Or maybe it was just that she could see him fully now.
She’d fallen for him so quickly, and so hard. It had crept up on her while she’d been busy pretending she wasn’t affected. And gods, it was scary. She couldn’t bear the thought of ever losing him, not now that she’d finally found him. He was her reward for so much misery earlier in her life.
He started toward her, and she walked into his arms, sighing when he pulled her tightly against his broad chest. His strength and vitality reassured her. He’d be fine.
“Gods, I’m glad that’s over,” she said.
“Me too.”
“How do you feel?”
“Whole.”
“And I don’t deplete your power now that you have your soul back?” Could this be possible?
He shrugged. “Doona think so. I feel fine.”
She grinned, too happy to wonder about it, and followed him when he pulled her over to the bed. He lay down and dragged her with him. When he wrapped his arms around her, she put her head on his shoulder and sighed, relaxing into him.
“I really like you, you know,” she said.
Lie. She loved him, but it was hard enough to confess it to herself, much less him.
“Likewise.” He leaned down to kiss her hair, and she grinned. But it faded when she realized that he hadn’t used the L word she’d been hoping to hear. She shook it away.
“Good. Where’s Ana? Did she go back?”
“Yeah. She was worried the other gods would notice she’d left.” She paused. “Warren?”
“Aye, lass?”
“I’m going to need your help.”
“With what?” Warren asked.
“Aurora needs a job at the university.”
He tensed. He hadn’t been expecting that. “What?”
“She only wanted to keep your soul and the others for the power they gave her to protect herself. Without the souls, she has nothing. I promised her that she could work with me hunting rogues. That way, the university can keep an eye on her, but she’d have a place to go and a way to fuel up her power. Mytheans aren’t out to burn us anymore, but it’s still too dangerous out there for a soulceress alone.”
“Nothing is too dangerous for your sister, even without owning the souls.”
Esha grinned. “You’re right. She’s ruthless and strong as hell, and I like that about her. I want her to come to the university for me. I want her with me.”
Of course she wanted her sister with her. After everything she’d done for him, helping him find Aurora and retrieving his soul, it was the least he could do.
“Warren?” Her worried tone made him realize that he’d been silent too long. “You wouldn’t have to see her much.”
“That’s no’ my concern. Most of her evil was because of her situation during the Burnings and because she was polluted by the souls. She’s no’ my favorite person, but I can tolerate her. And I did offer you a team of your own if you agreed to help me on this.”
“Yeah, but then you realized no one would work with me.” She leaned up and smiled wryly, then her eyes brightened. “Wait, does this mean you agree?”
“Aye. I canna control where she goes. And honestly, it’s my job to keep an eye on her. She’s no’ wholly evil, as you said. So she isn’t a rogue, and we canna kill her. No’ that I’d ask it of you,” he added quickly. “What I mean is, I took an oath when I agreed to lead the Praesidium. More important, I made a promise to myself that I’d no’ let my own desires rule my decisions. Offering her a job at the university is the obvious course.”
Esha pressed a hard kiss to his lips. “Excellent. I can’t wait to tell her.”
“Aye. But first you’ll sleep. Your voice sounds halfway to bed as it is.”