“You didn’t.” Jaenelle gave Marian’s arm a sisterly pat. “Get some rest. We’ll have a lovely dinner tonight, and tomorrow we’ll go to Dharo.”

Jaenelle was at the door before Marian managed to prop herself up on her elbows. “Dharo?”

Jaenelle grinned. “We still have to buy carpets, and there’s no one in Kaeleer who makes finer carpets than the weavers of Dharo.”

Marian stared at the door long after Jaenelle was gone. Dharo. Carpets. Another day of shopping.

She pressed her face into her pillow . . . and whimpered.

ELEVEN

ELEVEN

Snarling softly, Lucivar paced the flagstone courtyard in front of his eyrie.

Where in the name of Hell was she? He’d told Jaenelle he needed two days. Two days. All right, fine. He understood—eventually—why Marian hadn’t come back last night. Maybe they’d finished their . . . whatever—he couldn’t remember what he’d suggested Jaenelle do as a way to keep Marian out of Ebon Rih—too late to come back last night. And he wouldn’t expect them at sunrise, since Jaenelle wasn’t someone you dared talk to until she’d had her first cup of coffee. But it was almost midday now, and his sister still hadn’t returned his hearth witch.

He missed her. He hadn’t noticed her absence too much while the men were working all around him, but at the end of the day, when he went into the eyrie alone . . .

She warmed the place, just by being there. When he stepped inside, he could feel the comfort of her presence. There were days when he thought she was really getting used to him, and they were two people who were interested in each other and moving toward living together instead of living in the same place. And there were other days when she withdrew from him for no reason, when the way she held herself made it clear that he was the Prince and she was the housekeeper.

He’d been careful. He kept a choke hold on his body’s response to her so that he wouldn’t touch her in a way that made her think he required sex from her. But he wanted an invitation to her bed, wanted to take her into his bed, just . . . wanted. Not knowing what he did that made her turn away from him put a dangerous edge of frustration on an already well-honed temper.

She needed time. He would give her time. She would be skittish until she really trusted that he wouldn’t hurt her. So he would be patient.

He. Would. Be. Patient.

He glanced at the empty stairs leading down to the landing place and snarled.

Where was she?

A few moments later, he felt her presence at the landing place, along with Jaenelle and . . .

He glanced up at the sky. What was Saetan doing here at this time of day?