Page 10

Chapter 10

Cyrus

B lessed Stones, but Kaya is so lovely when she sleeps. She’s angelic when awake—pure of heart and with a goodness that shines through her smile and her eyes. But now? She looks like a goddess awaiting the moment she will rise to bring the entire world peace. But it’s not like she is all smiles and flowers. When she’s angry, everyone had better watch out. She doesn’t get riled easily, but when she does, it’s something to see.

I laugh quietly at myself. I’m a fool for this woman. I can deny it all I want, but I’m lost. If I worked my usual rakish way with her, she’d let herself be seduced. It’s incredibly tempting.

Her skin is radiant and softer than lamb’s wool. I can only imagine how she would feel melting into my arms, her delicate body against me, and her quiet voice in my ear… I would be gentle with her. She knows so little about love and the art of love. I would give my left wing to be the one to teach her, the one to draw out what makes her feel the most pleasure. My lips ache to feel her sweet mouth and to make her gasp with delicate strokes of my tongue. I would take her away. She deserves a long break from her work. She loves baking, but she needs to find her pleasure too, to experience it all. What would she like? A massage? Foot rubs, most likely. I would start there and let her relax.

I cough quietly and adjust my trousers. Looking away from her lovely form, I focus instead on the row of scrolls and books the healer has stacked on his shelves near the front door.

I won’t follow my longing for Kaya. She deserves a steady fellow—perhaps the wool merchant that I heard Laini was going to introduce her to today, even though the thought makes fire rise in my chest and tickle the back of my tongue.

I have a bloodline to research. I could never make her happy. I’d drive her nuts with my adventurous ways.

While Kaya continues sleeping and recovering, Delixian provides me parchment, ink, a quill, and some notewater. I send a message to Trustan. He knows where I keep Kaya’s bakery key and he can manage selling what she has in her display case for the first morning rush. We covered for her when she caught that fever going around last summer. I also pen notes for Laini and Tully, asking them to meet us at the bakery if they can this afternoon.

When Kaya eventually wakes, I’m relieved to see the color has returned to her cheeks. Delixian examines her broken thumb and checks her pulse and so forth. Once he has determined she is well enough, he kindly feeds us some strong black tea with orange rind and sizable bowls of roasted asparagus soup with lemon.

“Don’t push it with that broken bone, Kaya,” the healer says as he takes our empty bowls and piles them on the tea tray. “Come back to see me in a couple of days if you like, and I’ll recheck you.”

“Do you think there is any lasting damage from whatever happened with her temperature because of the ghost?” I ask, feeling sick that Kaya followed me into a dangerous place. “Have you ever seen anyone chilled like that from a ghostly experience?”

“I wasn’t when I saw it. Neither have I treated anyone with these effects. But I’ve read about such instances. Normally, the victim of the ghost’s fury recovers after a dose of citrus fruit and some rest.”

“That’s why you put so much lemon in that soup, isn’t it?” Kaya asks.

“It is.” Delixian’s blue mouth lifts into a smile. Everyone loves Kaya. “Anything for you, Mistress of the Bakery.”

Kaya blushes and grins down at her lap. “It was delicious. Thank you. I’ll send your payment over tomorrow with Sio, all right? By the way, he talks now.”

The blue pixie’s eyes widen. “That’s a new one on me, too. I know the old kings and queens used to have a line of talking maplecats.”

“That must be what Tully was referring to when she mentioned his bloodline.” I use one of the healer’s linen napkins to wipe down the table.

Delixian nods. “You’re lucky to have such an old, wise familiar at your shop.”

“I am. He’s very loyal.”

The healer lets us leave, and Kaya seems back to her old self. She’s talking quickly, planning out the day to finish Lady Egrettington’s order. We discuss the making of chocolate croissants and whether or not she has enough ingredients, and once we are back at her bakery, I send Trustan to the pub. I help Kaya finish serving the rest of her customers, and once Laini and Tully arrive, the place is empty, and we are ready to start baking.

Now, I just have to make sure I don’t show how I feel about Kaya. I have to let it go and stick to the work.

Tully is telling dirty jokes as we drink white peach tea and wait for the dough to proof. Once the dough is ready, Laini, Tully, and I each knock out our own portion. Kaya flits from work station to work station, giving us quick directions and grumbling about her injury.

After that, Kaya has me cutting parchment paper into precise sizes while Tully and Laini are in the front room trying to get Sio to talk to them. The paper is ready, and Kaya waves the other females back into the kitchen.

“Shape them into rectangles and put them in these,” she orders, pointing at the sheets I cut. “Roll them to fit once they are wrapped.”

It’s a long and complicated process, but with a witch who can do a few small magics here and there—she makes sure the magic doesn’t touch the food directly because it can make foods bitter—we end up getting to the lamination stage, as Kaya calls it.

Using her good hand, Kaya dusts each of our work stations with flour. She directs us as we fold the cold butter into the dough. I don’t know how she remembers all these crazy steps.

“This is more complicated than doing my yearly taxes, Kaya,” I say, looking up from my project. “I’m probably doing this all wrong.”

“No, it looks perfect,” she says to me, eyes twinkling. “Thanks for the help. I can’t thank you enough.”

She sets her healthy hand on my arm, and a shiver travels up to my chest. Her lips part, and a lock of her fawn-brown hair slips from the messy knot on top of her head to touch the edge of her heart-shaped face. Without thinking, I smooth the strand behind her ear. Her breath catches, and she shuts her eyes briefly.

I want to kiss her. My body hums with desire. I want to do more than kiss her. I want to lay her out on this floury surface and taste every inch of her until I find what makes her moan the loudest.

Laini and Tully have gone quiet behind us, but then Laini clears her throat.

“What are you going to wear tonight to meet the wool merchant?” Tully asks, her words too loud in the soft atmosphere of the kitchen.

Kaya seems to shake herself and turns to face the witch. “I have no idea. Is this not good?” She gestures to her simple dress and apron. “I mean, without the apron, of course.”

She laughs nervously. Dark pink suffuses her round cheeks, and I wish I could make her flush like that for very different reasons. I have to show her I support her meeting potential partners who aren’t me. I’m no good for her.

“How about that deep green dress you wore last May Day?” I say.

“You remember that?”

Uh oh. Caught. “It’s similar to a dress Rychell wore the day we made our deal on spice supplies.”

“Oh, right.” Kaya nods and smiles, but disappointment clouds her pretty eyes.

My recall of that garment has absolutely nothing to do with Rychell, even though the spice merchant is a lovely female. I couldn’t take my eyes off Kaya last May Day. She had led the dance around the bonfire that night, and the way her hips swayed and her voice rang out with the song of the spring… Well, I can’t tell her that if I want her to give this wool merchant a chance.

Laini smiles approvingly. “Good idea, Cyrus.”

I give her a look that says I know exactly where her mind is on this and that I’m not an idiot. “Thanks.”

I face Kaya, who is slicing the dough and marking the opposite edge.

“Maybe wear your hair down,” I say to her. “It’s good hair. He’ll be besotted by the time your food arrives.”

She glances at me out of the corner of her eye and raises an eyebrow like she’s not sure what I’m up to or why I’m helping so much. She can tell I’m holding something back. We know one another too well, I guess, to keep secrets.

“All right, Cyrus. I will do that. Laini and Tully, come here and see what I did so you can do the same to your dough.”

The day turns into evening, and the females head upstairs to help Kaya get ready for dinner. I’m left to finish the baking and add the chocolate at the right time. Sitting on a stool near the oven, Sio stays with me. I expect him to correct my technique at any moment now.

“No comments? Really?” I eye the old maplecat.

The cat opens his mouth to speak.