Chapter 21
“How long was I out?” I asked my companions as Marc helped me up the stairs.
“An hour.”
There was a tension in his voice that hinted at that hour being very long. I would have been flattered if I still wasn’t stuck on how I’d almost died by magic.
“So are there any other magic things I need to avoid?” I wondered as we strolled down the hall toward the restaurant.
“Your magic is very rare, Miss Larkin,” Adrien pointed out as he followed behind us. “It would be impossible to guarantee you would not be affected by other magics, both common and uncommon.”
My heart fell, and my foot faltered. Marc caught me in his arms before I stumbled. “It isn’t as bad as that. Magic isn’t everywhere.”
I snorted. “Just where you keep taking me.” I immediately regretted my choice of words when sadness crept into the depths of his blue eye. “Sorry. I didn’t mean it that way.”
“You should,” he mused as he set me on my feet. “It’s true.”
“Then I must take some of the blame,” Adrien chimed in as he bowed his head to us. “I offered the drink with little thought that my interesting friend Mr. Torvus would bring an equally interesting partner.”
I lifted an eyebrow. “He’s brought other women here before, hasn’t he?”
Adrien smiled at me. “No, Miss Larkin. You are the first I have ever beheld, and I am glad for his kindness in bringing you here. You are a treat to the senses and the mind.”
I snorted. “You hardly even know me.”
“But I have seen you persevere through a most horrendous situation, and you have come out the other side unscathed. See? You even smile when I compliment you.”
I was indeed blushing under his compliments. “You’re too kind.”
“I hope I will have no more opportunities to be too kind to you during your stay in our lovely city,” he mused as we reached the door that led into the front of the restaurant. “But should you need anything, do not hesitate to use the whistle. I will come, wherever you are.”
“You’d better make it during the night,” Ramaro spoke up.
Adrien lifted his chin and shook his head. “No, my small friend. I will be at her call even then. I will risk my life to make amends for risking hers.”
“It really was just an accident,” I assured him.
“Still, I will not sleep well in my bed until I have helped you in some way. If you will excuse me.” He bowed and slipped away before I could argue further with him.
I held up the whistle and pursed my lips. “He really didn’t do anything wrong. It’s because of my stupid magic that I almost died.”
“Your stupid magic helped mend me,” Marc reminded me as he brushed a finger over his eye patch.
My shoulders slumped, and I let out a sigh. “At least it helps someone. The rest of the time it’s either making crystals or making trouble.”
“You’ll find your way with it,” Marc assured me as he opened the door. “But for now, we’ll find our way through some steaks.”
“That should put some hair on you,” Ramaro agreed as he sauntered out ahead of us.
We both smiled and followed our short friend. Our booth was still unoccupied, and the waitress appeared the moment we sat down. She carried a tray with three huge plates, and each platter was loaded with food. There were potatoes, vegetables, medium-rare steak, and much, much more.
Like an exceptionally bloody steak that she set down in front of Ramaro. “All compliments of the house.”
Ramaro toothily grinned at the food. “Perfect.”
She bowed low to us. “Should you need anything, do not hesitate to ask.”
“We’ll be sure to do that,” Ramaro promised before he dug into his food.
Our waitress smiled before she slipped away with all the otherworldliness of her kind. I looked over my steak and licked my lips.
Marc picked up his fork and knife and smiled at me. “Shall we?”
I plucked my utensils from the table and nodded. “Definitely.”
We dug into the meal, and the plates were soon emptied. Ramaro fell back against the rear booth cushion and patted his swollen stomach. “We have to eat here every chance we get now that the food’s free.”
“I’ll ask Adrien to make a bed up for you in the basement,” Marc suggested.
Ramaro wrinkled his snout. “Not in that place. I’d rather sleep in the alley.”
I recalled the dry, cool cellar with those coffins and shivered. Marc noticed and rubbed his hand up and down my arm. “Are you cold?”
I sheepishly smiled at him. “Not so much that as a little dirty. I think some of the dirt from Adrien’s coffin got down my shirt.”
“Then we should get it out,” he suggested as he helped me to my feet.
I didn’t like the eager tone in his voice, and dug my heels into the floor. “Maybe it’s not so bad. I’m sure I can wait until we get back to the house-”
“You don’t have to worry about anything,” he assured me.
Ramaro hopped down and hurried after us. “What about seconds? Or thirds? We could have as many courses as we want!”
“You can stay as long as you want,” Marc assured him.
The agama scoffed and moved faster to rejoin us. “You’re not known as the Alluring Captain for nothing, Captain.”
I twisted my head around and lifted an eyebrow at my pusher. “The Alluring Captain?”
He flashed me a grin. “I did say I had many names in many ports.”
“But alluring?”
“Do you disagree with the title?”
“I’m just not sure that it’s a great title.”
We were outside by this time, and the sweet scent of the night air tingled my nose. I was glad to inhale something more than food and dry dirt. Marc turned us right and took my hand, where he pulled me down the sidewalk.
“It’s this way.”
My face drooped. “What’s this way?”
“Trouble,” Ramaro mused as he scuttled along at my heels.
Marc jerked to a stop so quickly that I crashed into his back, and Ramaro crashed into me. The captain turned and looked down. “I’ve decided to take Rose for a walk. There’s a secluded spot where she can properly be cleaned.” He didn’t wait for a reply, but pulled me along.
Ramaro scurried in front of us and blocked our path. “Adrien told us she needed some rest.”
“Eldric would have my head if I brought her back looking as pale as a drowned man,” Marc countered as we strolled over Ramaro’s short blockade. “And I need to make my own amends to Rose for what happened.”
“That wouldn’t be any loss to you!” Ramaro insisted as he scurried along after us. “You haven’t been using your head since we arrived!”
Marc stopped us again and half-turned to our small friend. “Then I’ll use it now. Go back to the house and tell Eldric we’ll be late.”
The agama wrinkled his snout. “And why should I do that? Leaving you alone with her this night hasn’t done her any good.”
“Because your captain commands it.”
Ramaro’s face drooped. “That’s a dirty trick citing command like that.”
Marc narrowed his eye at our short friend. “Then you refuse?”
Ramaro’s nostrils flared, and he turned away from us and lifted his tail in our direction. “I’ll go, but mind you don’t let anything happen to her.”
A crooked, sly smile slipped onto Marc’s lips. “Are you ever going to tell me why you care so much about this woman?”
The lizard stomped a foot against the ground. “Just watch her!” And with that last command, he scuttled down the street and was soon out of sight.
“Why does he care so much?” I wondered as Marc turned his attention back to me.
He sighed. “I don’t know. He’s never shown anyone this much attention.”
I bit my lower lip and cast my eyes in the direction Ramaro had vanished. “Do you think we should go back?”
“The night is still young,” Marc pointed out as he offered me his arm. “And I do have an apology to give to you.”
My back itched a little from the dirt I’d lain in. “Does that apology happen to involve me getting undressed?”
“It could.”
He sounded way too eager. “I think I’d like to go back to the house.”
“Don’t you trust me?”
“I trust you to be a pirate.”
“I’m glad to be counted among such company.”
“Which means we should go back to the house.”
“After I’ve shown you something. You won’t regret it.”
I sighed. The night was already full of regrets. What was one more?