* * *
I woke warm,but not from the buzz of the magic. It was Krew. I was tucked into his chest while he read a letter in his hand. If I had to guess, it was late afternoon. I’d slept for hours. Glorious hours of deep sleep and no magical interruptions. And I likely would have slept on through the afternoon and night were it not for feeling hungry. In our haste to use my magic and then discuss things, I hadn’t eaten this morning.
Krew brushed a kiss to the top of my head. “Hey.”
“Hi.”
“How do you feel?”
I sat up and looked at my palms. No magic was visible beneath the surface. I somehow knew it was there waiting though. Just like I knew what direction Krew had been in. Instinct told me so.
“At least I’m not naked and glowing this time,” I offered, “but I’m starved.”
“Would you like to take a shower and relax while I get you some food brought up?”
I gave him a nod. “That’d be nice, thanks.”
He let out a sigh. “Owen wants to discuss our gameplan for keeping you away from the king later. He wanted you to be in on the conversation. If you feel up to it. Or if it’s too overwhelming, we can handle it on our own.”
I sighed. “I’ll be there.”
Krew paused. “Renna knows something is up as well. She’s been pestering me. She tried to come up here earlier, but Owen somehow deterred her.”
I stood, ready to get under the hot steam of the shower water. But not ready to see what I’d done to the tub again. “Might as well have her in on the conversation too?”
“Are you ready for that?”
I gave him a shrug. “No. I’m not ready for anything.”
Within the hour, I had eaten some soup and a sandwich, and Owen and Renna arrived. I stayed quiet, listening to Krew quickly and concisely bring Renna in on the events of the past day. As much as he could between all her questions, anyway.
“So you are going to get married before the Assemblages are over?” Renna asked, eyes big.
Owen shot her a grin. “They already are.”
Renna’s eyes went even bigger. “Why does Jorah look like she wants to kill someone then?”
Krew gestured with a hand. “Yes, well, that’d be me. Her husband. Because I gave her more than just a drop of magic and she’s not quite sure what to do with that yet.”
I closed my eyes for only a moment to send Krew a thought down the connection to him in my mind.Kill you or kiss you, I just cannot decide.
Krew burst out laughing, causing Renna to look at him like he had grown horns.
My vote is the second option.
She stood up and immediately raced for me. Looking at my palm, which was all but healed, and then grabbing for Krew’s to do the same. “I don’t believe it.”
“I didn’t either,” Krew said gently.
She took both of my hands. “Soul bound?”
I gave her a nod. “Yes. Are you ready for the weirdest part?”
Her beautiful forehead creased. “You mean there’s more?”
I whispered though there was already a sound barrier around the room. “Not only did he give me more than a drop of his magic, he gave meallbut a drop of his magic.” Those were not words which could be thrown about at a normal volume. I cleared my throat. “And I woke to the magic already there, burning along my skin, and I may or may not have broken a tub and turned a tree green.”
Renna’s breath caught and she spun for Krew.“What?”
