“This is where I leave you,” I said, and the girl turned around. Her amber eyes were dark and watchful, and she bit her lip as she looked at me. I knew she couldn’t make out my face, I had drawn my cloak around me, keeping my face hidden in its hood.
Whatever she saw when she looked at me, she took a deep breath and spoke.
“I still have business with the tower,” she said.
I frowned. The tower held secrets that I still needed to uncover, books that I had to decipher and codes I had to break, all left behind by the accursed mage who had condemned me to this life. I couldn’t have somegirlrooting around in there.
“You cannot enter the tower again,” I said repressively, hoping she would get the hint.
She frowned, crossing her arms against the chill wind that had sprung up around us. “But I must,” she shook her head. She looked at me for a moment, as if debating her next words.
“I know you can do magic,” she said in a rush. “I need your help. And then I promise, I’ll leave you alone.”
Oh,hells. She thoughtIwas the mage in the tower.
Just the idea had my hackles rising, and I could feel my control of my magic slipping. My blood boiled in my veins, and I had to let out a hiss of breath before I had myself under control again. She watched me in alarm, taking a quick step back, but I was powerless to reassure her.
“I am nomage,” I bit out, when I had control of my tongue again, and I could be sure I wouldn’t breathe out a shower of sparks.
She licked her lips, her eyes still wide with a shadow of her fear. “Then what are you?” she asked, her voice trembling.
“Just another unfortunate soul,” I said shortly, turning away from her. “One who doesn’t wish to see you again.”
“Wait,” she said, taking a quick step forward and reaching for my arm.
Instinctively, I jerked away from her touch, which made my cloak slide down. Her hand landed directly on my heated skin, and she wrenched her hand away, hissing in surprise.
I swore under my breath. Now, she would scream, and all the townies would come for me—and I would lose access to the tower. Curse my foolish loneliness that had spurred me to escort the girl home.
But the scream I was waiting for didn’t come and instead, the girl stared at me, her breath coming fast.
Finally, she spoke. “Whatever you are, I don’t care,” she said, licking her dry lips. “As long as you let me visit the tower and look around in there.”
I stared at her, unable to believe my ears. “You will keep my presence a secret?”
She nodded; her eyes gleaming. “As long as you promise not to harm me, or bar me from the tower and its secrets.”
I nodded. “I won’t.”
“Swear it,” she said, stepping forward to grip me by the arm. “Swear it by your true name,” she said urgently.
Ah, so she thought I was an Elf. Well, it would do no harm to play along with her.
“I swear it,” I murmured, but she shook her head.
“By your true name,” she insisted.
“I swear by my true name, Kael Duzac, that I shall not harm you,” I said, hiding my amused smile.
“And I swear bymytrue name, Seranni Vasalt, that I shall not harm you,” she responded, nodding solemnly.
Seranni. A Tellurian name, but with her dusky skin and cinnamon-brown eyes, she looked like she had some Sunvaaran blood in her.
“I shall return to the tower in a few days,” she said, drawing her hood up over her hair again. “See you then, Kael.”
I nodded, watching as she turned and walked to her home. I -waited until I heard the distant sound of a door closing softly and then turned to begin my lonely trek back to the place that was both my home and my prison.
It was only when I reached my tower again that I realized that I was still smiling.
