The Jewel of Turmish (39 page)

They ate in silence for a time as ship’s bells rang over the harbor.

“Do you think,” Druz asked in a quiet voice, “youll ever come back this way?” “Perhaps,” Haarn said.

“If you do,” Druz said, “and if I’m available, I’d like to show you more of this city, and perhaps even Suzail. Suzail puts this place to shame.”

She looked at him and fell silent.

Prompted by a desire he didn’t yet fully understand but was willing to explore, Haarn leaned across the food basket and took her face in his hand. He kissed her, just a tender caress of his hps against hers, and he used his power to heal the cuts on her face. When he pulled back from her, some of the pain and fatigue had dropped from her eyes.

“Well,” she said in a husky voice. Her face flushed even beneath the layer of soot. “That was unexpected.”

The feeling that swept through Haarn was unexpected as well. It started in his stomach and went throughout his body.

Tes,” he agreed, “it was.”

He took a plum from the basket and tossed it over the side, calling out to Broadfoot.

“Should you ever find yourself in the wilderness again,” he said, “I would like to see you.”

She looked at him, hugging her knees. “We’re from two different worlds, Haarn. This could be hard.”

“Nothing worth doing,” Haarn said, “is ever easy.”

She leaned in to kiss him, bearing him down to the sun-warmed wooden shingles, and he didn’t resist.