Page 3 of Hers to Keep

“Not the physical sort.You and the life witch did well healing his body.”His generous mouth turned down in a frown.“What pains him now is his soul.”

“And you can fix that?”

“Not exactly.”Dohal shook his head.“It’s difficult to explain.”

When it was clear he wasn’t going to continue, she asked, “Have you tried to knock?”

One corner of his lips quirked up.“He knows I’m here.”

She offered him the remaining half of her pastry.“Well, if we’re here for the long haul, you might as well eat something.”

He eyed the napkin-wrapped parcel with curiosity but no hunger.“I don’t consume food.”

She shrugged and took a bite, then chewed slowly.“What do you eat then?”she asked once she’d swallowed.

“Magic.”

“Oh, I guess I knew that.”Mari stretched into the wards again.Everything up there felt normal, even if she didn’t.She wondered why it was taking so long for her magic to recharge.“Are you angry with me?”she asked as casually as she could manage.

“Not in the slightest.”He watched her carefully, pausing in consideration before he spoke.“Why would you think that?”

“The whole thing with breaking you out of jail without asking and us being undefended now.”

Dohal shrugged.“I might have been hasty in my assessment last night.”He gestured up.“The wards still stand, and they are still feeding me.While I am somewhat…changed since you healed me, I do not think I am diminished.”

“Well, that’s good.I never intended to harm you.I hope you know that.”

“I do.”His eyes searched her face.“What you did was out of kindness.”One corner of his mouth curled up.“And out of a brashness that I rather adore.”

A blush heated her cheeks.“That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

He watched her mouth as she took another bite, his gaze drifting downward when she swallowed, a strange expression on his face.When footsteps and voices came from the stairs, he shook himself.

Mari turned to see Pricilla and Willow walking toward them arm in arm.They walked toward Mari and Dohal at a sedate pace, as if out for a stroll.

When they finally came to a halt next to them, Willow paused for a long moment and then gestured with their chin.“He’s a dragon, by the way.Areallyold dragon.”

Mari stared at Willow, dumbfounded.A fucking dragon?

Beside her, Dohal rumbled with a deep laugh.“Was that a point of contention?You could have just asked.”

Pricilla offered her hand to Dohal, her magic unfurling.“Pris-”

Before Mari knew what she was doing, what little magic she had formed a shield between them that Pricilla ran into with a grunt.A growl rose from Mari’s throat.

Dohal eyed Mari with a satisfied smile.“I would advise that you keep your magic to yourself, witch,” he said to Pricilla with good humor.“My mate seems rather possessive today.”

“Oh, fuck,” Mari gasped, trying unsuccessfully to claw her power back.“I don’t know where that came from.”

Pricilla waved a hand.“No, entirely my fault.I let my curiosity get the better of me, and I should have known better.”

Dohal rested a clawed hand on the back of Mari’s neck, turning her toward him.“There is no one in all the realms that I want but you, bavi.”

She stared into his cosmic eyes and felt the tension inside her relax as the truth of his words took hold.Her magic came to heel in an instant.She drew in a long breath.“Oh.”

“A new bond always feels vulnerable, and I did you a disservice by leaving you this morning before it settled.Come here.”Dohal pulled her against his side and wrapped his arm around her.

She buried her face in the crook of his neck and felt immediately better.Yes, this was what she needed—his warm skin pressed against her.She nuzzled in with sigh.

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