Every part of him ached to sweep her into his arms, to whisk her to the nearest sleep-bed. Grata fire, he’d do it—her—on the floor if need be, but she was right in her warnings. He’d barely met her, so it was ludicrous for him to think of a future. Their future. Aware of the futility of his desire, he caught and saddled Black and headed back to the castle and his obligations. Black seemed content to amble the forest trail, and since Jarlath wasn’t in a hurry to face Ellard or his mother and her list, he allowed his cambeest to set the pace. When he reached a fork in the trail, he guided Black to the right and soon glimpsed Van Lake. Ah, perfect. If he followed this path, he’d approach the castle from a different direction. He plucked out his com and tapped a quick text message to Ellard. That way, his friend wouldn’t suspect he’d visited Keira. And he’d hidden the pie in his saddlebag. He’d eat his treat in the privacy of his rooms. With his message sent, he paused to let Black drink from the lake before urging his mount onward.
