“Evan!” Thane jogged down the path, face bright. Crazy how much lighter he looked without the stress of all the injured knights weighing him down. “Good morning.”
“Morning. What are you up to today?”
“I’m on my way to the market.” He tapped the paper in his hand. “I have a list of ingredients that need restocking. Briar also wants me to put in an herb-gathering request at the guild. Did you get the croissant? Or did that silly knight eat it?”
“I got it,” I responded with a small laugh. “It was delicious.”
“Briar made a batch early this morning.” Thane shifted his weight to his other foot, fidgeting. Maybe he was like me and didn’t make friends easily either. “He was in a really good mood too. Didn’t even snap at me when I accidently dropped a vial. I even heard him singing.”
I looked down at my boots as my stomach did a little dip.
“But anyway,” Thane said, shifting again. “I’ll get out of your hair. I just wanted to say hi… and thanks.”
“For what?”
He was blushing. “Just for…” He flicked his hand in the air. “Everything. Well. See you.” He stepped past me, the tops of his ears red. He then stopped in place but didn’t turn around. “Stop by the clinic later today if you have the time. It would be nice to see you. We can have tea and sweets. Okay. Bye.”
He took off, faster than before. Smiling at his awkwardness, I continued in the opposite direction. On the way, I made a pit stop at a certain clinic to see a certain sexy physician. Thane mentioning him made me want to see him.
Briar was hunched over an open book at his workstation. A little cauldron bubbled in front of him. He skimmed a page of the book before sprinkling something into the cauldron. Glitter-like purple smoke puffed upward.
“Working on a love potion?” I asked, sidling up next to him. “Because I don’t think you need it. You kind of have me mesmerized already.”
“Good morning, love.” Briar softly smiled and tugged me closer. His fresh scent surrounded me, and I breathed him in, not realizing until then how much I’d missed the smell.
“Morning.” Why did my heart almost explode when he called me that? Just like when Maddox called me muffin. “Thanks for the croissant. It was amazing.”
“I’m happy you enjoyed it.” Briar smoothed his fingertips along my temple, tucking my bangs aside. “Did the captain make your coffee?”
“Yep. Also, amazing.”
“Good.” Another touch to my temple before he gently brought my face forward and kissed me.
I emitted a small sound and deepened the kiss, winding my arms around his lean waist. The documents in my hand scratched at the back of his shirt.
He kissed me once more before drawing back. “Running an errand for the knights?”
“Yeah. Gotta drop these off at the accounting department, but I wanted to see you first.”
A smile broke across his handsome face. “I’m honored.”
“I hope I didn’t interrupt.” I glanced at the cauldron.
“Not at all.” He stepped over and touched the book. “It’s the one I purchased from the market. I was trying out a spell. It’s a bit advanced for me, but I’m confident with practice, I can perfect it.”
“What kind of spell?” I peered into the cauldron and crinkled my nose as I got a whiff of something sweet. Maybe itwasa love potion.
“One to infuse protective energy into an artifact, such as a talisman or charm,” he explained. “My healing elixirs can repair injuries from mild to severe, but what if it was possible to prevent the injury from happening in the first place? I’d like to create something the knights can take with them on missions to ward off and repel dark magic. Some demons can cast curses that immobilize their target. The charm would protect the knights from these magical attacks.”
I smiled as he spoke.
“I apologize.” Briar adjusted his glasses, becoming suddenly awkward. A flush speckled his pale cheeks. “I was rambling.”
“I like your rambles. Your brain is really sexy. Smart guys do it for me.”
A musical laugh left him, the notes sinking into my heart. “So do the big, protective men as well, I take it.” There didn’t seem to be any bitterness in his tone. Or in his expression. He looked… happy. “Be careful on your way to the accounting department.”
“I will.” I nodded to the book. “Good luck with your spell.”
