Page 66 of Sightwitch

Shame gusted over me.

“Your eyes are silver,” he continued, oblivious of the fire raging on my cheeks. “So I assumed you were like the others.”

“Well, I’m not,” I said flatly.

Now he was the one to blurt. “I meant no offense. I’m sorry, my lady. Truly.”

I believed him and forced a smile. “I suppose we’re both more than we let on.”

“Ah.” The worried lines of his face smoothed away and he offered me one of his own smiles. The kind that made his bright eyes crinkle and my stomach knot tight. “When did you get here?”

“Only moments ago. The first doorway is complete.” I gestured vaguely up the mountain. “I just tested it.”

He stiffened. “Youtested it?”

“Of course. Who else would?”

“I don’t know. Someone who isn’t you.” He shook his head, an impatient movement. “What if the magic had gone wrong? What if you had not arrived here at all? Did you even try it before you stepped through?”

“How would I possibly try it?” I drew back my shoulders.

“Throw a stone in it.”

“The spell only works on the living.”

“Then send a Paladin!”

“Oh, right,” I retorted, “because the most important people in all the land would risk their lives testing my doorway.”

“Yes! And they should! This is their rebellion—”

“This isourrebellion!”

“—and if they die, then they’ll be reborn!”

“Why are you shouting at me?”

“Because it was foolish! What if you haddied?”

“The Six would have gone on just fine without me,” I snipped, and because I didn’t know what else to do—because I don’t like confrontation—I gathered myself up to my fullest height and said, “I will tell Lisbet and Cora you send your love. Good day, General.”

Then I stalked past him and aimed for the door. As I grabbed at my cloak, ready to yank it off its hook, his voice skated over me. The words were too low to discern.

“What?” I angled back.

He cleared his throat. Then louder, he offered, “They aren’t the only reason.”

“Who?”

“The girls.”

I released the cloak. Then turned to stare at him straight on.

There was no more anger to cloud his eyes. Nor pain nor anything else I could easily recognize.

Then he repeated, “The girls aren’t the only reason I come each full moon,” and I knew exactly what expression he wore.

Need.