Magician's Touch (Deadly Touch book 3) Chapter 29: 29: Say It Again

Read chapter 29 of Magician's Touch (Deadly Touch book 3) by Deb E Howell on NovelPedia.

When a hand gripped Llew’s shoulder, she awoke with a start. She had her back to the bedroom doorway, facing Jonas. Or would have been, had he still been in the bed. A moment of panic took her, but she limited her reaction to one shallow intake of breath. She turned her head to find Sam leaning over her. His apologetic grimace that seemed more tense than necessary didn’t fill her with confidence. Her breathing remained shallow while she listened for things to worry about. “Jonas is fine. Well—” Sam shrugged. “He’s a bit flat. Needs your blood.” That grimace returned. Llew hadn’t had enough sleep. Her head felt groggy. Didn’t matter. She clambered off the bed, glanced at the still wet and muddy trousers and shirt she’d abandoned on the floor and headed outside in her shift. Jonas hadn’t bothered to fit his prosthetic, and had the lower half of his trouser leg tied up the back of his thigh with a leather thong. He looked exhausted, slouched beneath a tree, his shoulders hunched, his eyelids drooping. Llew raised her eyebrows at Sam. “We wanted to let you sleep as long as possible.” A fair balance, perhaps. Jonas was alive, and she felt better for the sleep. Still, she hated to see him so drained of energy. He was barely making it through the night now. Neither of them could afford a full night’s sleep anymore. She centered herself with a breath, finding her calm. With the sun now out, the tarpaulin had been hung to dry on the washing line. The ground remained damp, though. There was nothing they could do about that. She sat one tree over from Jonas and presented her arm yet again. Around them, everyone settled into jobs. Lunch was prepared, animals were checked, laundry hung from a line, and more washed, stirred in a half-barrel. Even Karlani and Alvaro were each engaged in helpful work. Llew hadn’t dared think she might see such a thing. It seemed healing Karlani had been the right thing to do. With Jonas so depleted, it took eight syringes of Llew’s blood for him to perk up. They kept going. Karlani brought lunch to them. Jonas had eaten breakfast, but it hadn’t been enough to halt his decline. Llew’s blood plus lunch saw him brighten. He turned his thin-lipped expression to Llew as Delwynn pulled the plunger on another syringeful and Llew waved him off with her free hand before he could speak. “Don’t apologize. You know this is as much for me as for you.” “Thanks.” His lips lifted into a reluctant smiled. “I love you.” “I love you, too.” Llew beamed back at him, something about speaking the words making them all the more real. Karlani crouched by them to collect their empty plates. “You two are sickly sweet, aren’t you?” She smiled from one to the other, completely guileless. “Truly, though, you deserve it. It’s nice to see.” Llew could hardly believe what she was hearing. “I know.” Karlani stood back from them, balancing the plates against one hip. “Last night, you gave me the opportunity to look back on my life and how I ended up here. I spent the last few years believing anyone who told me I was the future, but—” She gestured at a couple of Turhmos soldiers engaged in their tasks. “You’re the one setting new things in motion. Better things.” She shrugged. “I wasn’t really after a name for myself, just the comfort that came with knowing I’d be looked after. I didn’t come to Quaver to fight for Jonas’s hand. I was told he was a path to the life I wanted. And, heck, it’s nice to feel special while we’re at it, huh? But I never needed special. It was just a carrot I thought I wanted. Anyway, there’s still a chance I can make the life I wanted, or figure out something new. And that’s thanks to you. So … I’m sorry for the parts I’ve played that have spoiled yours. And I hope it’s not too much to ask to be able to help you build your new life. Like, uh—” She shifted the plates to her other hip. “That swimming hole is real nice. Maybe I can make sure no one interrupts you while you take a break. But I can be available, if you, you