Free Heart Secret by Robin D. Owens Page A

two little rickety ones. He hitched a hip on the wide windowsill. His chest hurt.
    â€œI have lost people, too,” TQ said softly. “One or two died here despite all I did to save them. You lost the woman, Dinni Spurge Flixweed.”
    â€œYes,” Garrett forced out. “I lost my first love, my first girl.”
    Footsteps echoed in the quiet and the Healer paused at the door, expression irritated. Then her head tilted as she picked up the atmosphere. The woman seemed more sensitive empathically than most.
    Why would it take so long to get a pillow? A messenger service could ’port anywhere in moments if she gave them visual clues. Another thing for Garrett to figure out later.
    She crossed her arms. “Have we considered the situation?”
    Garrett’s past swept away with the lure of seeing a forbidden place, a HouseHeart.
    â€œI will allow GentleSir Garrett Primross into my HouseHeart with the usual proviso that a spell will be applied to his memory so it will fade, and if he gives us his Vow of Honor that he will record no details.”
    Not so easy an access as Garrett had expected. Disappointment shadowed his thoughts, but he would know that he’d been in a HouseHeart, had made a contribution that would live after him. He’d know it in his very bones, and that would be good. “I agree.”
    â€œThis experiment will be stressful for all of us, but especially you two humans. I believe time in my HouseHeart will be good for you before we begin this process.”
    Artemisia’s arms uncrossed and her shoulders lowered, a genuine smile lightened her eyes. “It’s wonderful you will allow me in your HouseHeart. Thank you.”
    â€œYou are welcome here, Artemisia. You will always be welcome,” TQ responded. The House didn’t add permission for Garrett. He shrugged the caring away.
    A chuff of air came, followed by TQ’s words. “There is a secret passageway from my southwest corner. At the end of that hallway, there is a trapdoor in the floor, under the carpet. I will tell you the secret poem. I am very good at telepathic communication, but my people must be better attuned to me than you currently are.”
    After all the information, the woman let out a long breath.
    Garrett said, “Right.” When they reached the first hallway, she turned the wrong direction.
    Gritting his teeth, knowing it was a mistake, he took her elbow in his fingers. Pure desire flashed through him. Maybe the more he resisted temptation, the more his lust would mount, would rage within him. Too bad; he wasn’t going to change. She wasn’t the woman he wanted.
    But three years had passed since Dinni’s death and his grief and loss were waning, like bright moons coming from shadows that had been cast upon them.
    Artemisia stopped and looked up at him.
    â€œWrong way.”
    â€œOh.” Her smile was quick and meaningless. She turned and Garrett had to force his hand to drop. Her elbow wasn’t even that sexy.
    He lied.
    She hesitated at the cross corridor.
    â€œLeft,” he said.
    â€œThank you.”
    There was a good-sized window at the end of the hall. No one would expect a hidden entrance to the HouseHeart to be there.
    â€œThe moles of Celta and Captain Ruis Elder of the starship
Nuada’s Sword
helped me excavate a proper concealed passage and secret HouseHeart,” TQ said. “Then Mitchella D’Blackthorn and I decorated it
ourselves
.”
    â€œSounds wonderful,” Artemisia said.
    â€œIt
is
!” TQ said.
    The Healer caught sight of the change in the plush and patterned carpet before Garrett. He searched with his Flair and he found that the hole was narrow. “You have a problem with claustrophobia?” he asked.
    â€œNo, nor darkness or dankness.”
    â€œI am not dark or dank!” TQ objected.
    â€œNo. You aren’t,” she agreed absently, passing her hands over the area covered by the