Song of Blood & Stone (Earthsinger Chronicles #1)(33)

The door creaked open. Jasminda scrambled to the edge of the cot and retrieved her knife from her thigh. She reached for Earthsong, but the energy slipped from her grasp. Agitation wormed its way into every part of her. She would have to be far calmer in order to control her Song.

“Jasminda. It’s me.”

She relaxed as Jack’s head came into view from behind a stack of boxes. His eyes lingered on her legs as she set her skirt back into place. Her face grew hot.

He pulled a box close to her cot and sat, looking around the tiny space. “How do you like the accommodations?”

“It’s no cave floor, but it will serve.”

Exhaustion tarnished his face, but she couldn’t keep her eyes from him. He was so beautiful. She struggled to push the thought away, but then he reached for her hand, interlocking their fingers, and she lost the battle. Her breath caught in her chest as she delighted in the feel of his skin.

“Are you all right?” she whispered.

“I’ve been worse.”

“And you’ve been better?”

He seemed enraptured by their joined hands. He stroked her skin with his thumb. “How is it that your skin is so soft?”

“It’s the balm.” She shrugged as a shiver raced through her. “Will you tell me what happened?”

“My brother . . . is dead.” His voice was even and measured. He spoke the words like they were just another fact of the day. The sun rose. The rain fell. His brother died. Jasminda’s heart seized.

Her mouth hung open as she struggled to find the words to say. “I-I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Jack.”

He stared off into the distance. “He was piloting his airship and ran into a thunderstorm. The craft crashed. He was thrown through the window.” With a shake of his head, he turned to her. She trembled at the intensity in his eyes. “I haven’t told you all you need to know about me.”

In fact, she knew very little. He’d proven himself kind and honorable. He protected her and cared for others more than himself. In this strange place, he was the only thing that made her feel safe, no matter how hard she tried to deny it. But he obviously came from a rich and influential family. His brother owned an airship. She wanted to know him better, if such a thing were possible. Wanted to so much it hurt.

“Will you tell me?”

“I want to, but let us wait until tomorrow, if that is all right. It is not something I want to think about now. Worries on top of worries.”

She smiled sadly, a tendril of unease creeping its way through her. “Of course.”

They sat in silence for a while as she tried not to allow her fears to get the better of her. What exactly did she expect of him? No matter what his secrets were, he was a high-ranking Elsiran military leader and she a grol witch. What else did she need to know?

But there he was in front of her, his pain so clear. She longed to be able to soothe him.

“Was he your only family?” she asked softly.

He shook his head. “My mother lives in Fremia now.”

“Has she been told?”

“She’s in seclusion. But we are half brothers. Were . . . His mother is long passed. He and I were never close. We didn’t see eye to eye, but . . .”

“But he was kin.”

Jack nodded. “Kin. And now it falls to me.”

He stroked each of her knuckles and massaged the delicate skin between her fingers.

“What falls to you?”

“I—” He dropped his head. Shook it. “It is late. You should rest.”

“Tomorrow then.” She let her hand slip from his.

Neither of them moved.

“Jack, what do you see when you look at me?”

He gazed at her questioningly.

“Your men . . . they see me as the enemy. How is it you don’t?”

“You’re not the enemy. Did someone say something to you?” Anger sparked behind his eyes, and she grasped his arm.

“No, no. Just . . . they think it.”

“Does Earthsong tell you that?”

She shook her head. “I can just tell.”

“You’re safe here, I promise.”

She wanted to believe him, but she’d never let her guard down. Elsira may be a beloved homeland to him, but for her, it was just as foreign as Lagrimar. She lay down on the cot, pulling the thin blanket up over her. He slid off the box and onto the ground, stretching out beside her.

Jasminda sat up so fast the room spun. “You’re going to sleep here?”

“I made you a promise, and I plan to keep it.” He settled back, hands behind his head. The bottom of his new, freshly pressed army-issued shirt rose, revealing a thin strip of skin on his abdomen.

“You don’t need to do that. You can’t sleep on the ground!”

“I’ve been doing it for the past few weeks. Another night won’t hurt anything.”

“But you have a whole set of rooms here. With comfortable beds, I’m sure.”

He pinned her with his gaze. “I won’t let anything happen to you.” His face softened. “Besides, this is better than sleeping standing up, which I’ve done a time or two. I wouldn’t recommend it.”

She lay on her side, facing him. Her finger traced a random pattern on the thin pillow, her thoughts delving into forbidden territory. His breath rose and fell slowly and could not take her eyes off the muscles of his stomach. The thin strip of hair disappearing into his pants. If he insisted on staying here, she couldn’t stop him. But it would not do for him to sleep on the ground.