own. I want to feel those small hands on my face…so gently…
The servants brought in the firewood. I gathered them around me before bed. “None of you are to breathe a word about what happened here, or I will tear out your throats.”
“Don’t worry,” Jameson said. “This is the last thing I want to talk about.”
“Jameson, you are on thin ice. Uram? Swear upon your ancestor’s graves.”
Uram crossed his heart.
“Me too, master,” Gillian said. “I won’t say a word.”
“You’d better not forget, Gilian. I’ll tear your throat out all the same whether it’s a mistake or not.”
“No, sir. A man and woman’s private business is just that. But…I do wonder if you would ever consider eating the soul of another handsome young man and…locking me up in a cabin with him next?”
“No. You don’t need any whelps. Dear gods, what a disaster. Now, leave a man to his rest.”
They all bunched up on the kitchen floor, having nowhere else to go for now. Tomorrow they could sleep in the cabin loft.
I poured myself a large goblet of wine. I feared I was having one of the emotions my father had told me I must never have, lest I imperil my own rule, so I would try to rid myself of it as quickly as I could.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Jenny
I fell asleep in Bevan’s arms, in a nest of blankets and the wonderful feeling of being wrapped in love and trust. I was no longer lonely. I had another familiar to share my life with. Bevan understood me in a way no one else could. Being this close to him, so I felt almost like we were one being. I wished it never had to end.
But before long, morning light crept through the tiny cracks in the cabin, and I knew Lord Variel would probably come and let us out. I got out of bed and conjured up a fresh dress and shoes.
Bevan stretched and yawned, and tried to comb his hair with his fingers, moving out of the way as I stripped the sheets off the bed. I imagined Lord Variel would want his cabin tonight, with clean sheets, and I could wash them in the river for him.
“We’re not ready to have a kid, are we?” Bevan asked.
“Oh…er…probably not.”
“I didn’t think so. I’ll make you a morning after spell. I’ll have to research it, but it can’t be too hard.”
“Thank you. I wasn’t even thinking of that! Makes it all sound more serious…”
“It’s just a matter of being responsible,” Bevan said, kissing the top of my head. “But maybe someday.”
“Yes! A girl and a boy! Close in age. No, twins! No, no, wait, maybe not twins.”
“You have to take what you can get,” Bevan said. “But maybe we’ll table that conversation until…well, we figure out everything else. It might be a little soon to plan out the twins.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry. I got very excited thinking about making little outfits and baking cookies with them. Mrs. Franch makes baby outfits and they’re so cute and I never get to see the babies they belong to.”
The door opened and Lord Variel’s hulking form was a shadow against sunlight that made me squint. “It is done, I trust. You may get back to your duties.”
“It is done,” I said. “Thank you.” I bundled the sheets in my arms and walked out the door.
Variel’s eyebrows looked more worried than his domineering tone suggested. “You should not thank me, toad."
I gave him a tiny smile, knowing that he had to keep up his Big Bad Demon pretenses. "If you say so. I won't tell anyone that it was the best night of my life."
Lord Variel's eyes hardened before he looked away from me and then turned on his heel. I couldn't guess what he was thinking, but I was too happy to care. I could still feel Bevan's arms wrapped around me, his warmth, his strength. My entire body was still gently sparking. Like a fire, it could not be put out all at once. The embers would glow all day.
I returned to Bevan's house to start breakfast, putting some oatmeal on the stove before turning to a bushel of wrinkling apples I had picked a few days ago. They needed to be used right away. A few would make a topping for the oatmeal, and the rest for pies...
"Gillian? Do you want to help me peel apples?" I called out the door. All the other servants were outside digging some holes.
"Uh..." Gillian squinted at