Chapter 8 Natural Habitat
Natural Habitat
Pharis
Her thoughts were loud today.
Though Raewyn wasn’t adept at purposely sending mind-to-mind communication, she did leak thoughts here and there.
Untrained as she was, she didn’t know how to control it. At times when she was experiencing heightened emotion, I’d been able to pick up a few words.
And today, I was especially enjoying what I was hearing.
My muscles were already engorged from the vigorous exercise, but now my body vibrated with a different kind of energy.
Raewyn’s rapt attention—and admiration—tended to do that to me.
My determination to stay away from her, apart from when she was soundly asleep, had already been strained to the verge of cracking.
At the moment there was no way I could resist the pull she exerted on me.
Grabbing my shirt from the marble wall (but not hurrying to put it on) I told Aidric, my sparring partner, to take a break and jogged up the steps to the scenic overlook.
I strolled toward Elanor and Raewyn, taking my time so she could get a good long look at me as I lifted my arm and used the shirt to mop my face and neck.
When I reached them, I bent forward in a shallow bow.
“Ladies… to what do I owe the pleasure?”
The healer, who sounded a bit defensive, answered.
“We didn’t mean to disturb your practice, My Prince. She needed some fresh air. I’ve been giving her a tour of the house and grounds.”
“I see,” I said a bit sternly.
The healer and I shifted to internal dialogue, communicating silently over Raewyn’s head.
You knew I’d be out here at this time, I accused, though I wasn’t actually angry. What are you up to, old woman?
Elves couldn’t lie to one another mind-to-mind, but Elanor did her best to avoid telling me the outright truth.
I told you, she needed the fresh air… for her health.
And on the whole of my estate, this is where your stroll happened to take you? I asked.
She didn’t answer this time, just straightened her posture and raised her chin defiantly.
I’ll deal with you later, I told her then turned my attention to Raewyn.
“And how have you enjoyed the tour? Do you like what you’ve seen so far, little Wyn?”
It was an innocent enough question. Anyone listening might assume I was referring to my estate.
But Raewyn was clasping her hands together in her lap. And they were trembling.
For long moments she remained silent, and I waited, wearing a naughty grin she was doing her best to avoid seeing.
Finally, she looked up at me.
“The hedges are annoying,” she snapped.
My head jerked back in surprise. “The… hedges?”
That was what she was thinking about?
“Yes. They’re too tall,” she said. “They partially block the view of the ocean from the upper terrace, especially if one is sitting down.”
One side of my mouth quirked up. “It’s never bothered me.”
“Well it bothers me. And they also block the view of the flower gardens.”
My confusion evaporated, replaced by a tingling sense of pleasure that filled my body with warmth.
Her snippy tone and uncomfortable body language told me everything I needed to know—everything Raewyn refused to admit.
She was still attracted to me.
And she was desperate for me not to know it.
“I don’t know, I’d thought it rather nice to have the flower gardens enclosed in their own natural privacy walls,” I said.
Just to heighten her discomfort, I added, “Some might even consider it the perfect place for a romantic encounter.”
Doubling down on her ridiculous criticism, Raewyn said, “Well I don’t. Why not have the flowers out in full view where everyone can enjoy them? The hedge is an eyesore.”
I almost laughed out loud, but not wanting to break the delicious tension of the moment, I controlled the impulse.
And doubled down myself.
“You’ve taken to acting like the lady of the house rather quickly.”
Raewyn’s mouth fell open. “The lady of the… no. No. What are you even talking about?”
“Please. Don’t worry about it,” I said, swiping a hand through the air. “My home is your home, after all. And imperiousness looks good on you.”
“I am not imperious. That’s your approach to things,” Raewyn said.
I laughed. “Okay then, whatever you say… Princess.”
Her little scowl only made me laugh more.
Sending a silent message to the groundskeeper, I pulled on my shirt then moved to take Elanor’s place behind Raewyn’s chair.
“I’ll take over the tour from here,” I told the healer. “You can return to your other duties.”
She gave me a surprised look but didn’t argue. “Yes, My Prince.”
Then she turned and headed back into the house.
“What are you doing?” Raewyn asked over her shoulder.
I began pushing the gliding chair forward. “As I said, giving you the rest of the tour. Elanor can’t spend all day entertaining you.”
“And you can? Weren’t you in the middle of something?”
Raewyn sounded annoyed. Which made me chuckle.
Her being uncomfortable alone with me meant something. Though I had no business liking that something, I did.
“We were about to wrap up training for the day,” I lied. “A nice stroll will help me cool down and stretch my muscles to keep them from cramping.”
At my mention of “muscles,” Raewyn’s shoulders tensed. I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing.
“So, what have you seen already? I wouldn’t want to bore you.”
“I think I want to go back to my room,” Raewyn said. “I’m tired. I can see the rest of the castle another time.”
“Very well.”
I pushed the chair up the lawn and over the terrace into the house. On the way to the staircase, I stopped in front of a set of tall, intricately carved wooden doors. They were closed.
“What did you think of the library?” I asked.
“The library?”
In spite of her irritation with me, Raewyn couldn’t keep the intrigue out of her voice. As I knew very well, books were her weakness.
I gestured to the library doors. “It’s right here. If you can wait a few minutes longer to go back to your room and rest, I’ll show it to you.”
Raewyn hesitated. “I… yes, I guess I can wait just a few minutes. I’ve never seen an actual library, though I’ve read about them.”
I knew it.
Smiling in satisfaction behind her, I turned her chair and guided it over to the doors. Then I stepped in front of her, pushed them open, and moved to the side so she could have an unobstructed view.
Raewyn’s jaw dropped, and she sounded like she was struggling for breath. She leaned forward in her chair, apparently trying to propel it on her own.
“Would you like to go inside?” I asked, as if I didn’t already know the answer.
“Yes. Please,” she said, sounding impatient.
She didn’t look at me, and for once I didn’t mind. Her eyes were wide with wonder as she stared around and then looked up to the library’s second and third floors.
“It’s… it’s… spectacular,” she sighed. “I didn’t know there were this many books in the entire world.”
Beaming with pride, I glided her chair into the center of the first floor reading area. Bookshelves lined the walls on all four sides, stretching from the gleaming wood floors to the high ceiling.
Each floor of the library was constructed in the same setup, an open center surrounded by four walls of shelves.
“Have you read them all?” Raewyn asked.
I almost choked on pure air. Was she serious?
“A considerable number, but there are thousands of books here, Wildcat. I’m not sure anyone could read them all.”
“I could,” she said with stars in her eyes. “If I had enough time.”
“Well let us hope your half-Elven nature gives you immortality then,” I said.
“Yes,” she agreed absent-mindedly, batting her hand in the air to indicate she wanted to be pushed closer to one of the shelves.
I grinned and complied, enjoying the chance to observe her fascination and delight. I should have brought Raewyn here much sooner. It was like seeing a wild animal that had been caged all its life finally released into its natural habitat.
“Lucky for you, you’ve got nothing but time these days,” I said.
Raewyn didn’t respond. I wasn’t sure she’d even heard me. She was in a world of her own right now.
Running her pretty fingers lovingly over the spines of the nearest books, she made a delighted ooh noise that did interesting things to me.
The hair on the back of my neck rose, and a restless sensation stirred in my abdomen.
Fantastic. Apparently I’m jealous of books now.
“Can I bring some of these to my room?” Raewyn asked, already gathering several books into her lap.
“Of course,” I said. “And as soon as you’re able to navigate the stairs on your own, you’re welcome to come down here anytime and select new ones.”
That got her to finally look at me. She turned in her chair to check my face for sincerity.
“Really? Do you mean it?”
“Of course I mean it. As I said, my house is your house. You’re a guest here, Raewyn, not a prisoner.”
“Thank you,” she said and gave me the first sincere smile I’d seen since she’d awakened from her coma.
When Raewyn had made her reading choices, I took her upstairs and down the long gallery hallway to her room.
“Is your room here on the second floor?” she asked.
It was a natural question I supposed, but it made me uncomfortable.
“Why do you ask?”
“Just curious.”
“When your legs are strong enough, you can explore the entire castle,” I told her. “Except for my chambers. Do you understand?”
She hesitated but agreed. “I understand.”
Opening her door, I pushed her chair inside then bent and lifted her from it to carry her to the bed.
Raewyn was clearly surprised. Her body bucked in my arms.
“What are you doing? I can walk to the bed on my own.”
Laying her atop the covers, I smiled down into her angry, blushing face.
“Now you won’t have to.”
I started walking to the door. “Have a nice rest. And happy reading.”
Before I left the room, Raewyn stopped me.
“Pharis?”
I turned back. “Yes?”
“Are you sure my family is all right? I can’t stop thinking about them. I… miss them.”
Her forlorn expression made me want to take her to them this very minute.
“They are safe and well,” I said gently.
“How can you be sure? Have you seen them?”
“In a way,” I said. “I have a talented Auspexiate here at Stormcrest. You don’t need to worry, little Wyn. I’m watching over them.”
“I can’t help it. I just wish I could see them myself.”
Her voice sounded wretched. “It’s been so long. The girls must be getting so much bigger. We could never afford to have portraits painted. I don’t want to forget their faces. And before long, they may forget—”
Raewyn’s voice cracked, and tears flooded her eyes, making them shimmer.
My own eyes stung, my throat tightening till it ached.
I wasn’t really sure where it came from, but I heard my own voice say, “You’ll see them again, I promise. You won’t be stuck here forever.”
That was news to me, as I hadn’t really decided what to do with her yet. My plan had begun and ended with saving her life and getting her away from my father and brother.
Raewyn blinked rapidly and swiped a hand across one cheek, her tone brightening along with her eyes.
“You’ll let me leave? When?”
Her eagerness was like a dagger in my gut. She really did consider herself a prisoner.
I guessed what I’d been hoping was that in time she wouldn’t feel stuck here? That maybe she’d develop a fondness for my home and want to stay.
Keep dreaming, idiot.
And what was the point of that hope anyway? It was far-fetched to believe she’d grow to like me again the way she had during our long journey.
I certainly didn’t want her to love me.
But I wasn’t quite ready to let her go yet either.
I hardened my tone a bit. “You can leave when the time is right. You’ve still got a lot of healing to do. And you need training if your glamour gift is going to be of any use to me.”
“So I can help you with your secret nefarious plan, I know,” she said. “And if I agree to this training?”
“If you actually try your best to hone your skills—and don’t attempt to escape—I’ll watch over your family and see to all their needs.”
“If I don’t agree?”
“You don’t exactly have a choice.”
To make my point, I used two fingers to snap the decorative ornament off the top of the heavy wooden bedpost.
Raewyn’s eyes widened and she gulped at the simple display of power.
“But if you were to decide to leave before your training’s complete,” I continued, “and somehow managed it, the deal would be off. There would be nothing I could do at that point to keep the King or the Earthwives from finding your father and sisters.”
“Could do or would do?” she snapped. “Stellon was willing to protect them without any sort of deal or payment from me.”
“Well I am not my sainted brother, am I?” I snarled. “I should think that would be clear by now.”
I turned and left the room before I broke the entire bed in half.