Chapter 22 Hell
Of course, Liv volunteered me to give him a tour of the house. All I wanted to do was take a nap. It did not help that Ezra somehow managed to leave him in the cellar even longer. He was sitting quietly in the chair when I returned, absently tracing circles across the worn wood with his thumb.
“Come with me.” His eyes widened. I turned away before he could ask a single question.
I did not feel in the mood for questions.
I felt his presence behind me just as I had in the dreams.
My mind was still trying to cope with the idea of him being real.
His warmth and the smell of smoky pine wrapped around me as we ascended the stairs to the kitchen.
“Margaret, this is the blacksmith, blacksmith, Margaret.”
Margaret gave him a warm smile and a slight curtsy. “Well, it is lovely to meet you, dear. Do you have a name, or shall I keep calling you Blacksmith?” She shot me a look that said we would be talking about this later.
He took her hand and bowed slightly. “It is Rafael, ma’am, but you can call me Raf.” His smile was entirely too charming, earning a quiet laugh from Margaret. When he kissed the back of her hand, my stomach twisted painfully with the memory of our dance.
“This is the kitchen.” I blurted out through a too-tight throat.
He said nothing; he just stared at me, like a lost puppy waiting for instruction.
Ugh. “Moving on.” His footsteps fell heavily behind me as I took him through each room, dryly explaining what each was.
Until they stopped at the foot of the stairs.
I looked down at him expectantly from halfway up the steps.
“Hell, what are we doing?” He sounded so defeated, and my heart ached for him, only for a moment.
“It is a tour of the house; Liv commanded it.”
I rolled my eyes. He was up the stairs in an instant.
I turned just as he stopped a breath away, one hand resting against the banister beside me.
Not trapping me. Just close enough that I could feel the warmth of him.
My chest heaved as he leaned in slightly, his breath ghosting across my neck.
An involuntary shiver that had nothing to do with the open windows wracked my body.
No. “And it’s Helena.” I spat coldly before ducking beneath his arm and continuing up the stairs.
We turned the corner to the girls’ rooms just as Christine and Eliza came running and giggling from their room.
He sidestepped and narrowly avoided a collision, smiling as they giggled down the stairs.
“This is where the girls stay,” I pointed to the hall opposite of them, “And that is the adult wing where Liv, Ezra, Margaret, and I stay.”
“So this is where I will stay then?”
I met his gaze. Then my eyes drifted meaningfully between him and the three occupied doors before returning to him. He smiled hopefully.
“...Seriously?” I crossed my arms over my chest and stared at him. He stared back. I glanced at the three bedroom doors once more. He glanced at them too. Then back at me.
“There are only three rooms, blacksmith, and four adults that occupy them. There is not enough room.”
A sly smirk slid across his face. “I could room with you.” I blinked silently at him. “I can take the sofa; it truly is no trouble.”
“No,” I said sternly as I turned and left the hall and that absurd idea with it.
Christine and Eliza peeked around the corner before immediately giving away their hiding place with a fit of giggles.
“Is this the blacksmith?” Christine giggled.
Before either of us could answer, Eliza tugged on his trousers.
“You are very large, but you are very pretty!”
I could not help the chuckle that slipped out, because he was.
He stooped to one knee and took Christine’s hand.
“I am a blacksmith, but you can call me Raf. Do you know what else I am?”
She blinked back at him excitedly as he pulled Eliza’s hand into his other one, “I am a wonderful dancer.”
He twirled both of them around until they were laughing and shrieking, then they took off down the stairs, their laughs echoing behind them.
I hadn’t realized the idiotic smile plastered across my face until he looked up at me from his position on his knee. He gave me a goofy smile and wiggled his brows, entirely too pleased with himself. Shit. Heat crept up my neck and into my cheeks. I cleared my throat far more loudly than necessary.
“I will show you the training spaces.” I turned quickly and made my way down the stairs. He ran after me.
“So where will I be rooming then?” He reached for my hand, and I froze. The instant his fingers brushed mine, I pulled away as though he'd burned me.
“You will see.” I continued through the foyer and out the door.
Liv was leaning against a post, watching Ezra as he constructed a barrier for the training ring. Her eyes nearly bulged from their sockets as he pulled his shirt off and wiped sweat from his brow with it. I nearly gagged.
“Careful, if you drool any more you may slip in the puddle.” She rolled her eyes at me.
“I cannot help it, I mean… look at him.” She sighed.
“I would prefer not to.” I stuck my tongue at her.
“Oh, Raf! You are finally free from the cellar, I see.” She smiled warmly at him. I raised a brow and mouthed Raf? She shrugged as though it were the most natural thing in the world. Traitor.
“Careful. It starts with smiling.” Liv nudged me with her shoulder and wiggled her brows.
“I do not know what you mean.” I made a point of not meeting her gaze.
“You looked at him the same way I look at Ezra.” Her voice softened.
“I did not.” I tried desperately not to look at him, but lost the battle and was immediately blinded by that infuriating smile.
I looked away and tried to shake everything I was feeling from my head.
“Anyways, this is where the girls will learn to spar, with and without magic. They may need to defend themselves one day soon.”
Liv’s smile faltered. Ezra pulled her close without a word.
Somehow, he always knew when she needed him.
“So, it seems the tour went well. Did you get him settled in so he has somewhere to sleep?” I did not miss the hope in her voice, and could not stop the mischief that pulled at my lips. I looked at the blacksmith, and his smile disappeared. His eyes widened.
“You are in charge of choosing my room?” I tried not to laugh as I nodded slowly at him.
“Since you seem to enjoy the cellar so much, I suppose you can stay there.” He folded his arms over his chest.
“...You're joking.”
“Do I look as though I'm joking?” He opened his mouth to speak, but Liv cut him off.
“Hell…” I raised my hand to stop her.
“It seems adequate for him.” I turned before she could continue her protest and made for my room before I could change my mind.