Page 21 of Tanglewood Magic (The Three Sisters 2)
“What? Why?”
“Because she found out you made the salve, and she doesn’t trust you or your sisters.”
“I could have told you she doesn’t trust me. How did she find out that I made it?”
“I told her.”
Circe huffed, extending her hands toward him, palms up in utter exasperation. “Why would you do such a thing?”
“Because it’s unfair how she treats you. You and your sisters. You’re a powerful healer, and she needs to show some respect.”
“But, Rhys… You’ll lose your business. You don’t owe me credit. You don’t owe me anything! Maybe I should quit. If I left, your patients would return in time.”
“Fuck that. I don’t want you to leave. Don’t let them do that to you, Circe. Those harpies have cursed, wagging tongues and don’t deserve a second of your attention.”
He couldn’t stand the tension in the room, the disappointment that clung to her as she tried to process Emily’s attitude toward her. He wanted to take her in his arms, to soothe her, but after the way he’d stormed out the night before, it didn’t seem appropriate. He turned his attention to straightening the counter, just to dull the edges of the intensity between them.
“I thought after last night you’d jump at the chance to be rid of me.” He lifted his gaze to hers, the arresting blue drawing him in again.
“No,” he said softly. He knew it was a curt answer. Maybe he owed her more. Maybe the less he said, the better. The air around her seemed to buzz with her power—or was that some kind of magnetism? He desperately wanted to touch her and kiss away the pain he saw in her eyes.
“But… you were right. I went to see Medea this morning… That’s why I was late. I told her what you told me about the people of Paragon being innocent. She never actually intended to turn Eleanor’s kingdom into a wasteland, but our conversation definitely made her understand what kind of situation we’re in.”
His heart felt as if it was sliding along his rib cage, melting like butter in a frying pan. “You visited your sister this morning… because of me?”
She rounded the counter and took a step toward him. “Yes. You were right, Rhys. What I said last night, I said out of anger and frustration. It’s not just Eleanor. It’s Emily and people like her. Last night, all I could think about was wanting Medea to stand up for us after how Eleanor treated her, but I’m glad you said what you said. It reminded me that there are innocent people out there. If we lose our ability to know right from wrong, we’re no better than Eleanor is.”
Rhys watched her, stunned by her goodness. How was it the others couldn’t see how decent she was down to her soul?
“So, are we good, Rhys?”
He cleared the thickness from his throat. “We were always good.”
Her eyes glinted, wet in the light. “Thank the Fates. I couldn’t bear losing you. You’re my only friend in Darnuith.”
“I’m not your friend,” he said absently.
She jolted back as if he’d struck her.
He held up a hand. “That didn’t come out right. I don’t want to be your friend,” he said softly, moving closer. He didn’t stop until he was close enough to feel the heat from her body and smell the winter air on her skin. “I want to be more than your friend.”
He brushed his lips lightly over hers.
“Oh,” Circe said, the word a hard breath in her throat. “I don’t want to be your friend either.”
ChapterEleven
Circe knew this was hard for him as Rhys’s lips brushed hers in invitation. He wanted her, that was clear enough, but his emotions were complicated. She felt reluctance in the tension of his shoulders, likely guilt over his deceased wife, maybe even a sense of danger over what was happening with her sister, and no doubt apprehension regarding what he was doing to his business and only source of income. He’d done so much for her. She needed to do right by him.
“I don’t want to complicate things for you,” she said.
He drew his wand and pointed it at the door.
“Who’s there?” she asked, thinking he must be protecting her from whatever might come through it.
With a twirl of his wrist, the sign in the window flipped from open to closed, the lock slid into place, and the curtains shut over the windows. He looked at her hungrily, lips drawn into a wolfish grin, lids heavy. The danger wasn’t out there. It was in here.
“I don’t want you to do anything you’ll regret,” she warned. “It’s okay if you want to take it slow or wait to see what happens with the queen.”
