He stood about six five with wide shoulders. Beneath the long black coat he wore, Dacian could see a black T-shirt tight against a hard abdomen. Worn jeans and biker boots completed the outfit. Dacian didn’t have a clue about the guy’s face because he’d pulled the hood of his coat far enough forward on his head to put his features in shadow. Pale blue eyes gleamed out of those shadows, though.

“Who are you, and is this your real form?” For once Holgarth had shed his shitty attitude.

The man shrugged. “Name me as you will. It means nothing to me. And this is my real form.” His soft laughter sent chills all the way to the bone. “For now. I’ll be in my room if you decide I’m worthy to take your place.” And then he calmly strode from the great hall.

“It’ll be kind of tough to contact him in his room since he didn’t give a name.” Cinn looked more frustrated than afraid.

“Real or an illusion?” Dacian wasn’t sure.

Dacian didn’t want to feel sorry for Holgarth, but the emotion crept past his defenses. “Yeah, but he had the element of surprise on his side. I bet if you’d had time to prepare, you could’ve done something just as spectacular.”

“No, I couldn’t.” The three words were almost a whisper. “I tried to stop him, but my spell had no effect.”

Dacian had no answer for that. Cinn remained quiet. Holgarth turned and walked away.

She sighed. “I shouldn’t feel sorry for him, but I do.” She looked at where the other wizard had disappeared. “Whoever he is, he’s scary. I’ll take Holgarth over him any day.”

Dacian took her hand and walked with her from the great hall. “Where do you want to go?”

“I had a late lunch, so I’m not hungry yet. Let’s relieve Bain at the greenhouse. I needed a break, and Sparkle volunteered him.”

He didn’t say anything until they’d walked through the kitchen and stood outside the closed greenhouse door. Dacian brushed at her softly curling hair, amazed at the texture and how it affected him. If he got this aroused just touching her hair, he’d better keep his hands off any other parts of her.

“You look beautiful tonight.” Compliments didn’t come easily to him. It had been a long time since he’d felt like giving one.

“I guess Sparkle’s little shop of hair horrors did a good job. Carl cut and styled. Then Gerty did my nails. And finally Linda did the makeup. I left a new woman.” She glanced down at the sexy black dress that hugged every curve. “I have to hand it to Sparkle. Her dresses highlight the sensual in a woman.”

Even though she was making light of it, Dacian could see the pleasure his compliment had given her.