Part 47 (1/2)
He raised a brow. ”You've prepared a feast for us for the holidays and yet you burn a simple marshmallow? Something is definitely on your mind.”
She sighed. ”I was thinking of my sister.”
”Now, there's a depressing thought.”
”Dagon,” she snapped.
”Sorry,” he apologized and could almost feel the sting of condemnation from Sydney and Beatrice for his thoughtless response.
”She spends much time alone, and when she is with others they always want something from her. Some
bit of wisdom, a piece of advice, the gentleness of her love.”
He pulled the stick from the flames, his marshmallow perfectly roasted, and his tongue salivating for a taste. ”She must have some friends.”
Before the plump treat could reach his mouth, Sarina grabbed the stick and handed him her empty one. He licked his empty lips and proceeded to place another marshmallow on it. This one was his, he a.s.sured himself, and stuck it in the flames.
Sarina blew at the hot confection. ”Friends?” She shook her head. ”None like Ali and Sebastian.”
”How about Sydney?” he asked, his eye on the marshmallow that was browning nicely.
”Sydney was her student and as such respects her as a teacher would, and while I am sure Tempest
regards her as a friend, it is not the type of friends.h.i.+p of which you share close thoughts and secrets.” ”Do you share that with your sister?” He eyed her marshmallow suspiciously. She had almost finished it, and he feared his treat might just be in danger of disappearing again. ”The past few years have been difficult,” she admitted reluctantly, but her eyes brightened as he took his marshmallow from the flames. She reached for it enthusiastically, and he couldn't deny her. He surrendered his treat to her yet again.
He was not one to give up, and so he skewered another marshmallow to the stick. ”Why the difficulty?” She nibbled at the sweet plump treat, licking her lips and making him envious. ”She insisted that it was time I searched for a lifemate. She told me that I spent much too much time alone.” That caught his curiosity. ”Did you?” ”I have friends.” ”That's not what I asked.” ”I went out,” she said defensively. ”To the woods?”
She plopped the last of the marshmallow into her mouth and eyed the one roasting in the flames.
”Don't even think about it,” he warned her.
She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted.
”So your sister was right then, you did spend too much time alone.”
Sarina intended to argue and suddenly thought better of it. Her sister had been concerned for her for
some time. It had started off with a suggestion that she go here or there, or Tempest would tell her of a male witch that she had met whom Sarina might find interesting, but her response was always the same. She always claimed she was far too busy.
”I suppose I did,” she admitted with reluctance.
He yanked the marshmallow from the flames and waved the stick gently to cool it down. ”Then perhaps you could present that as your best feat, finding a lifemate.” She watched him bring the gooey roasted fluff to his lips, and she turned sad eyes on him. The marshmallow sat barely an inch from his mouth, he could smell its sweetness and almost taste the brown roasted parts, but then there were her eyes, pale blue and longing, and he melted as badly as the marshmallow. ”Here,” he said and shoved the stick at her. ”Oh, thank you,” she said with glee and greedily took the treat. He had no intentions of roasting another, she'd only steal it away from him. ”So what do you think?”
”I think you roast the best marshmallows in the world.”
He smiled and shook his head. d.a.m.n but he loved her, really honest to goodness loved her. It surprised him sometimes just how strong his love was and how much it had enriched his life. Was that what her sister wanted for her?
”Your sister loves you.”
”Very much,” Sarina agreed.
He grew excited. ”Then the spell wasn't cast to hurt you but to help.”
She nodded, finis.h.i.+ng the last of the marshmallow. ”I realize that now. I thought her angry, and while she
probably was to some degree, she would have never taken her anger out on me, it just isn't her way.”
”So then this might just work.”
”What might work?”
”Your best feat being that you found a lifemate. After all, she knew you would possess no powers, so,
therefore, your feat would have to be more of your own making, and what better feat than finding a lifemate.” ”Perhaps?” ”What do you mean, perhaps?” he asked, perturbed.
”Well, witches find lifemates all the time-there's no great feat to it.”
”Really?” he asked curtly. ”And how long did it take you to find someone with whom you could share magical moments and who would proclaim a love that is rare?”
She refused to answer, she just stared at him.
He refused to be denied. ”How long?”
She relented with a snappish reply. ”A year.”
”So it wasn't easy, then?”
”No, it wasn't. It was hard. I couldn't find anyone that suited me.”
”Or would tolerate your clumsiness,” he said with a laugh.