Read Online Talent For Trouble by Bianca D'Arc - Free Book Online Page B

strong enough, yet.”
    Jana held up her hand, calming her volatile sister. “I’m as good as I’m going to get, for now. I need to talk to them and tell them what little I know.” She sighed. “I just want to put it behind me as soon as possible and get on with my life.”
    Darak surprised her by taking her hand and squeezing, catching her eyes with his concerned expression. “I’ll go with you, Jana. You don’t have to face them alone.”
    “And they’ll treat you with respect,” Micah assured her. “If they get out of line, they know they’ll have Jeri and me on their case.”
    Jana smiled. “You are all too good to me. With such allies, what do I have to fear?” She took a sip of her wine, taking her hand back from Darak. She wouldn’t let them see just how frightened she was at the prospect of the interrogation to come.
    The days Darak was away from the estate dragged. Jana didn’t realize until he left just how used to his hulking presence she’d become. It was like a piece of her was missing when he wasn’t around.
    But he came home—she’d come to think of the place as home in even such a short time—just before she was due to leave for the Council compound. She was rising when a perfunctory knock sounded on her bedchamber door. Before she could answer, the door swung inward, and Darak was there.
    He was a sight for sore eyes, though she would never let him know it.
    “Isn’t it customary to wait to be invited in?”
    “If I waited for an invitation, sweetheart, I’d grow old before my time.”
    “You got that right,” she muttered as she tied the sash on her robe a bit tighter. “I could have been dressing.”
    “One can only wish.” His devilish smile softened her stance a bit. The rogue had a charm about him that was hard to resist. “You’re looking better all the time, Jana. How do you feel?”
    “Stronger. More fit.” She moved to the window to look out over the western fields where the horses roamed free. “Riding again has helped a lot. My legs are stronger each day.”
    “And what of the crystals?” He’d come up behind her without making a sound, but now, his voice drifted down over her like a caress, so close did he stand behind her. “Do they still burn?” His fingers grazed the crystals in her cheek, tendrils of his gentle healing energy zapping into her with an exciting caress.
    “I’m getting used to them, and they to me, it seems. My body is starting to be able to regulate their power flow a bit—or so the med techs tell me.”
    “That’s good.” His hand slid down over her right side, caressing and sending healing energy to the myriad shards nestled into her skin under the soft fabric of her robe.
    “You don’t have to spend your energy on me, Dar. It really doesn’t hurt that much, anymore.”
    He pulled her lightly back against his chest, enveloping her in his warmth. “Any pain is too much, Jana, when I can do something about it. I don’t like to see you hurting.”
    She remained silent as he sent even more energy into her skin, soothing hurts she hadn’t even realized were there. She let him do it, knowing somehow that he derived a deep satisfaction from using his healing powers. She wouldn’t let him drain himself, however, but he stopped long before his massive reserves of energy were even tapped.
    He moved back, releasing her, much to her surprise. She turned and found him nearby, holding a length of soft, pale blue fabric in his rough hands.
    “What is that?”
    “A gift.” He held it out and the material slithered between his fingers. It looked expensive.
    “Not more clothes. Darak, you’ve already been way too generous. I will never be able to repay you at this rate.”
    “I expect no repayment. The clothes were gifts. But this…” he held up the odd creation as if presenting a masterpiece, “…is something special. I had it designed just for today.”
    “I meet with the Council today.” She swallowed nervously.
    He nodded, his