Page 81 of The Shadow Path
Laura had gone to bed soon after they finished in the library.
Cadell had gone to visit his children at the horde nesting grounds.
Carys had been an only child. She knew how to be alone.
She didn’twantto be alone, but she was almost asleep when someone knocked on her door.
She rolled across the massive bed, then threw on the wool wrap that kept her warm in the old stone house and slid into a pair of deerskin slippers.
She walked to the door and somehow wasn’t surprised to see Duncan on the other side when she opened it. “Hi.”
“Hello.” He leaned his massive shoulder against the arched doorway. “How are you? How’s the ankle?”
“Sore but better. Tired.” She was tired. She was… weary.
“Can I come in? Just for a minute.”
She opened the door and let him inside. “I have to tell you, if you’re planning any seduction-type activities, I am probably not up for it tonight.” She wanted a bath something fierce, but this wasn’t the place to hop in the bathroom for a quick “freshen up” shower. Taking a bath meant planning ahead.
Duncan smiled and wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off her feet and wrapping an arm around her bottom, then carried her to the bed. “Are you sure? I might be able to change your mind.”
He probably could. She could take a very cold sink-bath, right? She probably didn’t smell that gross. And she was only kind of sore. As long as he wasn’t expecting gymnastics?—
She winced as he set her on the edge of the bed.
“Kidding.” He tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear and ran his warm fingers along her jaw. “Jesus, Carys, you scared me to death today. And when you told Laura I had my sword?—”
“Listen, if it’s between losing a foot and dying, I would rather lose a foot, and I don’t think that’s a crazy thing to say.”
Duncan pulled a stool over the edge of the bed and sat in front of her, settling her sore ankle on his lap and looking up. “Do you know what that would do to me?” His voice was rough, and his eyes were shining. “Even the thought of hurting you?—”
“I would have made Laura do it,” Carys jumped in. “She could cut off a limb for me if I needed it. She’s very practical, and she’s kind of mean.”
“Fuck me.” He let out a harsh laugh, bent forward, and leaned his forehead on her knees. “I can’t believe you’re joking about it.”
“Hey.” Carys reached out and ran her fingers along the short crop of his russet-brown hair. “I’m okay. Nothing bad happened. I have a twisted ankle and a giant bruise on my butt. But that’s all. Remember when I thought I was leaving you to the terrifying fae bear in the murder forest? This was not nearly as bad as that.”
He turned his head to the side, rested his cheek on her legs, and let out a long breath. “Let me take you back to London tomorrow. The real London. Fuck all of them. This isn’t our fight. You and Laura and me—and your fucking dragon, obviously—we can just go. Fly back to California and forget about all of them. I need to fuck off and take a vacation anyway. Fiona’s been at me for months because I’ve been in a foul mood.”
“You just usedfuckin three successive sentences with three different usages. It truly is the best curse word.”
Duncan looked up, and his entire face was smiling. Eyes. Mouth. Beard. All of it. “I adore you, Professor Morgan.”
Her heart flipped over in her chest. “You know, I was talking with someone the other day. Someone who reminded me of you.”
His smile dimmed a little bit. “Is that so?”
“Don’t get that look.” She pulled on his beard a little bit. “He told me that you…” She let out a long breath. “That you were a good man. But you’re not just good, Duncan. You’re one of the best men I’ve ever known.”
“Don’t make me noble, Carys.” He shook his head. “I just told you we should run away from a fight. I’m only noble in small quantities.”
“This person who reminded me of you, he also said you’d do anything for me. Be anything.”
Duncan’s green eyes burned. “Then he does know what he’s talking about, because I would.”
“And I told him I just wanted you to be yourself,” Carys whispered.
Duncan stood slowly, parted her legs, and moved between them, leaning into her. “The man I want to be is the one at your side, Carys Morgan. The one you call when you’re hurt or lonely or just need to vent. The man who helps you fight your battles and fucking… washes your socks if that’s what you need. I just want to be with you. I just want to be yours.”
