A Little Night Muse(46)

                “Being near iron strips our glamour and leaves us exposed. It                     hurts, even when it’s not touching. Besides, I have you.”

                He pushed to his feet. “True. I’m yours to command.”

                Her eyes widened. “I didn’t mean—”

                “I know what you meant.” He tossed her the emerald and she                     caught it. “It’s yours, isn’t it?”

                She looked down at the glint of green in her hand. “Every phae has a knack. I cry stones.”

                Somehow, her disregard for the valuable jewel was the final                     rock hurled at the fragile glass of his old reality. He could almost hear the                     shattering. This was worse than when he’d taken off his eye patch years ago and                     realized the scarring on his cornea would forever blur his vision. “Not just                     stones. Gemstones.”

                She shrugged. “Not a remarkable talent among phae who could spin your straw into gold. Before I was                     exiled, I cried in front of the phaedrealii, and the                     imp swallowed it.”

                Had she cried because she hadn’t wanted to leave? “I guess it                     came after you.” He stared up at the sky, at the mountains that ringed them,                     anywhere but her. “The clouds will make it dark early, and I have chores.” He                     fished in his pocket and pulled out the old bone whistle he’d found earlier.                     “Just blow. I’ll come running.” He almost added like a                         dog, but didn’t want to insult Wolly.

                He thought he managed to keep his voice mostly matter-of-fact,                     but she winced. “Josh—”

                “Go on back to the house. And take Wolly with you. He’s still a                     little sore.”

                Adelyn gave him a distressed look, a look Wolly echoed. Josh                     gave them a shooing gesture and the dog reluctantly headed for the house, Adelyn                     trailing. They both glanced back at him, as if they didn’t believe a man wanted                     his alone time.

                He would just have to get used to it again.

                He moved through his chores, grateful for the work that kept                     his attention. Once he had fed and watered every living thing that actually                     wanted and needed him, he fired up the cell booster, dialed his phone, and held                     his breath. Sometimes cloud cover played hell with a signal, but sometimes the                     bounce was just right.