A hint of unease stained my senses. Not knowing why, I leaned back. Jenks’s warning resounded in me. “Home,” I said simply. “He went to check on his kids.” But my heart beat hard, and the hair on the back of my neck rose. “Hey…uh, I should probably head home and make sure he’s okay,” I said lightly, not knowing why all my instincts said to leave, and leave now. If only for a moment. I had to think. Something told me I had to think.

Kisten’s head swung up, panic clear in his eyes. “You’re leaving?”

A shiver rose through me and died. “We have two hours before sunset,” I said as I stood, not liking him between me and the door all of a sudden. I loved him, but he was pulled to the breaking point, and I didn’t want to have to say no if he asked me to be his scion. “No one knows you’re here. I won’t be long.” Drawing away from him, I scooped up his clothes. “Besides, you don’t want to put these on until they’re clean. I’ll wash them and be back before sunset. Promise. It will get me some time to make up some spells, too.”

I had to get out. I had to give him time to realize he was going to make it. Otherwise he would assume he wasn’t and would ask me something I didn’t want to answer.

Kisten’s shoulders eased, and he exhaled. “Thanks, love,” he said, making me feel guilty. “I wasn’t looking forward to putting them back on. Not in that condition.”

I leaned forward and gave him a kiss from behind, my lips touching his cheek while his hand rose to caress my jawline. “Do you want Jenks’s shirt meantime?” I asked, slipping from him when he shook his head. “You want me to stop and pick up anything while I’m out?”

“No,” he repeated, looking worried.

“Kisten, it’s going to be okay,” I said, almost pleading. I wished he would stand up so I could give him a proper kiss good-bye.

Hearing my misery, he smiled and stood. We moved to the door together, his scent rising from the armload of limp clothes in my hands. Wet from the bath, he had almost no scent at all. I hesitated at the door and shifted my splat-gun-heavy shoulder bag up onto my shoulder.

His arms went around me, and I exhaled, letting my entire body meld into him, relaxing and just taking him in. Under the smell of soap was the hint of incense, and my eyes closed as I encircled him, holding him tightly.

For a long moment, we stood there, and I wouldn’t let him go when he tried to rock back.

His eyes met mine, and his brow rose at my naked fear for him.