Page 96 of Power Shift
“Off tonight.” He walked by my side. “I made dinner.”
I stopped in my tracks. “You cooked? For me?”
“My kitchen staff almost had a mutiny over it, but yes. I enjoy cooking. This morning’s breakfast made me remember how much. I hope to start cooking for myself again every once in a while.”
I stared at him, a little flabbergasted. “That’s um, amazing. Really.”
Amusement quirked his lips up. “You seem surprised.”
I waved a hand around to encompass the house. “You live in a mansion. Usually people who live in places like this do not cook or dress themselves.”
His eyes glittered. “In the morning I can show you who dresses me, Evangeline.”
Heat clawed at me. “I’m here to discuss something with you,” I said primly. “I won’t be here in the morning.”
He grinned. “We’ll see.”
Shaking my head, I followed Caelan down the hall and was about to turn into the formal dining room, when he grabbed me by the elbow. “Not there.”
Surprised, I let him lead me along, farther into the main house of the Keep than I’d been before. Caelan stopped at two large mahogany doors and pressed a button. The doors swung inward, revealing a cozy room lined with enormous bookshelves.
I stepped inside and gasped. Two massive windows at the back had a perfect view of the moon and trees at the back of his property. A stone wood-burning fireplace crackled merrily, warming the room enough to chase autumn’s chill away. There was a small table on the other side of the room set with two place settings and a bottle of red wine. Two plates covered with antique silver lids sat close to each other.
“Come, before it gets cold,” Caelan said.
Dinner passed by quickly. For once, there was no pressure of anything. Just me and a handsome man having a nice dinner and getting to know each other. It made what I was about to tell him so much worse because even though Moira and Ash thought it would eventually be fine, I didn’t.
He was a Lord. His rule was total and all-encompassing. Having a Chimera within his territory, even one he liked, could destabilize his rule. With the gods sniffing around, there was no way I could keep my secret any longer.
Sadness threatened to choke me. I forced myself to eat his delicious dinner and drink his wine, laugh at his jokes, but inside I mourned what could be if only we’d met under different circumstances.
When I’d finished the last bite of an incredible apple crumble, I folded my napkin.
“Uh oh,” Caelan said, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “Down to business so soon?”
I stilled the rapid pounding of my heart. “It’s time sensitive.”
He set his wineglass down. “Let’s walk the property. Fee and Poe are itching to see you.”
We walked in silence for a while until we reached the back. “Are you fine with walking or do you want to take a cart and walk the rest of the way?”
The moon was almost full, and I was curious about Caelan’s property. “Let’s walk the entirety. Where are the birds?”
“They’re on my private lands,” was all he said.
We started on a moonlit path and walked for several minutes until the path dropped off and we were plunged into the woods. Pine and fresh autumn air tickled my senses.
I held up a glowing palm. “May I?”
He swept his hand out. “Please. I’m interested to know what a Floromancer thinks of my lands.”
I crouched and sank my fingers into the dirt.
Life cried out, joyful and free. Tears sprang to my eyes. This place was saturated with happiness and memories, but as I sank deeper, I realized it had its fair share of pain, too. I sank to the ground and sat cross legged, closing my eyes as I sank the other hand into the ground. Threads of life everywhere. Every root, every vine, every creepy crawly thing blipped against my senses. Caelan’s soil was well cared for but mostly left alone, the perfect way to allow nature to thrive.
Someone had done the work to nurse the soil back to health and then let it be. I smiled.
Magic poured from my body into the ground, saturating a good acre of Caelan’s property with extra nutrients. Flowers burst from the ground, trees straightened, seeds sprouted. My senses touched the back of the house—a kitchen garden.
