Daughter of Azeroth

72 | RESTRAINT

Idira woke to the smell of coffee. A mug stood on the table beside the bed, a platter of still-warm pastries tucked up tight against the mug. She sat up, the faint leathery, earthy, cedar-infused scent of Khadgar still lingered in the room. By the fireplace, the residue of a teleport shimmered, leading into his office. The space beyond stood silent and empty. She lay back again and stared up at the inside of the bed's silken canopy, enduring a wash of disappointment. Why couldn't she have woken up in time to catch a glimpse of him as he departed? It would have been nice to have the chance to look at him again.

Khadgar's raven left its perch atop one of the chairs and landed on top of the bed's footboard. It tilted its head, eyeing her, its yellow eyes glowing. She sat up again, slow, wary. She hadn't noticed the raven's eyes glowing before. Perhaps Khadgar was using it now, to look at her. She pulled the sheet up, gripping it tight against her sides, holding it in place under her arms. She hadn't found anything to sleep in, so had stripped down to her knickers.

'If you are looking at me now,' she murmured, feeling a little foolish to be talking to a bird, 'make your raven jump down onto the bed.' The bird shuffled along the top of the footboard, turning its head to look down at the mattress, getting its bearings. It jumped down and looked up at her, using its other eye this time. She pulled the sheet tighter against her chest, feeling exposed and vulnerable, although she supposed it was fair. She had watched him through his teleport.

'Thank you for the coffee and the pastries,' she said, examining the mouth-watering contents covering the narrow table. 'You are spoiling me.' She smiled as she lifted the coffee mug and breathed in its rich resinous aroma. She sipped. 'Oh Light,' she sighed, 'that's coffee.'

The bird hopped back up onto the footboard. Its steady gaze unnerved her a little. She wondered where Khadgar was as he watched her. She glanced back at the teleport, the space within remained empty, although she couldn't see the balcony. Maybe he was there, drinking his own coffee as the sun came up over Dalaran, she wished she could be there with him.

'When will I see you again?' she asked, reaching over to pick up the platter of pastries. The sheet slid free from her grip, giving the bird a sudden view of the curve of her breasts. She scrabbled to pull the sheet back up, catching it just before it reached her nipples. She glanced at the raven, it stood utterly still, watching her, its eyes glowing brighter than before. Her cheeks burned, as first embarrassment, then arousal sheeted through her. 'Maybe you could give me some time, wait until I am dressed?' she whispered, tugging the sheet so tight around her, she realised too late it left almost nothing to the imagination anyway.

The light faded from the raven's eyes. The bird blinked and shook itself, turning to the work of preening its wing feathers. She let go of the sheet and watched it fall down to her hips, exposing her full breasts, her nipples tightening as the cool air of the room touched them. She took a pastry and ate, a naughty part of her wishing the Kirin Tor's Leader might cheat and look at her again. But of course, he didn't. She dallied as long as she could over her breakfast, dragging things out even longer by taking her time getting dressed, but the bird's eyes remained dull. She sighed, giving up. He had probably left to join the Council. After the horrifying things she had read yesterday she expected she wouldn't see him again for a long time. She decided she'd better learn how to conjure food, just in case.

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The library made Idira happy in ways she couldn't begin to explain. The books welcomed her into their aisles and corridors like a long-lost friend, and no matter what she wanted to know, the books responded to her every request with alacrity, bringing her everything she needed, cross-references, glossaries, notes. Yet despite the wonder surrounding her, she sensed Khadgar's magic-laden library awakening in her a deeper sense of purpose, of pieces falling together; her first impression of having finally found the place where she belonged solidifying. The raw power within the once-Guardian's fortress seeped into her, energising her, empowering her. Before the morning passed, she learned all the spells for conjuring food, some of the dishes masterpieces of culinary art. She looked down at the buffet laid out before her, thinking if Khadgar didn't come back, at least she wouldn't starve.