Magical Lover (5 page)

Probably, but for the life of her, she didn’t care. Nothing mattered except Thoren and his touch. Everything would be fine. Nothing would harm her.

“Why don’t you and Jamie pack your things? I need to talk to Enar.”

Sounded like a great idea. He didn’t fear her, he wouldn’t harm her, which was a lot better than what she’d get staying in River’s Run. And he made her feel peaceful, although she had a sneaking suspicion his touch worked some sort of a spell.

She, Jamie and Lily were on their way to what she hoped was a better life. It couldn’t be any worse than what they experienced here.

“Come on Jamie. Let’s pack.”

Chapter 3

Thoren sat at Keara’s table, watching Enar rock Lily. What a contradiction, a hard-as-stone Watcher gently holding a petite woman. Just as he wanted to do with Keara. He gave himself a mental smack. What was wrong with him today? Since when did he want to hold and act a lovesick fool toward a female?

Mate.

Oh, no. It couldn’t be. Forget that thought. Think of something else. Like why did Enar decide now was a good time to claim a woman. Or how they were going to get everyone home on two horses. Any thought but why he had such strong feelings for Keara.

Those weren’t really feelings. Not of the bonding she’s-my-mate kind. No, he only cared since she was a Draconi female, and females should be protected. Since she obviously wasn’t protected, his dragon half demanded he do so. That was all. No mate business for him.

Now that he had his feelings settled, he could move on to the other matter:
Lily
. Why did Enar pick this mission to choose a claim? Why couldn’t he pick a mission where they didn’t have to put five people and their belongings on two horses?

Which led to the next question he always wondered about and never got a straight answer: Why did Watchers claim women? Didn’t they have their own stock to choose from? Whatever the answer, Enar refused to say and Thoren had never seen one of their women. Which led to a completely different question: what did they do with all those Claims?

A toughened race of warriors sworn to protect the Draconi, Watchers made him wary. All but Enar. His best friend was the only one Thoren had met who seemed normal. Until he claimed Lily, that is.

Although in fairness to Enar, claiming women seemed to be the norm for Watchers. And his friend seemed to care for the woman, if cradling her like a baby meant anything.

What did he really know about Watchers? Nothing much.

He’d been told that many generations ago, they needed a place to settle, and in return for the generosity of donated land, the Watchers used their warrior skills to guard the Draconi.

Why a powerful magical race needed guardians was over his head. His questions on that matter had received shrugs from all he asked. Even Enar responded that Watchers had lived among the Draconi for generations and planned to for generations more.

Which told him nothing. Including why his friend insisted on claiming a woman from this backward town.

Thoren ran a hand through his hair and glanced at Enar. “Promise me you won’t hurt her.” If Lily hurt, he knew Keara would too and keeping her pain-free seemed to be his new goal in life.

“I don’t hurt women.” Enar glared. “So, you think Keara is the trace of magic you sensed, or do you think the Halfling boy is?”

Way to change the topic, Enar.
“I don’t know. I definitely sensed magic in this town, but it might have been Keara. Maybe we should search the town for the boy.”

“Or not. That crowd was pretty riled up and might come back. And since the Council rules forbid you from turning into a dragon while on a mission and razing this town to the ground, we need to leave. The sooner the better. We’re returning with a Halfling female, so the Council will be pleased.”

“As much as I hate to say it, you’re right. Keara’s safety comes first. We’ll leave as soon as she gets packed.”

A creak of the stairs, the whisper of shoes on wood. Thoren turned his head and saw Keara creeping down the stairs. Her gaze caught his, dropped to her feet and rose slowly. That look shot through him like a punch to the gut, piercing through his resistance. Was she ill? Did she need his help? He needed to touch her, to calm her fears, to soothe the hurt her pain caused him.

“What will you do with my bride price?” Her voice cracked.

Leave it here?
“We can’t take it. I’m sorry. We only have two horses.”

“Then what can I take?” Her hands clasped in front of her waist.

“One bag.”

“One bag!” Fists slammed into her hips. “Are you crazy? How am I supposed to get all this,” she gestured around the room, “into one bag?”

Was it too much to ask for a female to take one bag? He had sisters; he knew the request was outrageous. But they had no other choice. How was he supposed to get an entire store on a horse?

“What about one bag for my personal items and one bag for store items?”

Thoren glanced at Enar who shrugged. “All right. Two bags. How much of the store are you planning on taking?” On the other hand, the store was valuable. Even he, who knew next to nothing about herb craft, realized the value of the vials and potions lying on the shelves and cabinets.

“As much as can fit in two bags. This is my life. I’m an apothecary.” Her forefinger circled her thumbnail, over and over. “What will I do in your land?”

“You may do whatever you like. The priestesses have herb lore. You could talk to them.”

“I would be allowed to do that?”

“Of course. Why wouldn’t you?”

She shrugged, her lips turning down.

“Why don’t you go pack your things?”

She took a deep breath and released the air with a sigh. “All right. But I’ll come back down and you can help me pack up the store.”

“It’s a deal.”

He watched the alluring swish of her hips as she climbed the stairs. Keara had the power to keep him from his mission, to keep him rooted in Draconia and enjoying every moment of it.

Bugger it. The sooner he could drop her off, the quicker he could return to his love: his work as a spy.

But with Keara in the picture, spying no longer seemed as pleasing.

****

Keara paced the floor of her bedroom, running her hands through her hair, pulling the strands loose from her braid. Jamie sat on his pallet, his gray eyes watching her movements. Thoren wanted her to leave her home, her shop, the only place she knew. The town might not be welcoming to her, but the shop held memories of her life. How would she be able to pack that?

And Lily. What would become of her friend? Enar frightened her, although she doubted he meant Lily harm. Would going with Enar be better for her friend or worse?

She should be thankful that although Thoren didn’t consider them married, he still wanted her to go back with him to his land. Her land. Her people.

What an odd thought.

An even stranger thought was his insistence she possessed magic.

Did she
? Was that why she healed the sick by placing her hands on them? Why her ears smoked? What did she really know about herself? About her newly discovered race?

Nothing. Nothing at all
.

She should be thankful Thoren wanted to take her back. Provided he told the truth.

A shudder ran through her. Of course he told the truth. Because if he didn’t...she didn’t want to think about it. Since he told the truth—she refused to think otherwise—the Goddess watched over her when She sent the men to find some boy.

Speaking of. “Jamie, have you seen a red-headed boy? The men were looking for one.”

Jamie shook his head, his talkative streak obviously at an end.

“They said he might not have red hair, but would have unusual abilities. Oh, and he’d have the same mark I do.” She raised her sleeve and pointed to the spindly lines shaped like a dragon.

Jamie’s eyes widened, his head shaking like insects’ wings.

“No? Never seen that on anyone else? All right.”

Now that her braid was completely undone and hanging in strands, she might as well do something productive. Like try to cram an entire life into two bags. Unbelievable her life had come to this, to being married to a stranger that didn’t consider them married.

But what a choice. She’d take mister jaw-dropping gorgeous over Lord Simon any day. How could she have considered the thought that Lord Simon would be an acceptable match? What had she been thinking?

Keara dropped her hairbrush and comb into the open bag. She had made the correct decision. If she told herself that enough times, it might stop the fear she felt when Thoren stopped touching her mark. With his hand on her, all she wanted was him, his touch, his acceptance.

From his raven’s-wing-black hair to his thick, leather-covered thighs, he exuded a sensuality any normal woman would want to taste, touch, and claim. And in that regard, she was normal.

She wouldn’t mind this marriage, sham or not. Having him care about her, to find her pleasing to his eye, might never happen, but she would enjoy this time with him and the new feelings he awakened within her.

“We have to pack, Jamie. We’re going someplace new.”
And I hope they like us better there than they do here.

Chapter 4

By the time Keara and Jamie finished packing and made their way downstairs, Enar and Lily had left.

“Where are they?” Her voice sounded panicked and she hoped Thoren didn’t notice.

“Don’t worry. They went to get Lily’s things, stop by the inn where we were staying, pick up our gear and horses, and return here. We’ll leave before dawn.”

Dawn. She had until dawn and then her life would change, hopefully for the better. Dawn, and she’d never see this shop, her life’s memories, again.

Keara looked at the cabinets where her grandmother’s potions—formerly bestsellers—sat in colored vials, unsold and unwanted. Business had all but disappeared in the last three months, since her grandmother’s death. The store smelled the same, the fragrant scent of herbs hung heavily in the air, but townsfolk no longer shopped here.

Keara shoved her hands through her hair, and stared at the shop, remembering what it once was, what it would never be again. She knew in her heart, they would never return, that this was the last day she’d see her store.

What should she take? “Are there places to gather herbs where we’re going?” She turned to look at Thoren, who stood by the table with Jamie, both sets of eyes focused on her.

“There are. But you might find other things besides herbs to sate your healing abilities.”

Her head cocked to the side. “What other things?”