth, burdened by being the only one in the know. My parents and my brother knew, of course, but they weren’t here. There was no one at Bradford Manor who understood the gravity of my situation. No one understood why my training was so important to me, and why seeing an animal in pain had affected me on a deeper level. But there could be. And it could be the young lord sitting before me. The one whom I had only started to get to know, but who, at times, affected me on a deeper level as well. A certain understanding existed between us, as if we had known each other longer than we had. The strange dreams I kept having about him also contributed to that feeling. “I need to tell you something.” But before I could, the patio door opened, and Thea stepped out.

“Good morning!” she said as Gray and I stared at each other. The lord was waiting for me to continue, but I couldn’t. Even though I wanted to reveal the truth to him, I couldn’t do it in front of Thea. “Um, Gray?” Her voice came again.

He tore his gaze away from me and turned to her. “Good morning.”

When I faced Thea, she looked concerned. “We received word from one of the farmers. His crops are dying. He asked for your aid in keeping them alive.”

The churning sensation in my stomach that had settled there earlier intensified. My hold on the bundle in my arms tightened.

“Who is it?” Gray asked, rising to his feet.

“Bellamy Jones.”

“Ask Killian to prepare the carriage.”

With a nod, Thea turned back toward the house.

The lord stepped after her but halted. He looked at me as if contemplating something.

“You should accompany me,” he finally said.

I stared at him with apprehension. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” I felt uneasy about going to see the dying crops as I wasn’t sure that my heart could handle it.

“You asked for my help. This is an opportunity for me to demonstrate how our magic works.”

“I’ve seen you use your magic before when you healed plants and Quilliam.”

“This will be on a much larger scale.”

Seconds ticked by as I fought an internal battle. I knew I was being childish, but I felt rooted in place.

The lord’s gaze softened as it flicked over my features. Understanding shone in his eyes as he stepped closer to me and offered his hand. “They are your people, Emelin. This will be good for you.”

A few minutes ago, I had asked for his help, and now he was offering it to me. I needed to set aside my reservations and go with him to visit the farmer. With a soft sigh, I conceded and took his hand. He helped me up, and as soon as I was on my feet, he let go, briefly flexing his fingers.

“I need to take Quilliam to the library. I can also return your book,” I offered.

“Thank you.” Gray handed me the book he had been reading. “Meet me in the foyer after you’re done.”

We walked inside the house and went our separate ways as I headed to the library while he set toward his study. Once I had reached my destination, I deposited Gray’s book on the coffee table and put Quilliam still wrapped in the blanket, in his cage. As I left the library and headed toward the foyer, a thought occurred to me that Tom would probably be coming with us. I grimaced and sighed internally, mentally preparing myself for an uncomfortable carriage ride.

When I reached the foyer, Gray was waiting for me, alone. Garbed in his black cloak, he had my cream-colored cloak in his hands.

“We will be in an open field. You should dress warmly,” he explained, holding up the garment.

“Is no one else coming with us?” I moved my unbound hair out of the way as he draped the cloak over my shoulders.

While I fastened the decorative clasps on the front, Gray said, “No. Thea has things to do on the estate, and I asked Tom to stay behind. I didn’t want you to be uncomfortable.”