Chapter 8

　　Special

　　Daniel balled Rosemary’s hand up against his lips and rubbed them over her knuckles. “I thought they were going to kill you. I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared of anything in all my life.”

　　She unwrapped her finger from his hand and pointed it into his chin. “I’m fine because of you, Daniel. That was amazing. I had no idea you could do those things.”

　　He rubbed the soft back of her hand against his lips before he glanced up at her with one eye closed to block the sun. Even with his face curled up that way, he was breathtakingly beautiful. “I know what you mean.” He tugged at her sheath and smiled. “You seem to be fairly good with that sword on your back. Maybe you didn’t need me there at all.”

　　Rosemary chuckled and searched the landscape to avoid his eyes. “Well, I suppose I’m not completely useless all the time.”

　　His eyes were like a trap, black holes that consumed everything in their path, and even her words got lost in them. No matter how she tried to avoid them, they kept pulling her back.

　　When the uncomfortable silence between them became too much, Rosemary nodded to the woods. “Come on; we should get back. It’s nearly time for gathering.”

　　As they trotted back together along the narrow path home, Daniel glanced at Rosemary. There were few thoughts in her head he didn’t already know about, but it didn’t make it any easier to get her to open up to him. “Why did you decide to go to Earth?”

　　Rosemary’s eyes wandered off in the distance, and she thought about the day she left home on that path. How excited she was for a new adventure. “I wanted to learn more than I could here. I memorized every book and apprenticed with the best healers in the land, but I wanted to be the Master. To be as tricky and flashy as the Earthborn potion makers. I was such a stupid girl; I never should’ve left the woods.”

　　Daniel pushed a low branch out of her path, then did his best to comfort her. “What happened to you wasn’t your fault. You did nothing wrong.”

　　No matter how many times someone told her that, Rosemary would never believe it. Shaking her head, she smirked at the childish desires that sent her away from home and changed the subject. “So, are you happy here in the woods, Daniel? All this must be so different from the world you came from.”

　　His nose wrinkled, and his lips pressed together as he shook his head. “My world had nothing left for me in it. I never belonged there anyway.”

　　She was sure he had a horror story to share. She could see the dark forces surrounding him, but he’d been nothing but a gentleman since they met. “Well, after all that goblin business, I’m certainly happy you came to stay with us.”

　　Glancing over at him, Rosemary smiled at the memory of seeing him joke with her brothers like he was born to them. “My brothers, they’re so very fond of you. Seeing how they are with you is quite a sweet thing to watch.”

　　Every smile she allowed him to see was like another door to his powers unlocking, and he couldn’t get enough of it. “And you? Am I like a brother to you, Rosemary?”

　　Her alabaster skin suddenly flushed with color, and she bit her lip and looked away. “No, Daniel, not like a brother.”

　　Finally getting the sign he’d needed to press for more from her, Daniel sighed before saying anything else. “I wasn’t sure you were ever going to talk to me. Do I need to kill goblins every time I want to get your attention? I will if you want me to; I don’t mind at all.”

　　Rosemary laughed out loud at Daniel’s dry humor, but he wasn’t trying to be funny this time. He’d burn down every goblin, troll, or witch to keep her favor. “No, I won’t make you work that hard anymore. I promise.”

　　When they reached the city’s gate, Daniel realized he was out of time, and the ride was about to end. “You’re the reason I came here, Rosemary.”

　　He blocked her way on the cobblestone path and faced her so she could look nowhere else, and she shook her head. “What do you mean? Why would you?”

　　He smiled for just a moment as he thought back about the day he nearly died, and his hand slid to his chest. “You came to me in a vision, Rosemary, before I even knew this place existed. I was just a slave to an evil old man until you rescued me.” His head nodded back to the gate and peered so deeply into her eyes that she felt like he saw right through her. “All those things I did back there. I couldn’t do any of that before you came to me.”

　　Seeing her reaction, Daniel feared he’d gone too far, that his words were too much for her, but he couldn’t stop himself. She’d shut him out all these weeks, and he needed to spit the truth out before she cut him off again. “I’m sorry I couldn’t help you. I wanted to go find you, but I didn’t know how to make myself travel again.”

　　She reached across the space between them and wrapped her hand around his forearm. “No, that’s not your fault. There’s no way you could’ve known what would happen.”

　　Daniel rubbed his fingers over hers and knew he’d never find the courage again if he didn’t tell her now. “You’re all I think about, Rosemary. Every night I dream about you, and every day I pray you’ll speak to me.” He tugged her closer and nodded. “You think about me, too. I know you do. Just say it.”

　　A shiver ran through Rosemary, and she nodded unconsciously. There was no thought in her mind safe from Daniel and no use pretending she had a choice anymore. “All the time.”

　　When they reached the stables, Daniel helped Rosemary down from Jarl, and then they handed the reins over to the groom.

　　Daniel’s hand found Rosemary’s and pulled her into his side as he slid her arm into his to walk her back the way he’d seen her father do so many times.

　　As nervous as Rosemary was about being under the watchful eyes of the city’s dwellers, Daniel burst with pride while he escorted her along the street to the Great Hall.

　　Stopping in front of her door, Daniel regretted that their time alone was over, and he ached for just a few more minutes. “Will you sit with me this evening?”

　　He stepped closer, and her cheeks became pink as she smiled up at him. “I have dinner with you every evening, don’t I?”

　　His breath blew across her cheek as he came to whisper in her ear. “Beside me. Right beside me.”

　　The stubble on his chin tickled her cheek when she smiled and whispered back to him. “Alright then.”

　　The soft curve of her face was suddenly moist from the lips he pressed against it before backing away from her. She turned to her door, but his fingers wrapped around her elbow before her hand even met the handle. “What is this? The way I feel about you, it feels like I’ve known you forever, and I don’t understand why.”

　　He moved closer and hovered against her back, and his hands rested on her arms. “I feel as if you’re part of me. Your heart beats in my fingertips.” His eyes closed, and he pressed his forehead into her hair. “This isn’t normal, is it?”

　　Without looking up at him, Rosemary shook her head and pushed her door open. “No, this isn’t normal, Daniel. This is very special.”