Page 39 of Raven in Midwinter

I dissolved into laughter.

“You’re the worst,” he said belligerently.

I couldn’t even breathe, almost wheezing, the relief that he was here with me nearly overwhelming, all of it draining out of me and then gone. It was over so fast, dissipating, and I was left trembling as he turned onto his side to look at me.

“It’s okay,” he promised, his voice resolute. “Don’t be scared, love. We’ll figure this out. We’re together now.”

He wrapped me in his arms because he was a very smart man and knew that the tears were not far behind. It was too much, and all of it, everything, the buildup of the emotion, the fear, the pain, the hope and horror, and worst of all, waking up without him was more than I could cope with.

“You’re all right,” he soothed me, holding me close. “I’m here, I knew you’d find me, no way you wouldn’t. I never doubted.”

He never doubted. How lucky was I?

“I knew you were alive. I just had to give you time to arrive.”

I was afraid to ask but had to. “How did you know I was alive?”

His hand went to his heart. “I can feel your magic right here, all the time. It would leave if you were gone, so I know.”

“How long have you been here?”

“Just under a month,” he replied, slowly letting me go, his gaze on my face. “I’ve slept with Argos watching over me, and I wake up in the morning and walk around the house with him, making sure all the servants are accounted for.”

“You’re protecting everyone. I heard you saved some women on the fourth floor.”

“I was told what was happening, so of course I took Argos with me and we cleared the rooms, marked their debts as paid, and sent them home with money. I also said they could send their fathers or brothers here to me, and I would explain that they had all been scullery maids, nothing more.”

“Because whoever says anything different, it’s your word against theirs.”

“That’s right, and I’m in charge of the biggest house in Osprey. Who are people going to believe?”

“You did a wonderful thing doing what you do best—protecting people.”

“That’s what I do at home, so that’s what I should do here.”

I nodded.

“But only until you found me. Now the two of us need to untangle what he’s done and go home. I’m so ready to go home.”

“I feel like the answer is right under our nose.”

“Yeah. Me too. Now c’mon, let’s get you in the bath so you won’t be filthy anymore.”

“You’re making fun of—I feel terrible that you’ve been here alone for any time at all.”

“Don’t look so distraught. Everything’s okay now. The band is back together,” he said, sounding a bit choked up, “and as I said, I wasn’t alone.” When he turned his head, I did as well, and we both saw Argos still there at the end of the bed. “He found me in the graveyard, and I had him with me when Giles and his men surrounded me on the road. When he demanded I enter the house, I didn’t fight, but I made sure to carry Argos in with me.”

“He allowed that?”

“The craziest part is that somehow, he’s forgotten what Argos really is.”

“How?”

“I have no idea, but I’m certainly not going to remind him.”

“I knew you were here because these hunters I met in the woods knew your name.”

“Yeah. I’m the house steward, and because you and I are stewards of Corvus, the title doesn’t bother me. What does concern me is how time moves here.”