Relief and pride filled him the way water filled a deep well. Considering her bent head and her apparent remorse in being willing to let him die, he had to still smile. “Brynn, if you’d used the black book to save me, we’d probably both be cursed. Nothing good can ever come from that book. Nothing. I’d rather be dead than let you be cursed for the rest of your life.” He lifted her chin up with one finger. “I don’t think I could have ever devised a better test for a more worthy apprentice.” He kissed her very tenderly and held her for a very long time while she softly sobbed. Draco finally pushed her hair back and noted and ugly bruise forming on her left cheek. “Are you all right, sweetness?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. You’re the one who’s hurt. Like I said…Bodie and I didn’t think you were going to make it. Several hours ago, your vital signs got much better. And I knew I’d have to tell you how close I came to turning into another Annoria. I wasn’t going to admit it. But something made me come clean.”
“You’re as honest as you are beautiful. And as wise as you are sweet, Brynn.” He kissed her face, cheeks and forehead and was eventually was rewarded with a semblance of a smile. There was still a hint of fear and repentance in her gaze, so he changed the subject. They could have a lecture on ethics later. Right now, he wanted to know what had happened since he blacked out. Giving her something else to talk about was what she needed.
“How did I get back to the castle?” he softly asked.
“Mercy’s stars, Draco! People came running from every farm and field when they saw the fireworks in the woods. Bodie came as well. Some men offered to carry you home. They were worried sick. I know how they feel. Everyone left you alone with me, everybody thought you were done for.”
Draco gently hugged her again before prompting her to slowly continue. Her voice was shaky, but she was gathering her composure with every word she spoke. “How long have I been out?”
“Almost three days.”
He let out a long slow breath and kissed the back of her hands. “Steady on, Brynn. We’ll get through this, I promise.”
She simply nodded, then put one hand to her forehead in remembrance. “Venus’ sweet ass! I almost forgot. Look what Bodie found hidden near the garden gate. They’re the ones Bane stole.”
He looked where she pointed. On an overstuffed chair at the far side of his room sat the two magical books that looked very old and misused. “Thank the stars!” he whispered. “Those will have to be destroyed by the Guild.” He lay back down and pulled Brynn along with him “It’s over. It’s finally all over, Brynn. ”
“Along with the books, Bodie found some of Bane’s personal belongings and supplies. I think he actually followed me.”
“What do you mean?”
She handed him a sheaf of papers that had been tucked into Bane’s personal effects. The papers were printouts of electronic news releases. Draco rifled through them and read.
Apparently, Brynn’s former employer had been so proud and pleased with his clerk being accepted as an apprentice at Pendragon Castle he’d taken out notices in local and galactic Guild newsletters as well as other media formats. Fizzydig had even listed the date and the name of the freighter on which Brynn would be traveling. But it no longer mattered how Bane had arrived. The events of the past years were over. He felt relief mingle with anger and sorrow over the final outcome.
Brynn scooted closer. “Draco, are you sure you aren’t angry over my considering the use of black magic?”
“Brynn, at some point all wizards consider it. It’s the most powerful and good among us who’ve been most tempted. What you’ve done—the powers you’ve displayed and your courage are…I-I have no words. But let’s talk about this later, okay? You’re still shaking and I’m still woozy. Just try put your mind on something else right now.”
She was more than ready to do exactly as he requested. “Do you think there was any truth at all in what Bane said? I mean that aura magic that he mentioned?”
“You mean the part about the aura surrounding you and me…about him being able to see what we actually felt toward one another?”
She simply nodded.
He stared into her green eyes for a long moment. Then, she slowly smiled at him and he lovingly stroked her cheek. “You know the answer to that. Don’t you, apprentice?”
She carefully nuzzled her bruised cheek against his. “Yeah. I know. I’ve felt it from the first. It’s strange that I‘ve known you for just a few days and can feel this way. But I can’t help it. Try sending me away now…just try,” she dared.
He gazed into her shimmering eyes. “There’s no need to consider it now. Even if there was, how could I? When I can look into your eyes and see the goodness there, and I can feel the strength of your soul and the purity of heart…how could I let you go? As if all that’s not enough reason, then here’s a really good one.” He took a deep breath before saying, “I think I’ve fallen in love with you, Brynn.”
“You think? I already know.”
“Okay, I admit it,” he smilingly told her. “I love you, too. And I need to keep my backup close at hand. Who knows what might happen next.”
She laughed, then hugged him hard and he returned it.
After lying in his arms and holding him for a time, she gently extracted herself from his strong embrace “I hope your family likes me…uh…they’re on their way home.”
He pushed himself into a sitting position and stared at her. “You told them what happened?”
She shrugged. “Bodie thought your family should be here. I told you, we thought you were dying. I put a burr under their saddle and prompted them to hurry.” When she saw his concern, she put one hand on his chest and added, “Oh, we sent communications to their transports telling them you would recover when we saw signs of it. Still, I’m sure they’re upset. Who wouldn’t be?”
“The main thing is…they’re coming home,” he whispered again, then he gripped Brynn’s shoulders. “They won’t have to go away. I can…I can have my family ―”
Brynn saw the utter relief on his face and said, “I expect they’ll be here in a few days using wormhole technology.”
He rested his head against her shoulder and let her hold him. “My family is going to love you. You’re my lucky star, Brynn. I don’t have to think about it. I really do love you. And I’ll say it with my last breath.”
“That won’t be for a very long time, Draco. And just so you know, I’m going to use some white magic to induce luck. We should have a better week than the last one. In fact, why don’t we start our next training session with some nice, quiet prosperity spells? Or…we could just read tea leaves for a while. For the next few days, I’d really like to avoid killing evil wizards and casting exploding magical spells that almost take you out. ’Kay?”
When he heard the shaking in her voice and felt her start to tremble again, Draco gently kissed her forehead and said, “We’ll take it one day at a time.”
She took a deep breath and tried to quit shaking. “So…um…just to be perfectly clear…after everything that’s happened, I am still your a-apprentice and you do love me?” she queried. “I-I’m only asking ‘cause I want to make sure I h-heard you right.” She shrugged. “I’ve been without sleep for a w-while and I want to be clear that you’re not furious about my b-black book issue…or the fact that I…killed a man…” her words trailed away and her vision suddenly became blurry.
He wanted to wrap his arms around her and keep her in his embrace for the rest of their lives. She was tired, emotionally drained and had probably sat with him almost the entire time he’d been unconscious. Brynn had been pushed just about as far as a human being could go. His next words were enunciated very slowly, softly and clearly. “I love you more than anything in this universe. You are my apprentice and I’m not sending you away, especially when you resisted temptation to save my life,” he confirmed. “You’re here to stay. I’ll say it as many times as you need to hear it, sweetness.”
She tucked one
strand of hair behind her ear. “Can we kiss and seal the deal?”
“We can even do that and a bit more,” he said as he lay back on the bed and gently pulled her with him.
About the Author
C.S. Chatterly is also known as Candace Sams. Before writing award-winning paranormal romance stories, she was a police officer for eleven years and a crew chief on an ambulance for eight. She is also the senior woman on the U.S. Kung Fu team and is now receiving Olympic-level training for her fourth black belt.
Currently she lives in the deep south with her husband Lee. Two dogs and five cats have adopted her. Besides writing and martial arts, she enjoys gardening, weight lifting and getting e-mail from readers.
C.S. Chatterly welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and e-mail address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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Also by C.S. Chatterly
Incorrect Spelling
Man Trouble
Things That Go Bump in the Night VI anthology
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