Khamsin, for a mere slip of a girl that looked more like a young farm lad than the Lady she was supposed to be? She thought of the Princesses they saw only the day before; their elegance, their carefully tended beauty. She knew she could never be anything like them.
Oh, she could weave spells, she supposed, to make herself as elegant. But they’d be false and somehow Rylan would know. Besides, why return for her when Noviiya was full of reasons for him to stay? Perhaps that’s where he was headed now. An attractive man such as Rylan the Tinker no doubt had more than one lovely tucked away in the City. As he did, she surmised, in Browner’s Grove. She was just little Kammi, the young girl he rescued from the Hill Raiders. He no doubt felt compassion for her, but little more.
She pulled out of his grasp. “Leave word at the stables. I’ll check there when I can.” There was a sudden chill to her voice. “We can meet here for supper, if you like.”
He frowned slightly. “You’ll stay here. The room is paid for, for as long as you need it.”
“I’ve availed myself of your charity far too long. There’s no reason for you…”
“No?” He hesitated, then reached for her hand, pulling her back to him, twining his fingers into her own. His voice was soft, almost apologetic. “There’s a very good reason. One I’ve been afraid to tell you. Tried to tell you last night. It’s why I asked how you felt about your husband. I had to know if you still loved him. Before I could tell you what I feel. How much I love you.”
It took several moments for his words to sink in, for the thousand bubbles that just exploded inside her to settle down into a mere fluttering of her heart.
“Me? That’s not possible!”
He drew her hand to his lips. “Why?” He kissed her fingers lightly. “Khamsin, you’re a beautiful woman. Kindly, gentle but strong. You have a deep loyalty. A true intelligence. You’re all I’ve sought for years, and more so.
“And this is the truth, with no falseness on my part. For if I were here only to seduce you, I could’ve done so in Cirrus Cove, the day you healed my horse. But I wasn’t seeking seductions. Nor love, if truth be known. So if my feelings surprise you, understand they surprise me doubly more.”
“You don’t know me, haven’t known me long enough,” she countered lamely.
“Haven’t I?” His eyes glistened playfully now. “And what determines the proper time for love, little one? Is it written in one of your books?”
Khamsin started to speak, but he continued. “I’m no stranger to Cirrus. I’ve watched you for years. Watched you grow from a mischievous child to a lovely young woman. No, perhaps you weren’t aware of me, as my passings through your village were oft-times infrequent. But, nevertheless, I’ve for a long time been aware of you.”
Khamsin closed her eyes for a moment, thinking of the night the Tinker sat across the dining room table from her. There was an unsettling sensation, an attraction she could not explain at the time.
A shiver ran up her spine. “Rylan, I…”
“Could you love me, Khamsin?”
She stared at the man whose lips brushed against her fingers; whose eyes stared into hers with an intensity that made her knees weak. She wished she could give him the answer he sought. But she couldn’t.
She knew nothing about love, had never been interested in love. Her only thoughts were on her magic and her Healing. Those were the only important things. For love, for a man to love to come into her life now…no. Not now.
The stark reality of Rina’s and Tavis’s death grazed her conscience. She steeled herself. Now was not the time. There was too much she had to do. She knew when she was with Rylan, her thoughts were anywhere but her divinations. What she found herself feeling for Rylan she forced herself to dismiss as just a physical attraction, a remembrance from the past. A response to her loneliness. That was why she was
Oh, she could weave spells, she supposed, to make herself as elegant. But they’d be false and somehow Rylan would know. Besides, why return for her when Noviiya was full of reasons for him to stay? Perhaps that’s where he was headed now. An attractive man such as Rylan the Tinker no doubt had more than one lovely tucked away in the City. As he did, she surmised, in Browner’s Grove. She was just little Kammi, the young girl he rescued from the Hill Raiders. He no doubt felt compassion for her, but little more.
She pulled out of his grasp. “Leave word at the stables. I’ll check there when I can.” There was a sudden chill to her voice. “We can meet here for supper, if you like.”
He frowned slightly. “You’ll stay here. The room is paid for, for as long as you need it.”
“I’ve availed myself of your charity far too long. There’s no reason for you…”
“No?” He hesitated, then reached for her hand, pulling her back to him, twining his fingers into her own. His voice was soft, almost apologetic. “There’s a very good reason. One I’ve been afraid to tell you. Tried to tell you last night. It’s why I asked how you felt about your husband. I had to know if you still loved him. Before I could tell you what I feel. How much I love you.”
It took several moments for his words to sink in, for the thousand bubbles that just exploded inside her to settle down into a mere fluttering of her heart.
“Me? That’s not possible!”
He drew her hand to his lips. “Why?” He kissed her fingers lightly. “Khamsin, you’re a beautiful woman. Kindly, gentle but strong. You have a deep loyalty. A true intelligence. You’re all I’ve sought for years, and more so.
“And this is the truth, with no falseness on my part. For if I were here only to seduce you, I could’ve done so in Cirrus Cove, the day you healed my horse. But I wasn’t seeking seductions. Nor love, if truth be known. So if my feelings surprise you, understand they surprise me doubly more.”
“You don’t know me, haven’t known me long enough,” she countered lamely.
“Haven’t I?” His eyes glistened playfully now. “And what determines the proper time for love, little one? Is it written in one of your books?”
Khamsin started to speak, but he continued. “I’m no stranger to Cirrus. I’ve watched you for years. Watched you grow from a mischievous child to a lovely young woman. No, perhaps you weren’t aware of me, as my passings through your village were oft-times infrequent. But, nevertheless, I’ve for a long time been aware of you.”
Khamsin closed her eyes for a moment, thinking of the night the Tinker sat across the dining room table from her. There was an unsettling sensation, an attraction she could not explain at the time.
A shiver ran up her spine. “Rylan, I…”
“Could you love me, Khamsin?”
She stared at the man whose lips brushed against her fingers; whose eyes stared into hers with an intensity that made her knees weak. She wished she could give him the answer he sought. But she couldn’t.
She knew nothing about love, had never been interested in love. Her only thoughts were on her magic and her Healing. Those were the only important things. For love, for a man to love to come into her life now…no. Not now.
The stark reality of Rina’s and Tavis’s death grazed her conscience. She steeled herself. Now was not the time. There was too much she had to do. She knew when she was with Rylan, her thoughts were anywhere but her divinations. What she found herself feeling for Rylan she forced herself to dismiss as just a physical attraction, a remembrance from the past. A response to her loneliness. That was why she was
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