Free Savor by Alyssa Rose Ivy Page B

healers.”
    “Why? I mean is there something special about her?” Vera asked. I wasn’t sure if she was asking out of jealously from earlier, or if she also sensed what I did. How important this was. Something about it worried me, but I didn’t know whether that worry was warranted.
    “She was selected when she was only a child.” Gareth sat down on the love seat. “Our current Healia, Rayen, always selects the best of the next generation to train. Generally they come from only a few families.”
    “Oh.” Her face fell into an unreadable expression.
    “Gemma seems to be taking to it well, although Rayen complains that all she does is ask questions.”
    I laughed. “There’s nothing wrong with questions, but I’m not surprised to hear that.”
    “Did she grill you?” Taliana asked.
    “Something like that. She is very eager to learn.”
    “She’s ambitious and dedicated.”
    “Who are her parents?” As much as I wasn’t proud of my parentage, you could find out a lot about someone by looking at their family.
    “Why are you so curious?” Gareth asked. “Does little Gemma interest you much?”
    “Not in the way you are implying.”
    “She struck a nerve,” Vera jumped in, and I didn’t know if she was about to help me or make things worse. “Jared’s had a bad experience with a witch, and he wants to make sure it’s not witchcraft she’s doing.”
    “I assume you know my story?” Taliana asked.
    “Yes. At least what Casey and Toby knew.”
    “Then you understand my feelings about magic match yours.” She looked off at some indeterminate spot in the distance.
    She met my mom when a witch used her to seek revenge on the king. The only thing good that came from it was Casey, but she was also a weapon. “You’re right. You have even more of a reason to hate them than me.”
    “You have nothing to fear here. Our shores are secure, and you are one of only a select few outside of our people to ever step foot on this island.” Taliana stood and walked over to me. “You can rest assured, you and Vera are safe.”
    “Thank you for the assurances.” I wasn’t going to learn anything else that night. Gareth hadn’t made any motions of trying to talk to me.
    Taliana took Vera’s arm. “We thought we’d put you in your old room.”
    “I hope there’s no crib in there anymore.”
    “No crib. I updated it over the years as you grew older.” Gareth’s voice sounded far off. No doubt he was reflecting on the effect her absence had on him.
    “It better not be pink.”
    “No pink.” He laughed. “I assumed you’d like more pale blue and yellow.”
    “I’m impressed you even thought about it.”
    “You don’t have a very high opinion of men do you?”
    “Not of most,” she mumbled.
    I caught her eye across the room. She shrugged in response.
    “Jared, you’ll be right down the hall from her.” There was something about the way Taliana said it that made it seem like she was telling Vera as much as me. But it’s not like her mom would want us sleeping together. Would she?

D espite the warmth of the summer night, Gareth’s home was cold. I lay between the silky sheets of my bed. I was never one to struggle with the cold, but with everything else going on it bothered me. I was hit by a desire to go home, but I didn’t know where that was anymore. It wasn’t my old bedroom on Long Island, and it definitely wasn’t in any of those places I’d stayed with Murphy. Thinking about him made me sick. I couldn’t believe I’d let someone that evil touch me. Whatever gift mom said I had didn’t apply to knowing who someone really was. Or did it? Had I stayed with him because I knew he was so horribly wrong for me and that was what I deserved? Now I was overanalyzing things. I tried to shake the negative feelings. They weren’t going to help anything.
    I glanced around the sparsely furnished room. The bed dominated the space, with a long bench set in front of it. Otherwise there was a