Enchantment (26 page)

“We
have
seven
suns
and
seven
m
oons,
which
actual
l
y
gives
us
a
different
color
sky
each da
y
.
As
y
ou
can
see,
tod
a
y
,
the
sky
is
pink.
This
ceiling
is
tinted
a
pale
white
to
m
ask
the
full color
of
the
sk
y
.
O
utside,
the
s
k
y
is
glowing
near
l
y
fuchsia.
To
m
orrow,
it
will
be
another
color.”

A
s
m
i
le
pl
a
y
e
d across
her
face.

“
M
y
m
ot
h
er
is
a
great
cook,
but
I’m
not
too
bad
in
the
kitchen,
m
y
s
e
l
f.
I
real
l
y
do
like
to cook
the
old-fashioned
w
a
y
j
u
st
like
my
m
om,
w
hich
is,
for
the
record,
very
si
m
i
lar
to
y
o
ur
w
orld.”
He
stopped.

G
ood.
Now
I’m
babbling.

This
could
be
dangerous.
Getting
too
close
to
her
would
be
a
m
ista
k
e,
but
eve
r
y
m
ove
s
he
m
ade
intrigued
hi
m
.
The
w
a
y
she
tilted
her
head,
or
put
her
hair
over
her
shoulder,
and
even
the way
he
caught
her
staring
at
her
own
hands,
no
doubt
wondering
w
hether
s
parkles
originated there.

Catz
ju
m
ped up
onto
the
island.
He
could
tell
s
he
looked
unco
m
fo
r
tab
l
e.
Her
voice
broke
the aw
k
ward
silence.
“Ma
y
be
y
ou could
explain
what
y
ou think
the
old
-
fashioned
w
a
y
is
?
”

Kerrigan
explained
as
his
hands
deftly
sorted
groceries.
He
placed
the
granger
m
eat
into
the oven,
w
hich
opened
at
the
wave
of
his
hand.
“M
o
st
Enchanters
would
not
have
a
kitchen
with
w
hat
y
ou
would
call
appliances.
In
m
ost
kitchens,
y
o
u
w
ould
find
a
table
and
perhaps
a
sink. Food
is
a
necessi
t
y
,
s
o
m
ost
Enchanters
u
se
m
agic
to
feed
the
m
selves,
but
th
e
y
do
not
prepare
it by
hand.”
He
m
ixed
an
array
of
vegetab
l
es,
chopped
th
e
m
,
and
placed
them
in
a
bowl,
and
then set
two
plates
and
one
set
of
cutle
r
y
on
the
island,
watching
her
careful
l
y
,
wondering
exact
l
y
w
hat
she
thought.

“W
h
y do
y
ou
coo
k
?
O
n
Earth,
m
ost
m
en
I
kn
o
w
prefer
not
to
do
those
chores.”
She reached up,
scratching
Catz
behind
her
ear.

He
stuck
both
hands
up
and
said,
“
C
over.”
The
oven
door
opened,
and
K
errigan
re
m
oved the
hot
dish
from
the
oven.
“I
do
like
to
cook.
I
find
it
relaxing,
but
like
I
said,
it
is
not
a
u
sual thing
here
in
Enchan
t
m
e
nt.

The
loud
ru
m
ble
from
the
table
drew
his
attention,
and
he
hid
a
s
m
ile
at
the
faint
flush
of pink
on
Meeka’s
face.
He
also
noted
that
s
he
had
one
e
y
e
closed,
sh
y
i
n
g
away
from
the
scene. He’d
scared
her
so
m
ehow.
Holding
his
hands
back
up
he
said,
“re
m
ove.”

Rubbing
his
hands
together,
he
s
m
i
led.
“
It
didn’t
hurt,
see.”
He
showed
her
his
unburned hands.

“Wow.
I
wish
we
had
that
talent
at
ho
m
e.”

Kerrigan fixed
her a plate
with greens
and granger
before setting
it
on the table.
The cat
was pacing
and
purring
extreme
l
y
loud
l
y
,
waiting
for
her
portion
of
the
m
eat.
He
cut
the
m
eat
into tiny
pieces and
placed
it
down
in
front
of
her.

Meeka
stared
d
o
wn
at
the
food
with
a
curious
look.
H
i
s
shoulders
shook
with
a
chuckle
as he
turned
to
clear
the
countertop.

“I
think
y
o
u
’
ll
find
the
m
eat
similar
to
what
y
o
u
would
call chicken.
We
call
them
grangers. The
greens are
si
m
i
lar
to
y
o
ur salads.”

She
picked up
her
fork.
“Are
y
ou not
going to
eat
?
”

“I
had
so
m
et
h
ing
earlier
w
hile
y
ou
were
sleeping.”
Kerrigan
leaned
against
the
counter,
his gaze
steady
while
s
he placed a
s
m
all
piece of
granger
in her
m
outh
and
lick her
bott
o
m
lip. What
w
ould
it
be
like
to
taste
and
touch
that
kind
of
heaven?
His
body
tightened
with
desire.
Silent
l
y
, he
cu
r
sed
hi
m
s
e
lf.
H
ow
could
the
little
witch
have
such
p
o
wer
over
hi
m
?
He
needed
a
diversion,
s
o
he
grabbed
the
pan
and
noisi
l
y
rattled
it
into
the
dishwasher.