Magician's Touch (Deadly Touch book 3) Chapter 17: 17: Lies

Read chapter 17 of Magician's Touch (Deadly Touch book 3) by Deb E Howell on NovelPedia.

Anya looked up from rearranging pans and skillets when Llew and Elka arrived back in the kitchen. “How are the cows?” she asked. “They have something called mast—” Llew looked to Elka for help. “Mastitis,” Elka supplied. “We will fix that in a few days.” “I’ll need a day or two to design what you’re after, anyway,” Rowan said from his seat at the dinner table. “And a few wanders around the farm checking on things won’t do my creative juices any harm.” He smiled. “It’s nice to be away from the confines of town. And this project of yours … I’ve got a few flickers of how it could work already. Tomorrow, after breakfast, I’ll pull out my notebook and you can tell me as much as you know about this Braph’s work.” A shiver ran down Llew’s spine at the mention of the magician’s name. Would he ever cease to affect her like that? “They found pork jerky in a smoke house.” Anya indicated the table, now spread with plates, mugs, food, and a jug of water. “The only bread we’ve got is what you brought with you, but it should be enough for today. There are a few preserves here, too.” Llew’s stomach growled. “Great work. Thanks.” She clambered over the bench seat between Rowan and Jonas and sat. Her shoulder bumped Jonas’s as she pulled a bite from the bread, and she gave him a smile, which he returned. The small interaction lit her up. It felt good to sit beside him. Relief, first and foremost, but also like a quick breath before diving again. His strength would wane, and she would need to keep propping him up, until they could find a permanent solution. But they had now , and she wasn’t about to ruin that by thinking about then; past or future. She caught a glimpse of Karlani’s twisted lips across the table as Alvaro made room for Elka to sit beside him, opposite her brother. “Luckily, some of the chickens are laying.” Anya continued. “So, we might look to get the range going tonight—” She paused, looking between Rowan, Alvaro, and Karlani. “If everyone agrees we can afford the smoke coming from the chimney.” Rowan shrugged. “They’ll check this place if we make our mark or not, right?” “Likely,” Jonas said. “Let’s make our mark,” Karlani said. “I need to eat.” “I do love a woman with an appetite.” Alvaro smirked. “You have no idea.” Karlani snapped up a large chunk of jerky from the plate in the middle of the table and took a big bite, meeting Llew’s flat stare as she chewed. Llew dearly wanted to tell Karlani she had no right to be so cocky in their company, but she kind of did. They needed her strength. “If you want to be of help, we need to do Merrid and Ard the dignity of bringing them down and giving them a proper farewell. We also need to be thinking about defense systems; some sort of alarm, at least. We need to know the moment we’re discovered. We need to give ourselves a fighting chance.” “This place is too big to defend,” Karlani said. “I’m Syakaran, but there’s only one of me.” “Then get creative.” Llew had no time for anything less than compliance. She had a mission. “Jonas and Anya might have some ideas.” “Me?” Anya startled from where she had been pottering at the kitchen bench, arranging food she and Rowan had brought with them and some jerky for the next meal along the back. Such supplies wouldn’t last long, especially with a Syakaran to feed now. Llew shrugged. “I figure you’ve probably read something useful some time.” “Oh, yes. Although, I’m usually better at remembering which book the information was in, rather than the actual wording, but I’ll see what I can recall. Oh! Speaking of which, Al, go get the— the thing from the bunker.” “Me?” Anya rolled her eyes and huffed, exaggeratedly bunched the front of her dress and headed for the door. “I can get it.” Rowan stood. “Whatever and wherever it is.” “Fine.” Alvaro extracted himself from the table. “I’ll get it. I know what she’s talking about.” Rowan sat back down, and Llew exchanged shrugs and glances with everyone at the table before turning to Anya for answers as the do