Chapter 16

Sixteen

The following night, we were in the garden.

Lorik's hand strayed below my waist, and I shot him a stern look, which had his lips twitching. The glowflies illuminated his face in varying shades of color as they bobbed and weaved and worked around us. The glowflies liked Lorik—or at least the brightbells and the death needle varieties did. The fire cups? Not so much. The shadevines…he'd nearly been stung.

One death needle glowfly landed on the tip of his horn, illuminating the striations of the black bone in silver light. I chuckled and said, "You look cute with your little friend."

The look in Lorik's eyes as he watched me nearly had me melting in place. Warm and gentle, it made my heart thud rapidly in my chest.

He likes me,I thought, the knowledge filling me with dizzy hope and excitement. He likes me a lot.

Lorik reached up, and the glowfly crawled onto the outstretched tip of his claw. He brought it down with care, observing the small insect, taking in its transparent, large wings and the way its body shimmered like a jewel.

"Most people are afraid of death needles because of their name," I commented softly, observing them both. Behind him, I saw Peek in the hollow of the tree, spying in the garden, one of his favorite nooks outside. I smiled. "But they are actually the gentlest and most harmless of all the glowflies. Wrathweeds…those are the ones you need to watch out for."

"I'll stay all the way over here with you, then," Lorik rumbled. "Marvelous little things, aren't they? With more magic in their bodies than most Allavari possess in their lifetime."

"Do you think it's true?" I wondered. "What the villages are saying? That the Below is somehow leeching magic from this land? That Allavari are losing their power because of it?"

Lorik's gaze met mine. The death needle glowfly flitted from his claw, landing on the nearby plant I was tending to, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw the tiny insect burrow its way into the blackness of the flower.

"No, I don't think that's true," he replied.

"Do you think the Allavari are losing their magic?"

"I think that the Allavari like to blame others for their problems and lack of dedication and study to their craft," Lorik said. "Magic is an element. It's like the air we breathe, the soil in the earth. Nothing more. To strengthen and hone it, it takes practice and care. Focus and study. It's a spiritual thing. It's not supposed to come easily. The Allavari have simply forgotten that."

"Do they have a ‘Study of Magic' Guild in Olimara?" I teased, clearing out a stray weed from the death needle bed, tossing it to the ground.

"Olimara?" he questioned. "Why Olimara?"

"Because I figured you're the head of that guild, if there was such one. And since you don't live in Rolara, I thought maybe you lived in Olimara since you mentioned it before."

"I don't have only one home," he replied, picking up the weed I'd plucked, twirling it around in his fingers. "I have many. I like it that way."

"So you're like a nomad, flitting from village to village?" I asked.

His lips curled, and he shot me a sharp look. "Something like that."

Did he know I was trying to pry? But he was so private and closed off about anything personal that I was beginning to feel strangely about it.

"I don't know much about you, Lorik," I said softly. "For all I know, you could have a mate tucked away somewhere with five or six children running around and I would be none the wiser."

Lorik narrowed his eyes. "Do you believe I'm that type of male?"

"No," I said. "But you never truly know someone, isn't that right? I, um, was involved with a male from the village…oh, six years ago, maybe? He told me all sorts of things, promised all sorts of things. Turns out he was a liar and he stole all my potions on his way out. So…my instincts about someone have been wrong before."

A strained silence followed. Truthfully, I was a little embarrassed to have admitted that I'd been taken advantage of by a man I'd trusted. Umerie had been his name. He'd had beautiful silver eyes and a charming smile. And I might've been too lonely and desperate to feel anything that I'd been blinded by him. I didn't want that to happen again.

"Marion," Lorik said. Hesitantly, I looked up to meet his eyes. "I can promise you with every part of me that I don't have a mate or children hidden somewhere. You're the only woman I want, the only one I've even allowed myself to get close to in a long time. That's something you never have to worry about with me."

I nodded, turning back to the garden bed. His words burned in my belly and brought heat to my cheeks. I was glad it was a chilly night to help hide it, but I had a feeling that Lorik knew the effect of his words anyway.

"You're…you're the only male I've allowed myself to get close to in a long time too," I confessed.

"Let me show you something," he murmured. Curious, I turned back to him, and he took my hand, placing the stem of the weed between my fingertips.

I held it, and he closed his palm around mine. I savored his heat and the calloused brush of his fingers.

"You have more magic than you think—I've told you before," he murmured, staring down at our joined hands. "And when I join yours with mine…"

I gasped, feeling that familiar tingle crawl up and around my hand. It felt like an electric touch, comforting but still holding me on the edge, anticipating what would come next.

"You feel it?" he asked.

"Yes," I breathed.

"I can call it so easily when I'm with you. When I'm here with you," he told me. "It feels like breathing. Effortless. All because of you, little witch."

The tingling sensation expanded, and I watched with parted lips as the weed began to grow. The shriveled bloom at the tip lifted, coming back to life, and with awe, I saw the petals unfurl, revealing a dark purple so deep it appeared black. The stamens were silver, and the stem blackened beneath our touch.

Beautiful.Not a weed at all.

"A midnight cosmia," I whispered. "But how in the world did it get here?"

Lorik released his grip on my hand. "Their seeds travel far. Keep it in water, and it'll last a lifetime."

"Thank you," I said, bringing it my nose. A beautiful, light fragrance, one that reminded me of quiet summer days, greeted me. "It's a very nice gift."

Lorik jerked, casting a quick look down at his inner wrist.

I frowned. "What's wrong? A glowfly didn't get you, right?"

But I saw no light of one, and Lorik turned his wrist into his side.

"It's nothing," he assured me, smiling. "I'm glad you like the flower."

Hesitantly, I nodded.

Lorik looked around the night garden and then stood from his kneeling position.

"I'll go put it in water," he said, gently taking the bloom from my hand. "And let you finish up out here."

"Yes," I moaned. "Right there—gods, don't stop."

"Mmm," Lorik groaned, capturing my lips as his hips drove into me harder, faster. His pelvis ground down into my clit, and it made me see stars with every thrust. "Going to come for me, little witch? I'm going to join you. Can't hold back any longer."

My nails dug into his back, and Lorik used his wings to propel him forward more forcefully, the gusts sending my curtains fluttering.

"You feel so fucking good," he whispered against my lips, ragged and gruff. "So good, my love."

The orgasm hit me hard, and I cried out, back arching off the bed, my pebbled nipples rubbing against his chest.

"Yes," Lorik hissed, his hands on both sides of my head, holding the majority of his weight off me. His hips jerked, his rhythm becoming sporadic, punctuated by sharp thrusts as he followed me in his own release. The heat of his come felt searing—it felt like a brand inside me.

His head was thrown back, the tendons in his neck straining. Behind him his wings gave a gentle gust before sagging. He collapsed on top of me as my pleasure faded, and I gladly took the majority of his weight, though he did keep himself half-held to the side.

He let out a long sigh that rustled my hair, and I felt his lips press to my neck, peppering small, lazy kisses against me. I felt his sweat cooling on my skin and smiled in the afterglow, feeling more relaxed than I had in years. I brought my hand up to his hair, softly combing my fingers through it. He shivered when I scraped at his scalp, giving a little moan into my skin.

When I turned my face to kiss his temple, I savored the warmth and weight of him. Close to my cheek was his wrist from where he'd braced himself. And I—

There was a mark on his wrist that hadn't been there before. Something that shimmered like opals across his skin, something infused with magic, and I suddenly remembered his reaction in the garden. So sudden I'd thought a glowfly had stung him.

It looked like a crest. A shield.

My brow furrowed, and Lorik raised his head. I quickly looked down at him.

"Sorry—I'm crushing you," he murmured lazily. Sleepy already.

"I don't mind it," I told him truthfully. "It feels nice."

What had caused the mark to appear so suddenly? I was certain I would've noticed it before now. I'd been caring for him and his wound, had sat beside him while he'd been sick with infection for nearly an entire day, and he'd been undressed then. No, this mark was new. But what had created it?

And I knew just as certainly that Lorik wouldn't tell me if I asked. There was a part of me that worried he was like Veras—secretive in his business dealings but no less dangerous. What was Lorik involved in? And did I want to know? Or did I just want to enjoy him while I had him? Because even I knew this wouldn't last forever.

Then again, I didn't like to think of myself as a coward.

"Lorik," I said gently, my heart suddenly pounding.

"Hmm?"

"What's that mark on your wrist? I don't think it was there before, right?"

He tensed briefly against my side, though he brought his arm around me, clasping me tightly to him. My bed didn't allow for too much room, but that suited me just fine. His body was stretched behind me, and he tucked my bottom into his groin, his knees drawing up to lock against mine.

"No, it wasn't," he answered. "I'm being summoned."

"Summoned?" I asked, softly incredulous. "Summoned by who?"

"I suppose you could say my employer," he answered wryly. There was a hint of amusement in his tone. "Part of my duty, Marion, is to protect the Black Veil. Against Shades mostly. But when one strays too close to a village, for example, I get summoned to take care of it."

"Then why haven't you gone?" I asked, squirming to turn in his arms so I could face him. "When you say employer—"

"No more questions, you inquisitive thing," he said gently, pressing a kiss to my lips. His eyelids were heavy, but his gaze was soft. "I'm not allowed to answer most anyway."

When he saw the brief flash of frustration cross my features, his expression turned pleading.

"Have patience with me, Marion," he told me. "This is new to me too. A part of me has been alone this long because of this very reason. Because of what I cannot say. There are codes in your Healers' Guild. You are bound to oath, as am I."

When he put it like that…

"All right," I whispered. I nodded against his chest. "I understand."

Lorik blew out a breath. Relief? He kissed my forehead. "Thank you."

"This job of yours…it's not terribly dangerous, is it?"

Lorik chuckled lowly. "Worried for me?"

"A little," I admitted.

"I'm very good at what I do, little witch. You don't have to worry about me."

I…believed it. I'd seen him dispatch the Shade quickly, even injured as he had been. And his injury to begin with…it must've had something to do with this mysterious duty, didn't it?

"I do have to leave, though," Lorik said quietly.

I heard the words. I felt them sink into me and felt icy disappointment spread through my limbs, settling in my belly, making me cold.

"When?" I asked, licking my dry lips.

"Tonight," he answered.

I swallowed, thinking how empty the bed would feel.

"Only for a little while. Then I'll return to you. I promise."