“Did you ju—” I rubbed a hand at my forehead. Was I dreaming?
He stuck his head back around the corner of the closet. Now wearing pants. Unfortunately.
“Sorry, likely should have waited for that too. Yes, I just spoke to you. Well, without actually speaking.”
I was certain my jaw was on the ground somewhere. “How?”
None of this was making any sense. None at all. I was waking up the most powerful Enchanted in all of Wylan and all I had wanted was to go to bed married to Krew, with a mere drop of his magic to protect us both.
Tears of frustration burned my eyes. And then that dull buzzing was back.
Krew was there in front of me, again wrapping a hand around the back of my neck. “I know it’s overwhelming. I get it. One step at a time, love. Take some deep breaths and let’s get you outside. As soon as you’ve used a little more magic, you’ll feel more relaxed.”
I looked at my palm to see it swirling with magic again.
“Match your breathing to mine.” He rested his forehead to mine and began taking deep breaths.
Not wanting to break anything else, I did as he requested, though I kept my eyes on my palms. After three or four deep breaths, my magic was calm again.
Krew brushed a kiss to my forehead. “I love you. Let’s get you dressed and get you outside.”
“Won’t someone find out?” I asked. “If I use magic in the forest? Isn’t it morning?”
Krew gave his head a shake. “If my father is even awake yet, he is in his monthly meeting with parliament. If ever there was a day for him to be distracted, it is this one. But we will avoid the open meadow just to be sure.”
I wasn’t okay. None of this was okay, but I managed to slip my legs into the leggings he tossed at me. It was after I had my head through the hole of the shirt, I realized it was one of his and not mine.
I raised my eyebrows at him while he tossed me my coat.
“Forgive me. I do not know the inner workings of women’s wear. I stood there like a fool for close to a minute and then decided that one of mine was just easier.”
He’d also forgotten all undergarments, but now was not the time to point that out. Judging by his pace, we needed to hurry up and get outside before my magic flared again.
He handed me my snow boots and helped me slip into them. “Let’s grab Owen, and then we’ll be off.”
He strode for the door, opening it.
Owen came in with a smirk on his face.
As soon as the door shut behind him, Owen put up a sound barrier. “Not expecting to see either of you for a while this morning, Your Graces.”
Without hesitation, I blurted out, “I broke the tub.”
Owen’s eyes flew to Krew’s. “I take it her magic is settling in already?”
Krew gave him a nod. “It appears so. She needs to use more of it. Maybe just once or twice more and then she will be able to relax. I woke to her skin crawling with it.”
“Jorah,” Owen said gently, turning to me. “It’s going to be okay. We will help you. Just like we told you weeks ago, it usually takes about a week to get used to, and then it gets better.”
“Yes, well I thought I was dealing withadrop of magic, not an abundance of it, so I wasn’t really all that worried at the time.”
Owen’s attention switched to Krew’s. “Speaking of, you should’ve told her, you ass. So she could’ve been better prepared.”
“I realize this now,” Krew said, hands in the air. “You both can have it out with me later. We need to get her outside. Now.”
“Secret passageway?” Owen asked, turning for the next room over.
Krew shook his head. “No. I’m not sure we have the time for that. Her magic came on fast last time and it’s barely contained as is.”
