The Witch and The Thief

22

She averted her gaze, fearing she'd find the truth of the matter in his eyes and pushed against his chest. "I'm fine, Lachlan," she murmured, on the verge of tears. "Let me up."

"How fortuitous to land on a bed," the woman who'd fallen through the ceiling breathlessly chuckled, "I couldn't have planned that better had I tried."

Lachlan stood and helped Maera to her feet, confused when she stepped away, and refused to look at him. Her none too subtle rejection stung. If they were alone, there was a good chance he would have worked up the courage to demand she explain what he'd done to upset her.

"Aye, praise the fates," Rhys grumbled dryly, staggering to his feet, "you crashed through the ceiling like an angel falling from grace, you did. Nearly brought the whole tavern down around us as well." He dusted dirt and debris off his dark tunic and shook his head as he stared at the woman on the bed. "Well, I'll be... Lucida Moonstone, I'd recognize those large feet anywhere."

Lucida sprang up in a flurry of outraged skirts and cloak and leveled a heated glare, "Rhys Dragonmane, I do not have large feet, they are proportioned perfectly to my height. You take that back."

Rhys struggled to contain his mirth, clearly enjoying himself in the face of her anger. "I'm afraid I can't be doing that, lass. Goes against my code to be fair and honest in all things, like Lackyboy here."

Her eyes narrowed as she crossed to stand toe to toe with him. "Since when?"

He winked and shrugged his shoulders as he rocked back and forth on his heels, "'Tis recently adopted." Rhys crossed his arms over his chest and took a step back. His eyes devoured her from head to toe the way a starved man admired a banquet. "You look well, Lucida. I daresay hurtling through space suits you, lass."

Lucida blushed and clenched her hands into tight fists at her side. She opened her mouth to speak, then promptly snapped it shut with a muffled growl and crossed to stand in front of Maera.

"I'm glad to see you alive and well," she softly murmured.

"I've you to thank for it. Were you... did Drummond... " Maera swallowed and licked her lips, struggling to find the right way to phrase her question.

Lucida cocked her head to the side and smiled as she patted her hand in understanding, "Did Drummond punish me for leaving the vault with the tiara?"

Maera nodded.

"He tried," Lucida sighed as her shoulders lifted in a shrug, "but then I threatened to summon the council should he so much as lift a finger against me since it belongs to me in the first place. Of course, he seemed to have forgotten that particular bit of information. You should have heard him; he was in a fine fit of rage before he decided to banish me instead."

"I'm so sorry," Maera whispered.

Lucida chuckled, "You needn't be, dear. I'm not sorry in the least he cast me out of the coven. If I'm brutally honest, I'm relieved I no longer have to pretend to be cold-hearted like Aggie—I was never very good at it. And I've felt t'was time to move on for quite a while now."

"Why did you stay?" Maera asked, her brow wrinkling in confusion.

Brushing at her skirts, Lucida flicked several stubborn particles of wood from her cloak before meeting Maera's inquisitive gaze. Her lips trembled, and she struggled to keep her smile in place as she lowered her voice and said, "I truly am so very pleased to see you alive and well."

"D'you ever plan on explaining why you decided to join us so suddenly, Lucida," Rhys asked, flicking a glance over at the staff he'd brought as he leaned against the wall, "and provide some much-needed ventilation while you were at it? 'Course I'm not so certain the owners will be thanking you."