Page 21 of A Raven Revived

Just as she resigned herself to being in even more trouble, he held something out for her. A slate and a piece of chalk.

Excitement thrummed through her. “Does this mean you’re going to allow him at my window?”

His lips thinned. “For short intervals.”

She gave a little squeal and threw her arms around him. “Thank you, Ash!” As always, he kept his arms at his sides. He only ever gave hugs around the shoulders, a stickler for his own rules of propriety with the ladies in his care.

She let him go and he shook his head with a sigh. “Gwen is not going to be happy when she finds out about that.” He nodded toward the slate. “She thinks I’m getting too soft, and she might be right.”

“Or maybe you have a kind heart and are not nearly the stern, rigid ruler you’d like people to believe you to be.”

When she’d first met him, he had terrified her. He was large, dark, and imposing, always dressed in black from head to toe, and obviously accustomed to being in command. But now, she knew better. Not that he was actually soft. Everyone knew if you hurt someone he cared about, he would unleash a terrifying wrath upon you. But to those under his care, he was kind and nurturing, and his protection and loyalty were absolute.

He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Don’t make me regret it.”

“I promise I won’t.” She smiled up at him. “Thank you, Ash.”

It wasn’t long before there was a tap on her window. The way her heart soared when she saw Fitz’s smile startled her a bit. Once again, he’d drawn a daisy on his slate. It was quite detailed. He’d obviously spent time working on it before he came. She tried not to question his motives and to just enjoy his company.

Are you well?

She nodded and wrote a reply on her slate.

Yes. Thank you for the slate.

He nodded and chuckled.

Ash wasn’t very happy with the idea, but I managed to convince him.

She giggled.

Hopefully Gwen doesn’t override him and take it away.

He’s only allowing me 10 minutes each day.

Daisy rolled her eyes, and he threw his head back with laughter. The dimple in his left cheek had always made something tighten in her stomach. He was truly magnificent.

Eventually, she realized he was smiling at her, and she’d just been staring. She should be embarrassed at being caught, but he didn’t seem to mind. They simply gazed into one another’s eyes for a long moment.

Eventually, he looked back down at his slate and drew a grid of nine squares and marked an x in one. She laughed. He wanted to play noughts and crosses. She drew the same on her own slate and filled in one square with an o. They continued taking their turns and marking their grids until she got lucky and won. With a flourish, she drew a line through her three o’s, and he laughed.

Their next game ended in a draw, and just as they finished, he looked to his right and nodded. He was being sent away.

Tomorrow

She nodded and pressed her palm to the window. He joined her for just a moment before stepping away and giving her a bow. Loneliness settled as she watched him stride away.

The next day dragged even more before there was finally a tap at her window. This time, he’d drawn a small daisy in the corner so that he didn’t have to wipe it off and it could stay there as they played their games. He already had a grid ready for noughts and crosses. She drew a grid on her own, this time writing an x in one square.

Eventually, she caught herself just staring at him again. She had an urge to press her palm to the glass, but she resisted. This was a terrible path to go down. It would only end in heartbreak. Again. It wasn’t as if he was going to stay now that there was no investment for him, so why was she doing this? Had she not learned her lesson? More to the point, why washedoing this?

Misplaced guilt probably. How long would that keep him from leaving?

Swallowing down her worry, she quickly thought of a riddle and jotted it onto her slate.

I know a word of letters 3, add 2, and fewer there will be.

He read it and quirked his mouth to one side in thought. After a moment, he read it again, then looked up to the sky, perhaps for inspiration. Eventually, his face brightened, and he wrote down his answer.

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