“I’m afraid I’ve been inconsiderate,” he said. “You’ve had a rough day, and here I am pestering you. I apologize if it seemed like I was rushing you to use magic. We’ll take it at your pace, all right?”
I nodded weakly, finally taking in some air. The graphic images slowly faded. Looking at Boaz now, at his kind expression, I wondered if all the recent events had finally taken their toll. I relaxed and forced a smile. “You don’t need to apologize. It’s just been a long day.”
Boaz moved to be near me at the front of the bed. He reached out and smoothed my tussled hair away from my face. This time when he touched me, I saw nothing.
“Get some rest and sleep in if you would like. In my home, you can do as you please,” he said.
“Why are you being so kind?”
Boaz stopped caressing my hair and let his hand drop to my bare shoulder. His fingers gently traced the length of my arm. His eyes met mine, and they burned with an intensity that made me stop breathing again. He didn’t answer. He didn’t need to. His eyes said it all, yet I struggled to understand.
My lips parted, and my body tingled. I breathed in air that suddenly felt electric. An indescribable pleasure coursed through my body. Boaz’s eyes glazed over as he, too, seemed to be experiencing the same exhilarating high.
He inhaled deeply. “Do you feel the power between us? Isn’t it amazing?”
I could feel it. My whole body felt light, almost as if any moment I would float away. Without warning, Boaz let go of my hand; the connection dropped. I tried to hide my frustration, but Boaz grinned.
“That’s just a taste of what you are going to experience with me, love.”
He turned and left the room.
Chapter 9
The next day, I didn’t sleep in as Boaz had suggested. I was too excited to explore the home and the grounds beyond. It felt strange to be in a place where I had no restrictions. I dressed quickly in the simplest clothes I could find from the dresser drawers: a pair of jeans and a black silky shirt.
I left the bedroom and headed down the long hallway toward the stairs, stopping to peek at every room along the way. They were all similar to mine: ornate wooden furniture, richly colored walls, crown molding, and chandeliers except for one room at the end of the hallway. It was a library filled with books. I slipped in and scanned the shelves, reading the titles.
“Would you care for some breakfast?”
I jumped. Mariel stood in the doorway looking as worn out as she had the night before.
“You startled me, Mariel.”
“I apologize.” She bowed her head.
“It’s all right. I would love some breakfast. Can I help you in the kitchen?”
Mariel’s head snapped up at my suggestion. “No Miss, that wouldn’t be proper. I will prepare whatever you like.”
“All right then. I will have eggs and toast, if that wouldn’t be too much of a burden.”
“Not at all,” she said and turned to leave.
“Mariel, is Boaz here?” I tried to sound casual, but even I could hear the anticipation in my voice.
“He will appear when he’s ready, Miss,” Mariel said, her voice hard and back still turned to me.
Oookay, I mouthed as I continued out of the room. Our short conversation reminded me I didn’t want to be in this world with all of its formalities and rules. I wanted to be normal. No special abilities, no wealth, no expectations. With Boaz, that could never happen.
I shook my head and returned to the books, stopping only when I found one titled “Tender is the Night”. I removed it from the shelf and headed downstairs to find the dining room. The downstairs was even larger than the upstairs and took me going through several rooms, including discovering a locked door, before I finally found Mariel.
“Mariel, what’s behind the locked door in the west wing?” I asked when I entered the dining room off of the kitchen.
Mariel placed eggs and toast in front of me. “That is the master’s area. We are forbidden to go there.”
Master? Odd title, even for our kind. I took a bite. “Who cleans it then?”
Mariel shrugged and left the room.
I ate by myself. Other than Mariel, I’d come across two other servants who were cleaning rooms downstairs. Neither of the younger girls had spoken to me even after I had said hello. To anyone else, this might’ve been upsetting, but I was used to it.
When I finished eating, I headed straight for the back door, but took one step outside and then turned back to retrieve a coat. Dark-edged clouds had congregated as if to discuss their desire to snow.