Morgan raised his eyebrows. “Do they know that?”
Her startled gaze flashed to his. “No. They have no idea how big a violin or a guitar is.”
“So they’ll arrange for a caravan.” He frowned.
He didn’t like relying on Robin to perform such an important task. If the puck didn’t make it back with more hunter’s spray, Morgan would need to become housebound, or eventually he would be caught and he would have to go back to Isabeau.
But the thought of leaving Sidonie alone to deal with life here while he traveled back to Earth was intolerable.
“What’s wrong?” Sidonie touched the back of his hand.
There wasn’t any real choice. Realizing he had paused too long, he added briskly, “Nothing. They’ll want to make the caravan as efficient as possible, so they’ll be sure to transport anything else they might have stored at the encampment until the next trip. It might not be a very big caravan, but there will be one. The time slippage from Avalon to Earth is not significant, so with travel and enough time on the other side to acquire the instruments, the caravan should return in four days, maybe five.”
The puck grinned. “That’s more than enough time. I just need to get the bottles across the passageway, so I’ll tuck the package in with other things. Once everything has been transported to Avalon, I can steal them back and bring them the rest of the way, myself.”
A shadow passed over Sidonie’s expression. She asked, “Will you do me a favor as well, Robin?”
“If it is within my power to do so, yes,” he replied. “I owe you that much.”
“I want you to mail a letter for me.” Her jaw tightened. “I have friends who are worried about me, and a business that has ground to a standstill. They need to know I’m alive and to hang on until they hear from me again.”
Robin’s gaze dropped from hers. Softly, he said, “Of course. As long as it’s small, I can get a message back to Earth.”
“Thank you.” Taking a deep breath, she turned back to Morgan. “So Robin has his task, and you have yours. What am I supposed to do?”
“Nothing,” Morgan cupped her face in both hands. “You do nothing. You play for the Queen when she asks you to, and you listen to every conversation you can. When it comes to the Athame, she has always been extremely careful in my presence—she always wears it around me, even if she has nothing else on, and while she has reminisced enough that I know she had the Athame for a while before she trapped me, she has only referenced it in passing. So there’s always the possibility she might let something slip around you. But that’s all, Sidonie. You don’t put yourself at risk for any reason. Do you hear me?”
She scowled, but said, “I’ll be careful, and I won’t do anything that puts me at risk. I promise.”
He relaxed. “That’s our plan, then. We stay in a holding pattern for the next few days, until Robin returns. Sidonie plays for the Queen when she asks for it, and I’ll limit my movements and see what I can do about researching a summoning spell.” At the flash of anxiety in Sidonie’s expression, he added, “If I’m careful and go across the rooftops in town, this last bottle should be enough for me to get back and forth from the cottage to this room. We won’t be separated for all that time.”
Relaxing somewhat, she gave him a twisted smile. “Okay. But what about your scent here in my room?”
“Tell the proprietress you’ll take the room indefinitely, and there’ll be no reason for the Hounds to come up here,” he told her. “I have plenty of money if you need more. Sometimes they do come to the taproom to drink and eat, so you’ll need to be on your guard when you go downstairs. Whenever you leave, make sure you wash thoroughly and always wear a clean outfit, and you should carry the sheets down yourself to be laundered. I believe there’s a back staircase for the servants, so you wouldn’t have to run into anyone from the taproom.”
She nodded. “I can do that. I don’t usually wear perfume, but perhaps I can buy some rose water or an essential oil. I need more clothes and some stationery so I can write my letter.”
Taking one hand, he rubbed her fingers as he thought. “It’s a shame Isabeau couldn’t give you some time to yourself. It’s going to be hard on us both if I have to cast a battle spell on you every day.”
“I don’t think you need to.” Her fingers tightened over his. “When I was playing last night, I felt the ability to play the lute solidify again. When the spell wore off, I was exhausted but I didn’t feel like I had lost it.”
“Are you sure?” He frowned.
“Don’t worry,” she told him reassuringly. She leaned her forehead against his shoulder. “I might be out of my depth here in Avalon in virtually every other subject, but this is the one thing I do know something about.”
“Okay.” Angling his head, he rested his cheek on top of hers. “I’ll trust you.”
Robin stood. “I will return midafternoon for your letter. That should give you time to go to the market and get what you need. In the meantime, good luck to both of you.” He added to Morgan, “Find that summoning spell.”
Morgan didn’t tell them about the geas shifting uneasily. No need to worry them unless it became necessary. Instead, he said, “I’ll do my best.”
Without anything further, Robin melted into the cat again. It blinked at them at the foot of the bed, then trotted to the balcony and disappeared.
Sidonie dug the heel of her hand into her eyes. “I can never really relax when he’s around. I can’t forget what happened.”
“Nor should you.” He thought perhaps the puck regretted what he had done, but that did not lessen Robin’s accountability.
A sharp rap sounded on the door. Sidonie looked at him quickly as she called out, “Yes?”
A deep male voice said, “Castle guard, ma’am. The Queen requests your presence at your earliest convenience.”
Alarm flashed over her expression. Jumping off the bed, she ran to the door. Without opening it, she exclaimed, “I don’t have any clean clothes!”
“You don’t… have any clothes?” The guard sounded taken aback.
“Last night I gave them to Leisha, the inn owner, to have laundered, and I haven’t gotten them back yet. I don’t have that many outfits!” Turning, she rolled her eyes at Morgan and said telepathically, I can’t put off going shopping.
“Ma’am, I will check on your laundry,” the guard said.
She raised her voice again. “If they’re not ready, ask Leisha if she has an outfit I can borrow!”
“Yes, ma’am.” The sound of his footsteps faded.
While Sidonie talked with the guard, Morgan left the bed and dressed quickly. When she turned around to face him again, disappointment darkened her gaze.
Striding over, he kissed that soft, pouting mouth. She hooked an arm around his neck, kissing him back. The fire he felt for her was always present. At the touch of her body pressed against his, it burned hot and fierce.
With an immense act of will, he dragged his lips away. Taking care in case the guard was closer than he thought, he said telepathically, This is good news. Your hour will go quickly, and then you’ll have the rest of the day.
She grasped the front of his shirt in both hands. When will you be back?
Tonight, after sunset. Her bottom lip looked plump and still wet from their kiss. He rubbed it with a forefinger while his unruly cock stiffened. He added in a whisper, And I’ll stay all night, if you’ll have me.
She looked drugged, her elegant eyes dilated. God, yes.
Be careful. Don’t trust anything or anyone, especially her. Don’t believe anything she promises you. She lies more easily than breathing.
Don’t worry, I won’t.
But he did worry. The thought of Sidonie walking back into the castle was like watching her voluntarily step into a pit of snakes. With a final, scorching kiss and a nearly inaudible, frustrated growl, he tore himself away from her. Scooping up his sword and bag, he cloaked himself and slipped out onto the balcony.
Another knock sounded on her door, and he paused outside, listening.