Wolf Justice
Page 32
Kacey steadfastly stared at napkin twisted in her fingers. She didn’t need to see him to know the exact expression in his eyes, to picture the way his dark brows drew together — even to see the impossibly new and never-explained scar there. She knew his mouth would open a little as he hunted words; she wasn’t at all surprised when he raked a hand through his hair, the dark blond already streaky sun-kissed in the rising season.
But she didn’t know what he was thinking.
“Kacey.”
I’m not looking at you. She couldn’t. So much had changed, and all at once she realized that her life would never be the same, either. And just at the moment, she had no idea in which direction it was headed.
Trust him to get her attention. His little boot knife made a lazy arc and landed in front of her plate, quivering slightly in its neat, point-first landing.
Kacey instantly yanked it out of the table. “You can’t do that in here!” Furiously, she rubbed the spot where it had been, as if she could smear away the tiny slit in the tablecloth.
“Kacey,” he said, and something in his tone made her look at him, the scowl still on her face. The corner of his mouth twitched in some private humor. “I need to know if that’s all right with you. I’ll be on the road some, but not always; there might even be times you can come, if you want.”
“If it’s all right with me?” she repeated, sounding just as stunned as she felt.
His grin was wry. “For a long time, circumstances have been making my decisions for me. Now... this is choice. And I thought you should be part of it. Unless you’d rather just finish killing that napkin.”
It was a Highborn establishment. Kacey supposed one didn’t launch one’s hobbled self from chair to chair and into the arms of another any more than one tossed knives into the tables.
But that’s exactly what she did.
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Questions Answered
Rethia stood beside the inn and waved — again — as Danny and Kacey rode away from Norposten. Side by side.
Finally.
In truth, Danny had already ridden away from the inn once, and at quite some speed. Silly Sky. Madehy had petted his nose and told him so when he’d returned looking sheepish and a little puzzled, with Danny grinning just as sheepishly in the saddle.
Madehy wasn’t here now; she still chose to absent herself from situations of high emotion. And though Rethia would soon return to Solace over the wizard’s road — probably to reach home before Kacey in spite of her delayed departure — this did somehow seem like something more than a simple separation.
For Kacey had... well, she had Danny. She’d had him for a long time now, even if neither of the two had quite known it. Teayo would rejoice when he saw them — relieved for Kacey’s well-hidden and tender heart, relieved that Danny had found room for joy in his life.
He wouldn’t be as happy with Rethia’s plans. Oh, Madehy had to return to her farm and Rethia would return to the clinic — but soon enough, that would change.
Because now she knew. She hadn’t been alone at all.
And now, through Madehy, she knew they needed help. Together — later this year, early the next, whenever it happened — they’d look for others.
Danny, after all, was now off searching for his special kind of justice, helping people deal with the magic.
It only seemed right that Rethia do the same.
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A Note from the Author
There are so many good books to read...thank you for choosing Wolf Justice! Without readers like you, I wouldn’t be able to write these books. I appreciate your letters, emails, blog comments, and FaceBook posts more than I can ever express. These days, readers hold more power than ever with their choices — it’s amazing to be a part of such a large circle of friends through a mutual love of books! Here are some ways to keep an eye on what I'm writing:
1. My newsletter! It goes out several times a year with notices about releases and giveaways, but I won't fill your mailbox.
2. Reviews are the lifeblood of a book, and make all the difference with which books I write in the future. Whether good, bad, or indifferent, I'm grateful for each and every one!
3. Come by and say hello at my Facebook page. Not too much book chatter, but lots of other fun.
Meanwhile, here's a tease of Touched by Magic, the first book of Magic Rising:
One man loses everything to magic -- and will do anything to prevent it from taking over his world.
Magic has never been a part of Reandn's life. Almost gone from Keland when he was born, there is no trace of it left by the time he patrols the Keep lands as an elite King's Wolf.
Magic has never been a part of Reandn's life. Until the people under his care start dying. Until the threat extends to his family — and then turns on him. Someone, somewhere, is trying to draw magic back into Keland, and they don't care what — or who — is destroyed in the process.
But Reandn does.
Magic.
If you enjoyed Wolf Justice — and love horses — you might like Dun Lady's Jess:
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About Doranna Durgin
Doranna Durgin is an award-winning author (best first SF/F/H) whose quirky spirit has led to an eclectic and extensive publishing journey across genres. Beyond that, she hangs around outside her Southwest mountain home with horse and dogs, and the dogs keep her busy in the sports of tracking, obedience, and agility. She doesn't believe in mastering the beast within, but in channeling its power. For good or bad has yet to be decided...
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Other Books by Doranna Durgin
About Book View Café
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