Page 74 of The Fury She Holds
“Did Lighton say anything?” Tal’s guilt over risking Faron’s exposure had plagued her since that night.
The noble shook his head. “Not a word. In fact, he hasn’t been as cheerful as of late. What on earth did you do to the poor sod, Faron?”
“Tal attacked him. I only knocked him out.” He threw an arm around her shoulders, and Tal fought the heat that filled her cheeks.
“Hells. I need to find a woman like that.” Waylon dropped his feet and leaned onto the table. “Are you sure you don’t want to share?”
Tal certainly failed to hide the redness in her cheeks after that. “What makes you think I’d want a man who supports adultery?” She turned her nose up at the noble.
Mischief filled Waylon’s features. “But you don’t deny you want him?” He gestured to Faron, eyeing the arm around Tal’s shoulders.
Faron peered at her sideways and drew circles on her arm. Chills ran up and down at the point of contact.
“Is it the blue eyes?” Waylon asked.
Blue eyes?Tal furrowed her brow. Faron’s pale green gaze held hers. She found the gold specks there. As the contact lingered, the color shifted. It darkened. And, as a shadow crossed over his features, there it was. Not green.Hazel.
“What?” he said, his voice like a caress.
“Your eyes are hazel.”
Faron nodded a fraction, his face lit with amusement.
“They always look green. I never noticed the blue.” Even then, Tal could barely catch the deep hues.
His attention flicked to her lip as she bit it in concentration. “Well, the blue is mixed with light brown. So, looking at you, they’d probably blend together.”
Before she could ask what he meant, a commotion near the entrance distracted her. Entering the tavern were Daire and a few other guardsmen, including a worried Eddard. Tal felt Faron’s finger twitch on her arm. She sighed. “I donotwant to deal with him today.”
Faron leaned closer to whisper in her ear, “Then let’s get out of here.” His warm breath on her skin only added to the thoughts still plaguing her mind.
Waylon stood with a loud scrape of his chair. “Well, looks like I’ll be needing to find my own entertainment tonight. You two have a good evening.” He bowed, winking as he stood, before joining the crowd by the door. The guards greeted him noisily. A familiar mop of thick chestnut hair joined him, and Tal caught the captain’s attention. Recognition flooded his features. His gaze flicked behind her, and his eyes widened in surprise.
Faron took his arm from around her shoulder and stood. He held his hand out to her. “Ready? I know another way out.”
His skin was smooth against her palm. Faron squeezed her fingers, and Tal smiled despite herself. She stood, and they snuck out through a door along the back wall. They dropped hands once they’d exited but walked side by side back to the tunnels.
They didn’t talk about the Communal or Waylon’s question, though the glances they exchanged told her it gripped both their minds.
“I apologize for Waylon’s forwardness.” Faron turned to face her.
Tal waved a hand at his apology. “There’s no need. I like him.”
Faron cried out and placed his hand over his heart. “Damn him. I’ll strike him down for stealing your affections.”
“Still your sword, oh jealous one. I must focus on preparations. I don’t have time to mend your wounds, nor your fragile ego.” Tal pushed him playfully.
“Oh, how little faith you have in me.” His shoulders heaved with a dramatic sigh. “Alas, your training awaits, milady.” He dropped the highborn tone. “I look forward to the day when you’ve mastered that fire.”
Tal searched his face for a hint of humor but found none.
“Remember that time you were so mad at Duncan for interfering with a bounty that you stomped straight home to Carrick’s room, and before you could get one sentence out, your hands shot flames that burned his bedding to nothing but ash!” Sybil barely managed to finish her story before she lost herself to a fit of laughter.
The group sat scattered around the common area and shared stories, as had been their new routine for the last week when the search for the mage proved fruitless.
“I slept on the floor for a week after that.” Carrick chuckled.
Tal groaned behind her hand. “I offered for you to sleep in my room!”
