Free The Garnet Dagger by Andrea R. Cooper Page B

holder. Was like waiting for life to start again. Here, I’d wait until morning woke her.
    Perhaps after she fell asleep, I’d search the room again for the dagger. Leave before first light.
    “Even if you don’t need sleep, I do,” she said and her eyes slanted at the edges like a sleeping cat. “Can’t sleep with you standing there like that.”
    I took a step, but her words stop me.
    “Don’t go. Just douse the flame and lay beside me.” Her words slurred on the edge of sleep.
    Never had I been so close to a human. A naked one at least. I blew out the flame and for a moment watched the smoke swirl and curl. With care, I eased onto the mattress.
    On my side, away from the heat of her, I laid. Fought inside my mind of taking her into my arms while she slept.
    With every sigh and flop of her body, visions of her nakedness tantalized me. Even though my body did not need sleep, she’d still drain my energies this night.

Chapter Fourteen
    Light crept in through the cracks along the walls. I blinked and realized I somehow dozed during the night.
    Celeste’s hair tickled my nose. I breathed in her scent, woodchips and lye from the bath the night before and a faint, sweet smell like lavender mingled with the scent of pine from her makeshift wig.
    My hand reached out to shake her awake, but hovered above her arm. The air between us prickled.
    Hunger for her essence pulsed against my skull, drowned out even the call of the rooster outside.
    But I forced my hand back with a clenched fist. Adjusted my cloth towel, I eased out of bed. Stuck without my clothes, I gazed at her in sleep.
    Lips parted as if to whisper secrets to a lover. Mocking me, the blanket shifted down exposing half of one breast.
    With a swallow I eased her cover higher. Smells from the kitchen below wafted into the room: porridge, bacon, and bread.
    Taking advantage of the time, I searched the room for the garnet dagger. As soon as the blade was in my hand, and I had my clothes, I’d leave her.
    Better I traveled alone. Especially for Celeste’s sake, for if she lingered too long with me, my curse would kill her. I could not bear her death or any more innocents upon my soul.
    Searched every crack of the room, but found nothing but a spider’s web and greenish muck in another corner.
    I crossed the room. Again my eyes drifted to her figure on the bed. She must have hid the blade in the straw as she did before.
    A knock redirected my steps.
    Still, she did not stir. Reaching up with my fingers, I combed down my hair hoping my ears were covered and my towel across my groin would hold.
    Opening the door, the servant boy from last night stood with crusted spots of food on his tunic. Each hand held a bowl of porridge and strips of bacon with two pieces of honey-spread toast wedged on the sides.
    Balancing the meals in my hands, and using my elbow to keep my covering in place, I then bid the servant thanks. At his departure, I kicked the door closed.
    Steam rolled in waves off the lumpy porridge. As if calling to her, Celeste bolted upright. Clutching the thin blanket to her, her eyes widened.
    After she tucked the blanket around her, her arms flew up to accept my offering.
    I watched as she gobbled up the first meal and traded the empty bowl for the full one. Never did I remember longing for food as she did. No matter the quality, she ate as if this may be first and last meal she’d ever eat.
    My history of picking apart my mother’s dinners brought shame to my heart. Now I’d give anything for the chance to enjoy her cooking instead of waiting for another victim to drain their
kajh
as my sustenance.
    A slurping sound halted my self-pity.
    She licked the honey from her fingers. “Our clothes will be dry soon. Wind brings the heat of the sun through them.”
    Felt the heat of my skin flush at the reminder of just a worn cloth covered half my body. She’d seen more of me than Liana. Only married couples saw each other naked.
    “As soon as we’ve