Page 37 of Inked in Emeralds (Inkbound #3)

“Refills?” He waggled his furry brows and leaned forward to fill my cup before I could answer.

Not that I was going to say no. My time with Lord Fallowell had been an emotional ride, and I was left feeling shaken and elated at the same time.

I took the glass gratefully, nearly downing it in a few swift gulps.

“How did it go?” Hook murmured as Lord Fallowell tried to lure Duncan into a chat about the ins and out of sword fighting.

“It went well. I believe he’s on our side.” I couldn’t explain further with everyone around, but Hook seemed satisfied with my answer, or at least too relaxed with food and drink himself that he sat back in his seat.

As dessert was served, the last of my tension drained away. I glanced over at Hook to see that he and Fenwick were talking, and Hook was smiling. A little smile, to be sure, but it was something.

I reached for the pitcher to refill my cup one more time before heading back upstairs to work when suddenly a white blur streaked over the table, knocking it from my hand. It hit the table with a crash, spilling purple mead all over the white, linen tablecloth and onto the marble floor.

“What the hell was that?”

Bonnie squawked as if in answer, zooming after one of the tiny mechanical birds zipping through the hall.

“Oh, Bonnie!” Duncan groaned.

We both apologized and began swiping at the spreading purple stain with our napkins.

Fenwick raised a hand, chuckling. “Please, no harm done. She’s just having fun. I'll fetch another pitcher from the kitchen and send a maid to clean this up.”

As he hurried off, Billy nudged my foot under the table. “Maybe this is our cue to head out. I need sleep and I’m so full I could burst.” She let out a low burp and I giggled.

Hook nodded, his inky eyes slightly unfocused. “Agreed. We can’t be here all night. You’ve work to do.”

I turned to Lord Fallowell and offered an apologetic smile.

“I’m afraid my comrades are right. Thank you for a lovely evening, and especially for showing me the sanctuary.

We really have to prepare for tomorrow, so we’re going to go, but thank Fenwick for us, and please give our compliments to the chef. ”

He stood and bowed his head. “Thank you all for giving me a chance to show you that I’m not all bad. I wish you good luck in your preparation, and I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

Back in our quarters a few minutes later, I made a swerving beeline for my room, dragging out my hastily scribbled notes on the forge issue and spreading them across a low table. Hook followed me in as the others drifted into their own spaces, clearly as exhausted as I felt.

“Anything I can do to help?”

“I don’t think so, but if you want to hang out for a little while and lend moral support, I won’t say no.”

He sat on the edge of the bed as I bent over the papers, squinting at sketches and figures, each attempt to visualize a solution slipping through my mental fingers like grains of sand.

“So frustrating. I feel like, even before I got my magic, I could’ve come up with three ways to tackle this issue, and would’ve had no problem creating a?—”

A low snore cut me off and I turned to see Hook flat on his back, dead asleep on my bed.

I could hardly blame him. Besides, I wasn’t sure he’d had a good night’s sleep since we’d met. Rest was probably the best thing for him right now. For all of us…

“No rest for the wicked,” I muttered under my breath, turning my attention back to the paper in front of me that seemed to twist and blur into an unreadable mess as I tried to focus.

“Grrr!”

Maybe I just needed a little fresh air to clear my head.

I pushed myself to my feet and made my way to the window.

I pushed it open a crack and leaned heavily against the frame, pressing my forehead to the cool glass, staring outside when a puff of steam billowed into the air. I watched it drift lazily upward.

I blinked several times as a thought began to build. Cranking the window open, I leaned out so I could see beyond the city and the glittering golden path that had brought us here.

Steam. Gold pavers.

A bolt of clarity cut through the weary haze.

The sharp cool air followed me as I shut the window. Pressing my palms flat against the window, my breath fogged the glass as my thoughts raced. I could harness steam to boost the bellows, cranking them faster than humanly possible. Not unlike the first forge I’d worked in for Smitty in Alabaster.

“The gold pavers,” I tapped my fingers against the window…the warmth of the room stealing my thoughts, “They could be…I could use them…”

My brain buzzed with possibilities, each piece falling into place. But even as the adrenaline hummed through my veins, a bone-deep exhaustion tugged at me, dragging me down as sure as if weights were tied to my limbs.

I blinked, eyes drooping despite my efforts to stay alert. My legs felt unsteady, my head unbearably heavy.

You’ll wake up early in the morning and get it down on paper.

I barely made it back to my bed, fumbling to crawl in, eyes closing as I curled onto my side.

Before I completely passed out, a blanket was pulled up over me, and I was pulled tight into the crook of James’s embrace. He buried his face against the back of my neck, lips brushing against the sensitive skin behind my ear.

His deep rumble was like the purr of an overlarge cat, sinking through my bones. “Sleep, Harmony.”

A sigh slid through me as I rolled to face him, wrapping my arms around him, as he did the same to me. A place of safety, and in our exhausted states…we sunk into each other.

If only…

If only we could find this place when we were wide awake, and not in the in-between of sleep and dreams.