Sweep of the Blade (Innkeeper Chronicles #4) - Ilona Andrews Page 0,37

“It’s like a book! But it’s moving.”

“Pause,” Arland said. “Helen, I gave you access. You can tell it to pause, rewind, and fast forward.”

She looked at the pillows and then back at the screen. “I need my teddy!”

“Let’s go get him,” Maud said. “We’ll be right back.”

A couple of minutes later Helen and her teddy were situated on the pillows. By the time they came back, Arland had opened the box he carried. Ribeye steak, with ribs still attached for the ease of holding. Half a dozen vampire side dishes, thinly sliced meat, roasted vegetables, little tiny pies…The smell alone made Maud’s mouth water.

Arland produced a stack of plates. Helen loaded hers up, crawled onto the pillows and started her movie.

Maud made her plate, propped a pillow against Arland’s bed, and sat on the floor. Arland sat next to her with his own dinner. Their arms almost touched.

Maud attacked the food. For the first five minutes nobody spoke. Finally, she ate enough to take the edge off the hunger.

“Where were you?” she asked quietly.

“Dealing with an idiot. One of Karat’s knights challenged her in direct violation of my orders.”

So that’s why Karat wasn’t at dinner. “How did it go?”

Arland shrugged. “He’ll walk again. Some day.”

She smiled at him.

“As Marshal, I had to deal with it. And by deal, I mean I had to watch that farce of a fight and then slap him with sanctions.”

“’A man who never does anything deserving repercussions will never taste victory,’” she said with a straight face.

“That idiot couldn’t find his way out of a boot with floodlights and scout support. Trust me, victory is not in his future.”

On the screen, a massive creature charged Olasard, who heroically jumped impossibly high into the air, swinging a sword that was almost as big as he was. Helen clutched the teddy to her and took another bite out of her steak.

“Went a bit overboard with his sword,” Maud murmured.

“More dramatic this way,” Arland said.

She liked this, Maud realized with a shock. She liked sitting here on the floor with him, watching Helen. It felt almost like a late-night pajama party. Comfortable.

Safe.

It had been so bloody long since she’d felt safe. There was the time in Dina’s inn, but Gertrude Hunt had been under assault.

They could’ve done this in her quarters, just her and Helen, but it wouldn’t be the same. It was him. Arland made her feel safe.

Alarm screeched at her senses. To let your guard down was to die. What am I doing?

“Is something the matter?” he asked quietly.

The anxiety saddled her and galloped off. This was ridiculous. The simple act of relaxing was so alien to her that her mind went into convulsions, thinking she was in danger.

Maud opened her mouth to lie.

No. She promised herself she wouldn’t.

“This is strange,” Maud said. “Being safe is strange.”

Arland reached behind him, pulled a blanket off the bed, and draped it over her. “It will pass,” he said quietly. “Eat a little more. Food will help.”

She picked up her plate. Her instincts screamed at her to get out of the room. Instead she moved closer to him. They were touching now.

He draped his big body against the bed, relaxed, calm. Maud took another bite.

“The tachi were on the verge of leaving,” she said. “You served them salad.”

“They are vegetarians.”

“They like meat. They just won’t eat it in enemy territory.”

“Are we the enemy, then?” he asked, his voice calm and measured.

She took another bite and moved half an inch closer to him. “They’re trying to decide. They like patterns in their food. The more elaborate, the better. Where is your Maven?”

“Dead,” he said. “She was murdered just as she prepared to be a Band Bearer for an important wedding. Her name was Olinia. She was my youngest aunt.”

“I’m sorry,” she said.

“Her assassin is dead. The person who betrayed her is dead as well. That’s how I met Lady Dina.”

Onscreen, Olasard lopped off three heads from evil vampires in a single swing. Helen waved the ribeye bone around, imitating it.

“Can I ask you something?” Maud asked.

“Of course.”

“Why do you have a copy of Twilight in your room?”

Arland became completely still. “Um.”

“Lord Marshal?” she prompted with a small smile.

“I wanted to know how women from Earth see vampires.”

“Why?”

He paused, obviously choosing his words carefully. “Your sister is a fascinating woman.”

“You don’t ever have to apologize for being attracted to my sister,” she told him. “She is amazing.”

“She is. To my shame, I must confess that it might have been more than