Blackbird Broken (The Witch King's Crown #2) - Keri Arthur Page 0,93

to see me in a tea-deprived state.”

He grinned, stole another—this time all too brief—kiss, then rose and strode away, whistling softly. I leaned on my knees and watched, a silly smile on my face. Hope. There was no better pick-me-up.

Once he’d gone, I glanced around at Mo. Her face was serene, but energy flowed around her, rainbow bright in the shadows. From the little she’d said about astral travel, those colors meant she was no longer in ‘residence’ of her body. The energy was basically a warning system, meant to sound an alarm and drag her soul back into her body if it was attacked or something else went wrong.

I just had to cross my fingers—and all other things—that nothing else did go wrong. We’d really had more than our fair share of bad luck in the last twenty-four hours.

It took just over half an hour for Luc to return. The tide was obviously a fair way up the beach, because his jeans were wet up to his— The thought stalled as a familiar and very much welcome scent teased my nostrils. I dragged in a deep breath and smiled happily. Aside from freshly baked bread, there wasn’t a better smell in the entire world than that of fish and chips.

“I do so like a man who anticipates his lady’s needs, even when she’s reluctant to admit them.”

He grinned and sat beside me. “Mo did warn that I should never let you get too hungry if I wanted a long and peaceful life.”

“Did she now?”

“It’s one of the many pieces of advice she keeps imparting whenever you’re not around to protest.” He handed me the tray holding not only my tea and his coffee, but also three bottles of water, then began unwrapping the fish and chips. “Oh, and before you ask, I did get a full range of chocolate, as I wasn’t sure which one you preferred.”

“Any chocolate is good chocolate.” I paused and wrinkled my nose. “Except the Bounty Bar. Way too much coconut for the amount of chocolate provided.”

“Many would find that a controversial statement.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Do you?”

“Hell no, totally agree.”

“I see glimmers of hope for a successful relationship.”

“And I’d hope a successful relationship would depend on far more than chocolate compatibility.”

“Well, yes, there is the whole sexual satisfaction thing to consider, but you need to know going in that I consider chocolate one of the five essential food groups.”

“Then I shall keep a constant supply to hand when we get around to having a relationship.” He motioned to the fish and chips. “Eat up before it gets any colder.”

We ate in companionable silence, but by the time I’d finished my tea and a couple of chocolate bars, tiredness threatened to wash me away.

Luc tucked the rubbish under a rock so that it didn’t get blown away by the chill breeze now funneling into the cavern.

“Why don’t you grab some sleep,” he said softly. “I can keep watch.”

“That’s not fair—”

“Gwen, you look like shit—”

“I do love the way compliments fall so very readily from your lips.”

A smile tugged at said lips but failed to reach his eyes. “I’m being serious—”

“So am I.”

“You are so annoying, woman.” He wrapped an arm around my shoulders, then dragged me into his big warm body. I did what I’d resisted earlier and drew in a deep breath. His warm, spicy scent ran with the musk of man and sweat, and it had an oddly calming effect. Or maybe that was a result of the tenderness with which he held me and the steady beating of his heart under my ear. He was strength and caring and connection … An image of a woman in red rose like a ghost in my mind, her blue eyes bright with laughter. But that laughter was fading, just as she was fading. I had no idea whether he was actually thinking of her at that moment or if the connection between us allowed me to catch another memory. Either way, I couldn’t help but hope the fact she was fading meant her grip on his affections was also fading.

I closed my eyes and within minutes was asleep.

The dust had settled and the cavern was pitch black when I finally woke. Luc’s arm remained around me, but the heat emanating from his body couldn’t entirely erase the iciness in the air. The crashing of waves upon the shore seemed louder—closer—than it had before, but more concerning was the rush of water inside the cavern.