Chapter 7

The word shivered down my spine and curled around my heart. Words tumbled around my head, pressing against each other in their bid to escape, but the only thing that came out was, "Okay."

Baldric's scowl deepened to truly epic proportions. "You don't even know what you're agreeing to."

"So tell me."

His jaw clenched and his hands curled into fists. "I can't."

"Sure you can. It's easy." I gave him my most innocent smile while internally cackling. "You just open your mouth and say, ‘Everything includes bending you over this table and—'"

A deep growl rolled through the room, cutting off the rest of my sentence. I froze like a rabbit before a wolf and hoped I hadn't sorely misjudged his interest.

"You are in my employ," Baldric said, his voice tightly controlled.

"Of my own volition."

His gaze pinned me in place. "Because you need the money."

I winced and dipped my chin.

"You can't truly consent when I hold all the power."

"You'd be the first employer I've had who thought that way." I'd tried to keep my voice light, but some of my bitterness bled through.

Baldric was on his feet in an instant, his presence looming huge in the small kitchen. "Who?" he demanded.

I swallowed. "It doesn't matter. And it's not what you are thinking. They didn't do anything, not really."

"Protecting them only allows them to hurt others."

"So, what then? You're going to go threaten every petty, would-be noble in the surrounding area? That would make a whole new problem. Several, actually."

Baldric's smile was filled with teeth and venom. "They will listen to me."

The "or else" was very clearly implied. I narrowed my eyes at him. "You said you weren't a lord, which means you don't rule this county, which means you'll only get yourself in trouble."

His mouth tipped up into a confident smile, but he didn't contradict me. Instead, he settled and the looming presence vanished.

I didn't trust it for a second. "The new landlord already hates me. If you make his friends angry and they come looking for you, what do you think is going to happen when they find me?"

"They will not touch you."

The words sounded like a vow, but it wasn't one he'd be able to keep. "They won't need to touch me to ruin my life," I reminded him gently. "A few rumors, and the area will be swarming with knights."

"This place is not so easily found." He slanted an amused glance at me. "Current company notwithstanding."

I considered him with a frown. "But I walked straight here."

"And that's the reason I let you inside. You shouldn't have been able to find the manor, what more open the door."

"Is that why it was unlocked? Because that's really unsafe, you know."

He laughed, and the sound rang through the room and warmed my blood. "Anyone who finds my house and opens my door will get exactly what they deserve."

"Lunch?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

His smile tipped toward dangerous. "In a manner of speaking."

* * *

After extractinga promise that Baldric wouldn't run off right now to go threaten the local gentry, I went back to cleaning. There were fewer rooms on the third floor than the fourth, but they were bigger and had more furniture, so it actually took longer to clean.

Baldric brought me lunch, then tea, then came back in his dinner jacket and glared at me. I eyed him warily. I was this close to finishing the level, and if I could stretch his patience another ten or fifteen minutes, I'd be done.

"I'll be down in a minute," I tried. "You don't have to wait for me."

He raised an eyebrow and silently started removing his jacket.

I mopped faster and accidentally slopped water onto my slipper and the hem of my dress. With no time to fix it, I kept moving.

Once he started rolling up his shirt sleeves, I knew I'd have to take drastic measures. I set the mop aside. I'd never finish the rest of the rooms before he decided to "help."

I called the rest of the dirt into the mop bucket with magic.

I'd already magically cleaned the library and mattresses, so the additional effort left me woozy on my feet, but the floors gleamed, just as I'd promised.

Now I just had to deal with the mop and bucket of dirty water, and I'd be done. I reached for it, but the floor decided to lurch sideways under my feet, dumping me toward the wall.

Baldric cursed under his breath and clamped a careful hand around my elbow. He hauled me back upright. "It's okay to accept help, you know."

I frowned. "But it's my job."

This close, his icy blue eyes were softer, warmer. He smelled like wood smoke and spice, and I just wanted to lay my head on his chest and enjoy the peace for a moment.

So I did.

He stilled, but before I could pull away in embarrassment, he wrapped an arm around my back and tucked me closer. I leaned against him and listened as his heart beat slow and steady.

Half the house was clean, and I'd used a decent amount of magic today, so that incessant prickle at the back of my mind was muted. I was nearly… content.

How long had it been since I'd felt anything close to contentment?

I lingered for a bit longer, until my damp slipper reminded me that I was coated in grime and leaning against Baldric's pristine shirt. I jerked back hard enough that I would've toppled to the floor if Baldric hadn't caught me with the arm around my waist.

He frowned at me. "What's wrong?"

"I'm filthy!" When his frown melted into a wicked smile, I huffed at him. "Not like that. I'm going to mess up your dinner clothes."

"A little dirt isn't the end of the world."

"Says the man living in regal squalor," I grumbled. "It might not bother you, but it makes my magic itch."

His scowl returned. "Is that why you haven't been sleeping?" When I nodded, his jaw firmed, like he'd come to some decision, but he just asked, "Are you ready for dinner now?"

"I have to put the mop away, then I'll meet you downstairs."

When he left without an argument, I knew he was up to something.