Page 64 of Bound By Blood
She walked up thefront steps, opened the door, and stepped inside.
CHAPTER 48
The strongpeppermint scent immediately told her he wasn’t on the secondfloor. She followed his smell into the kitchen and discovered himsitting by the jigsaw puzzle.
Her eyebrows rosewhen she realized it was different from what was on the tablebefore. That one had been completed and pushed aside. He must havegone into the basement and dug out an older one from the boxes fullof them.
A twinge ofsadness tugged at her heart. Her parents’ fingers once touchedthose pieces and put them carefully together while they laughed andteased each other. And now this oaf’s hands were on them.
It wasunreasonable, she knew, but sudden anger and sorrow clung to her.Taking a deep breath, she reined both emotions in before dealingwith him. This time her conflicted emotions weren’t his fault, andshe wouldn’t lash out at him for it.
Her eyes shiftedto the kitchen window, the one overlooking her forge. She hadn’tseen him standing there but suspected he’d been watching and knewwhy she was here.
“It’s done,” shestated.
Saber glancedcasually up at her, but he didn’t feel casual. The second sheentered the house, her scent and presence provoked his more carnalinstincts, and he had to keep himself restrained from rising andgoing to her.
His eyes fell tothe sword in her hands and lingered on the black stone sticking outfrom the scabbard. He’d known she was close to finishing, he’d beenwatching for a while, but he hadn’t expected it to be tonight.
As he gazed at thestone, the overwhelming need to take it from her had him risingbefore he could think about it. That sword belonged tohim.
Caro stepped backwhen Saber eyed the sword. He didn’t say a word as he held his handout to her. For a second, her grip tightened on the scabbard, butthis wasn’t her weapon.
She’d seen what itcould do for him, and while she wasn’t going to simply accept itwould only work for him, she felt nothing but pride for the weapon.It was obvious he couldn’t say the same.
Reluctantly, shehanded it over to him. He removed the blade from the scabbard andlifted it until it gleamed in the light. Once again, she smiledover her work.
It was anexquisite piece of art and extremely lethal. She’d sharpened it byhand, making sure it was as smooth as velvet and more destructivethan a king cobra. The thing would slice through flesh like a knifethrough warm butter.
And she liked itthat way.
Saber admired theexquisite craftsmanship of the sword and the way the jewel shone ashe turned it in his hands. She may not like him, and would preferhim to be anywhere but here, but she hadn’t skimped on creatingthis magnificent weapon.
She might be abetter metalsmith than her father, but he kept that to himself.Caro was proud of her work, as evidenced by her smirk while sheadmired the sword, but she’d recently lost her father, a man sheconsidered her hero. She wouldn’t enjoy hearing his appraisal ofthe blade.
He would enjoywielding the sword, though. And it would cut down many of theirenemies along the way.
“It’smagnificent,” he told her.
“I know.”
Saber chuckledover her pride and arrogance; they were two emotions he understoodwell. He enjoyed it when others embraced them too. And heespecially enjoyed the twinkle in her beautiful eyes as she gazedat the weapon.
“I guess yourfather wasn’t one for teaching how to be humble,” he said.
“When it came tocertain things, yes, he was. But when it came to pride in our work,he taught me to embrace it.”
“As he should;you’re extremely talented.”
“I know. So nowwhat? Will your friends be meeting us here soon? Are they going tostay or leave again after dropping off the stones?”
Saber twisted thesword in his hands as he moved it around. For such a large sword,it was surprisingly lightweight and maneuverable. It was a truepiece of work, better than Willow’s sword.
“Now it’s time totest it in the field,” he said.
“How do you planto do that?”
“I’m going to findsome Savages.”
