13 A Living Thing (2/2)

”I have no reason to hurt him,” he said, the cold coming back to his gaze, ”I do not harm without reason, despite what you may have heard.”

She waved her hands between them, I didn't mean it like that.

He relaxed again, ”Of course, I'm sorry. I should not be so quick to judge your words. You are not from here.”

She nodded. He won't hurt anyone.

”Fine, where did he come from?” Arren asked turning her face to inspect her cheek again.

A nightmare, in the Veil, she wrote.

Arren frowned, dropping his hand, ”I don't understand but he looks, familiar somehow?”

A rush of heat filled her. I can't tell him I saw his dream, it's too embarrassing, she thought.

Arren's face was turned away from her, his gaze focused back on Ilun who made himself busy by sniffing the floors for more food, the eggs and other breakfast odds and ends gone from the floor, along with the dishes that carried them.

The prince waved his fingers towards the animal and his shadows crossed the space to him, circling Ilun's huge form. Isilla grabbed Arren's arm, panicked but he touched her hand, ”Be still, I am just looking.”

Ilun let out a snorting breath as the shadows circled and prodded at him. After a moment they retreated and Arren turned back to her, ”That is not any magic like I have tasted before. There's something very raw about it but more importantly, that thing is not a construct. It's alive. But it feels like magic. What is that thing?”

I'm not sure, she wrote. I found him in the veil. Something woke me up suddenly and he was here too. That's never happened before.

Arren frowned. ”There's something you're not telling me. You are not very good at lying, you can see it on your face.”

She blushed, touching her own cheeks.

It's just that it's embarrassing, she wrote.

”What could possibly be embarrassing about this situation? Tell me or I'll assume the worst,” he said casually.

He doesn't remember, she thought, relieved. Her face hot she wrote, I woke up because you pushed me off a bed. I think I was touching you and him and when I opened my eyes, he was here. There. Now you know.

He raised an eyebrow, ”Were you so eager to be back in my bed you dreamed it?”

Her face burned. No, she wrote, it's not like that at all! I didn't want to be in bed with you!

”That's not a very stunning endorsement for me,” he said sitting beside her. The bed creaked under his weight and Ilun looked up and growled, ”Peace animal, I will not hurt your lady.”

I'm sure you have other ladies who can endorse you if you are in such a need, she wrote feeling sullen and teased. Maybe I can find out who he thought I was, she thought.

He raised an eyebrow smiling, ”No, I do not.”

She frowned, Are the ladies of this kingdom so secretive?

”I doubt it but I have never lain with them so I do not know what they would say if anything.”

He watched her face, laughed gently at her confusion, ”Does this surprise you? It shouldn't. I have no desire to be caught up in the gossip of the court.”

I don't know much about you, she wrote.

”Then you'll have to learn more,” he said, ”For now we have to deal with this. We'll just tell people that I made it. No one will know the difference. Can you control that thing?”

His name is Ilun! she wrote and then added, I think I can.

He nodded, ”That will have to do. Get dressed, eat something. I will see you in my study in three hours.”

She wrote quickly, He's eating my breakfast off the floor and I don't think the maids will come back.

Arren chuckled, ”Fine. Half an hour. You can dine with me and tell me more about how your pet arrived here.”

I don't know where your study is, she wrote.

The corners of his mouth turned down slightly and held out his fingers. Thin shadows twisted up to meet him, the wisps twisting and wrapping quickly, thickening for a moment before dropping away leaving him holding a diamond the size of her thumbnail on a golden chain.

He dropped the necklace over her neck, smoothing the chain over her chest, ”This will lead you to me no matter where I am.”

The stone was warm against her skin. He brushed back her hair, pulling it out from under the thin chain. He traced the metal with his finger. She moved to lift her hand, to reach for him but he pulled his hand away.

His eyes had changed again as he stood up. ”Half an hour. I do not like to be kept waiting.”

He bowed, a silly gesture in his sleeping clothes but regal all the same. The shadows twisted around him and he was gone.

Ilun looked up from his foraging for a moment and yawned before climbing onto the bedto doze leaving Isilla to dress herself and make her way to breakfast.