Enchanter (8 page)

“Guy.” I faced him, my temper on the rise. “With Wincrest effectively trying to marry the girls off, it’s as if I’ve been set the mission of halting the escalation of our war. I don’t think I’d mind meeting him at all, if that’s the case.” No, not now I had the fire skill. Oh, the things I could—

“Fire.” Jumping, Faith pointed at my hands. “Quick, extinguish it.”

4

“I’ve got this.” Guy slung a towel around my hands and snuffed the fire. “Silvie, you’re never meeting Donaldo. Now, watch your emotions. You can’t keep lighting up like this.”

“I don’t see I have a choice.” I flung the towel away. “And stop telling me what to do.”

“Put these on.” Faith tossed me my oven mittens and I shoved them on. “You only come up with the answer to my problem. You don’t get to expand on it, and I’ve certainly not set you the mission of halting the war.”

“I didn’t say halt the war, but the escalation of it, and yes, you kinda have.”

“No. I. Haven’t.”

“Stop arguing with me, or my temper’s really gonna explode. And at this rate, I bet neither of you will even listen to me when I do come up with something.”

“We’ll listen, but we’ll action it. Not you.” Faith plucked her violet t-shirt from her skin. “You still haven’t calmed down. It’s getting hotter in here.”

“It’s my kitchen. You’re welcome to leave it if you want.”

“When you’ve made donuts. Hah, I don’t think so.” She peered through the oven’s glass door. “They’re almost ready. Come and check.”

I stomped across, wishing she would get the point and leave. Only, sure enough, the donuts had turned a delicious golden brown. Their heavenly scent wafted into the air as I opened the oven door. Faith all but drooled over them.

“Nose out.”

“Why don’t you ever say nose in?”

“Because you do that automatically.” I tipped the donuts onto a wire rack, and she lifted her nose into the air and let out the loudest sigh. “Mmm. You’re forgiven.”

“For what?”

“Arguing with me.” She pinched one of the donuts, fumbled then lost her grip. “Ouch, hot.”

“Of course they’re hot. Go and whip the cream, and if you do a good job, I’ll forgive you for arguing right back.”

“That’s the worst thing about cooking. You have to wait before you can eat.” She yanked open the drawer and pulled out a beater.

“My mother used to cut a few slices from the end of the loaf to cool it quicker.” Guy slid a knife free of the wooden knife block. Using it, he cut a perfect slit for the jam and cream down the center of each of the long donuts. “But in this case, this should do.”

“Excellent.” Faith’s stomach rumbled from across the room. “Now that smells even better.”

“Okay, I can tell my sister’s cooked.” Hand-in-hand with Hope, Silas strode in through the swing door. His red-gold hair was wet, as was Hope’s. They must have been for a swim. “I swear I smelt donuts all the way from the watering hole. Was I right, sis?”

“You have a big nose.”

“No, I actually have an acute sense of smell.” He grinned as mischievously as he had when we were kids. “You want me to set the table?”

“Yes, where’s Davio?”

“Right here.” He stepped into the room in his chunky leather boots and made a beeline for Faith. “You snuck away from school early, love.”

“Silvie got a little too hot to handle again. I had to skip the last class to come and cool her down.” She pulled the beater from the cream and licked the end. “She’s in a very tempestuous mood today. Try and steer clear of her.”

“Sounds like someone else I know.” He dipped one finger into the bowl.

“I’m not tempestuous.” She smacked his hand. “That’s my cream.”

“You’re not? Are you sure?” He kissed the corner of her lips where a smear of cream remained. Or not, as now was the case.

“Hey, that was mine too.” She shoved him back. “Go whip your own cream.”

“Merge your mind with mine.” He caught her between him and the counter. “I need the contact.”

“I’ll merge when I feel like it. Stop trying to get your way.”

He laughed then kissed her, putting a complete stop to her arguing. Yeah, she had to have finally merged since she let out a long, appreciate sigh. She and Hope both had the skill, and it connected them to their mates in a very personal way.

“Right, that’s enough, you two.” Silas knocked Davio’s shoulder as he headed to the crockery cupboard. “I’m hungry, and those donuts smell too good not to eat.”

“I’ll help you.” Hope held out her hands and he passed her the lunch plates.

The glasses in hand, Silas led the way out to the dining room. Davio and Faith followed with the cutlery.

“Is your kitchen always this busy?” Guy caught his mother’s ring dangling at my neck and stroked it.

“Pretty much. I like having you here in it.” Really liked it. Smiling, I passed him another bowl. “You get to prepare the smooth yellow icing.”

He passed the bowl back, rested against my back and snuggled. “I’ve missed this feeling of home.”

“You don’t want to make the icing?”

“I want to watch you make it.” Nuzzling my neck, he purred.

With his rumble heating my skin and tingling my toes, I got to work on the icing. “How difficult is it without your father?”

“Two years has been far too long.” He reached past me and stole the first donut I’d iced. He smacked his lips together then murmured, “Ahh, good. Real good.”

“Try a long donut.” I squirted in the cream and added a dollop of jam and passed it across.

“Even better,” he mumbled around a mouthful.

I cupped his jaw. “The silver in your eyes is lighting up.”

“At least your hands aren’t.”

“No, I seem to have gained some control over my emotions, even while you’re this close. Hopefully it’ll hold. Faith will soon let me know if it doesn’t.” I ruffled his black hair, removing the dusting of flour still on the ends.

“I’m glad she’s here to watch over you.”

“We look out for each other. We always have.”

He eyed the door the others had left by. “Since you’ve got plenty of aid on hand, and you appear stable, I should go.”

“Can’t you stay a little longer? Please?” I didn’t want him to go, not even into the next room.

“Loveria and Carver are here. They seem okay with me still hanging around, but I doubt it’ll last long.” He undid the ties of his apron and pulled it over his head. “Thank you for loaning me this.”

“I want you to stay.” I couldn’t stop my needy request. “I mean, don’t feel you have to rush off.” Yeah, that wasn’t going to cut it either.

“I’d like to stay, which is another reason why I should go.” He pressed the apron into my hands.

“You’re worried about our bond building?”

“Aren’t you?”

“I should be.” I just couldn’t consider that when he was this close, though.

“We have to take care, Silvie. Any time we spend together should be kept to a minimum.”

“Ooo-kay.” I could hardly argue that fact. “It was nice having you here.”

“It was nice learning how to make the most delicious donuts ever.” He fingered a lock of my hair then lowered his hand to his side. “It’s hard not to touch you.”

“Same.” I wanted to touch him, so badly.

“Tomorrow evening, my mate.” He bent his head in a short bow

So proper, and so fast, he flashed away.

Gone.

My mated one had left me again.

I swirled a hand through the air where he’d been, my heart as heavy as a stone. This moment hurt. Not good.

“Is lunch ready yet?” Faith bounced into the room. “The masses are hungry.”

“They’re all done. I’ve got dinner to prepare for Zayn’s family next.” I slid the dish to her, my appetite gone. “Take these in for me, okay?”

“Sure.” She nudged my shoulder with hers. “So Guy left?”

“Yeah.” I slumped onto the countertop and stroked his mother’s ring. “I think I’m in trouble.”

“What did you do?”

“I have feelings for him.”

“You don’t like having them?”

“What do you think? He’s the last enchanter in his line and Wincrest expects him to marry another warrior woman. We’ve released each other, and there’s no going back.”

She rubbed my back. “That sucks.”

“Big time.” I dropped my chin into my upturned palms, wishing things could be different. They never would be. “Did you know he lost his mother when he was young? This is her ring.”

“He gave you his mother’s ring? No way.”

“It was her last wish, that he pass it along to his mated one.” I eased myself upward. “Don’t tell anyone else, okay? It’s kind of private.”

“You got it.” She gave me a hug, squeezing me tight. “Will you be all right?”

“Yeah. I can deal. What with your problem, my fire skill and Guy coming and going, at least I’m not twiddling my fingers.”

“Well, you’ve always got me, and that’ll never change. I can probably promise a ton of future problems for you to fix too.” Violet eyes twinkling, she picked up the dish. “I’ll go feed the hounds before they chase me in here.”

“Thanks. I’d like some quiet time, just me and my kitchen.”

“You got it.”

Definitely no finger twiddling. I got busy with the night’s upcoming meal, preparing a deep lasagna dish that would feed an army, or certainly Zayn’s family of twelve. Afterward, I made a gooey chocolate brownie, one large enough for double servings. Without a doubt, there was plenty for all.

As the skies darkened out the window, I cleaned up.

Yeah, it was time to change, and to take this mountain of food to where it was needed.

I hurried down the passageway to the north terrace and raced up the gray marble staircase to my rooms on the second floor.

I crossed my sitting area, a space which was all mine, and one I adored. Gold throw pillows graced two long comfy couches in deep red. Those two colors had always bathed me in their warmth. No wonder, really, that I loved the colors of a blazing fire now I’d received the fire skill. I skimmed my fingers over some of my favorite cook books stacked on a redwood bookshelf behind my study-desk. Yellow notes poked from between many of the well-worn pages, beckoning me. So many recipes I had to get to. After finals there’d be more time.

I continued on to my dressing room. From my drawers, I grabbed a pair of skinny red jeans and a soft yellow blouse embroidered with red on the capped sleeves. Nice bright colors to keep bumping up my mood. Cooking for Zayn’s family had helped. I just had to keep busy. I dressed then searched the bathroom vanity for my wide-tooth comb. My reflection in the mirror over the basin showed a fright, although nothing unusual for me after hours in a hot kitchen. My hair was a frizzy bird’s nest, the long spiral curls of red-gold matted together. I gently detangled the knots then set a clip at each side, gold with a small ruby stone, the set gifted to me from Silas for our last birthday. Okay, that was a little better. With a touch of berry flavored lippy, I was done.

Hmm, what would Guy be doing now? He’d said in the evenings he attended to whatever awaited him in Dralion. He’d likely be seeing to Wincrest’s bidding then. Being mated to a warrior really wouldn’t have worked, or at least that’s what I’d keep telling myself.

What I needed to do was get some control over my fire skill, sort the girls’ problem, and then I’d no longer need Guy. Not even the smallest bit.

Today had definitely seen my reliance on him grow, when I shouldn’t need him at all. I was an independent woman.

“
Silvie, it’s Zayn. You ready?
”

I tapped my head and smiled. Nice. I liked the telepathic skill. “
Hey.
” I scurried from my room. “
Everything’s made. I’m coming down now. I’ll be five minutes.
”

“
Great. How’s your afternoon been? Any more fire?
”