Here she stood quietly, alone, in the library of Crossroad Keep. Even Aldanon had the call of normal human functions to answer. Carefully, Qara had watched him toddle off in that lost, bumbling manner of his in the direction of his sleeping chambers. He wouldn't be back until 5 am sharp. Then he'd settle into that chair over there, by the table, dropping his white head back into the book he left there the night before.
And, of course, that holier-than-thou law quoting monk had chosen once again to take the wizard Sand with her on her journey to the ruins of Illefarn. What did a monk know about magic? The elf wizard's skill probably didn't have anything to do with the monk Coralin's choice of traveling companions. He was easy on the eyes. Qara knew all about how that sort of thing worked- subtle attraction, stolen glances, and from there, favoritism.
He doesn't even feel the magic he commands. It's just reading and memorizing a page out of a book. There's no will to it. No real power. Writ and delivery. He doesn't know the magic like I do. I'm going to get you, wizard. This is my chance.
She could control the burning, couldn't she? Would she be able to stop what she started? That voice that questioned from time to time rose to the surface like a bug in a bowl of cream to interrupt her passions. The passion that whispered to her, "Let everything you see burn. Let the curtains roll up in one glorious flash of flame. Let all of this paper and wood catch fire until only the true power is left to manifest itself."
But Qara had never listened to the other voice.
Those were Sand's spellbooks stacked on the third shelf. He'd gotten a little too comfortable in Crossroad Keep now that he had decided to stay on with the lot of them. Qara walked to the spellbooks, her hand pressed to the cover. Deeply she breathed of that hated scent of the printed word with its distinct mustiness. She closed her eyes slowly, allowing the furor to build within her until the tingling started from within.
The rug beneath her feet caught fire as that euphoric rush rolled through her.
--
"The men have found her," Sand said quietly. Though clearly a battle raged behind his eyes, he struggled to keep his temper in check. Arms crossed, he paced in the War Room, where Knight-Captain Coralin sat with her advisors. Kana pointed out a location on the map to the monk, who looked up at his words. She welcomed the break from such intense planning sessions from time to time. Unbeknownst to Sand, she also welcomed his presence, although she would likely never put voice to her personal esteem of him.
"We'll take a rest, Kana. Go and sup with the others." At the other woman's expression, she added, "That's an order."
"Knight-Captain." Kana drew herself up with a salute to head in the direction of the dining room. The small entourage of advisors that followed her maintained a visible interest in what the wizard had said until their very heads cleared the doorway of the room, and then, with an unsubtle gesture, Coralin closed the door behind them. At last she allowed herself the luxury of stretching out in her chair with a yawn.
"I'm relieved to hear you say it, Sand. You have no idea how sorry I am about those spellbooks of yours. It must be very much like tying your hands."
Sand gave her a pained look at the recollection of how many spells he would need to replace. "It was quite vexing. In retrospect, I should not have left them so exposed. No one could have anticipated how very unstable our sorceress really was. But I will be more cautious in the future." With a second cascade of sighs, Coralin leaped up from the chair. She was eager to see action taken in the case of the sorceress Qara's fit of temper. But, as always, she would take her friend's advice to heart.
"What would you have me do, Sand? What if it was your decision to make? We need every ally, every good pair of hands and the loyalty of every heart. Something tells me I ought to try to turn her around, if I can. Will she turn against me in the end, if I see fit to punish her now?"
He placed one hand on the wall as if seeking support. "While I can comprehend your reasoning, I must warn you that you can never renew what is already spoiled. The sorceress is nothing more than goat's milk gone bad. She will turn against you in the end, Coralin. What ever end that may be. Qara will turn."
"I have a feeling that you speak the truth, my friend." Without a thought, Coralin gently patted his shoulder. "You and I both know that in my position I can't shirk from the path of justice. What form that justice takes is my decision. But, ultimately, you are the wronged party. I will let you choose the method of punishment for this wayward girl."
An unseemly delight filled the wizard's blue eyes. As the corner of his lips began to rise in a smile, she pretended not to notice.
"Very well. I will find something fitting."
"Thank you, Sand. You are an indispensable friend. I value your counsel more than I can say." The monk breathed deeply as though she had put aside a great burden. As he turned to go, she drank in his elven beauty with appreciative eyes. Too much duty, too little joy in her life, she mused.
"Oh, Sand?" What was she doing? She wish she knew.
"Mhmm?" His voice was all too musical.
"...it's nothing. Nevermind."
His puzzled expression gave way to a silent tension in the room that both surely felt and neither admitted.
"Are you certain?"
Lips pursing, she looked down at her boots. "Quite."
"Very well, I suppose you will let me know if you remember?"
Her eyes went wide at the lift in his words. "I... oh, hells, here goes. Would you be interested in taking your noon repast with me tomorrow? There's a lovely spot not far from here away from the noise. Away from things."
He paused, hand still on the door handle. "Yes, I think I would enjoy that very much." Then he left her standing there with her head all in a muddle and the color blooming in her face.
--
Because he was an arm's reach away from her, though he sat in front of her facing away, it was a small thing to lean forward to grant herself a touch of his black glossy hair. He had pulled half of it back in the style of the elves of Silverymoon, so that it gave the impression of a fall of dark water that grazed the elegant tips of his ears. Coralin was content to brush her lips against the back of one ear so that she could feel the tactile softness of that hair. Sand stayed facing away from her on the throw that she'd brought along for their impromptu luncheon. Slowly he reached out, tenderly taking her hand in his own and grasping it. He sighed gently at the feel of her kiss upon his ear.
"I've decided what to do with Qara," he said.
"Something short of exile and murder, I hope?"
"While I admit that exile for Qara would have a certain appeal to me," he smiled, biting into a pear, "it isn't really going to resolve the true problem. Qara is a willful girl who has never had a smidgen of real discipline." In a sudden flash of hunger he quickly consumed the entire pear, his every bite watched closely by his companion.
"And you propose to discipline her...how?"
"Therein lies the true beauty of my solution, my friend."
"Sand," she said impulsively, "I'd like for you to consider that perhaps you could be, that I could be to you, something more than a mere friend."
He continued to watch the water birds slipping down into the pond before them. But now he was definitely smiling. "I have considered it from time to time."
"Good. Keep on considering it, please." His profile was half gold in the afternoon light, catching her breath in her chest, her growing feelings for him burning like a ball of pitch that threatened to burst forth from her skin.
"You may continue what you were doing," Sand said in his rich, melodic voice.
"Gods, I'm glad you said that."
"You swear like a Luskan."
"My apologies, noble elf."
"Unfair," he pointed out.
"Now end the suspense, or I'm going to become angry and do the things that we human savages do."
"We wouldn't want that." Sand drew his robes around his legs as if the extra warmth would add steel to his words. "Qara. I'm set on my plan, so I hope you will not try to change my course when you hear what I've decided."
"I wouldn't presume." With her lush lips returning to caress Sand's ear, breath passing over the exposed skin of his neck, she leaned forward to gather him to her with one arm. Easily and comfortably he rested back in that embrace, welcoming the companionship.
"There doesn't seem to be any point in prolonging your agony."
"Then don't." She was kissing up his throat to make an invisible trail across his finely boned cheek.
"I'm going to gather all of our companions into the courtyard, where our sorceress will be brought out in her choice of clothing. After everyone has arrived..."
"Yes?" Tentatively he bent his head into the line of hers to accept the kiss that started at the corner of his lips.
"I'm going to personally deliver the very thing that Qara has needed desperately for most of her short lifetime."
"And that is?" His body was firmer than she expected when she clasped herself to him.
Sand's smile stole itself from beneath her mouth.
"A good spanking."
She pulled away from him, laughing with sudden fervor that made holding her sides a real possibility. "Oh, Sand, you wouldn't!"
"Wouldn't I? Do you have any idea how long it took me to gather all of the knowledge lost in those three tomes? How much of it I earned?"
Still chuckling behind her hand, the monk took a swig of her wine. "But a punishment like that, it'll kill her!"