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our—She's gone, but I'm sure she'll be back."
    "Your thoughts about me now?"
    She smiled. "Well, you're a challenge, but you were right when you said some forms of communication don't require words."
    Melody slipped her arms around his neck and attempted to kiss him again, but he wouldn't let her.
    Taking her face in his hands, he gazed deeply into her eyes. "Sweet Music, flesh without feeling leads only to emptiness."
    His words doused her passion and she pushed away from him. "I'll have you know, Sir Blaze, my vows are as important to me as yours are to you. I am not some wanton warrior, nor am I desperate, even if I have been on an island for ten years. I—"
    Grasping her upper arm with one hand and cupping her face with his other, he silenced her with a kiss, then said, "My admiration and respect is boundless for a healer such as yourself. In your kindness, I fear you would continue a game to which there may be no winner."
    Melody stared at him, her pulse racing. "You thought I'd stay with you to be nice, even if I didn't understand a bloody word you were saying?"
    He nodded, his large, pale eyes holding her captive.
    "I know a good man when I see one, Blaze. Even if it takes me some time to understand you, I have the feeling it will be well worth it." Looping her arms around his neck, she covered his mouth with
    a feathery kiss that left both of them longing for more. "I'll be waiting for you tomorrow at our fortress."
    "And I will be there."
    Melody smiled, slipping from his arms and heading for the door.
    * * *
    Tapping sounded on the door of Blaze's herbarium.
    "Yes," Blaze called, placing aside the bowl in which he had been crushing a mixture of herbs.
    Torn stepped inside, carrying a vial. "I'm out of clove oil."
    "There." Blaze pointed to the center left shelf, then continued grinding herbs.
    "Did you have a nice time at the fair yesterday?"
    "Yes. And you?"
    "Honey Wine and I always have a good time. The children love it, too, as long as we keep Vanessa from eating too many sweets."
    Blaze smiled. "It's good that your lady could elude affairs of state to visit with us for a time."
    "I'm glad Honey Wine was able to leave Sophianna for a while, too. Home will always be where she is, but sometimes it's good to stay at the fortress. It's like old times, when you, me, Rain, and Mahir
    get together and play dice after dinner."
    "And dream of heroics from long ago."
    Torn winked. "Nothing like talking about the good old days."
    Grinning, Blaze glanced at Torn from the corner of his eye. Even if he and the black-haired Knight had been blood brothers, they couldn't have been closer. Since childhood, they had been the best of
    friends. Torn was one of the only people who had learned to follow Blaze's strange speech patterns with scarcely any hesitation. They'd endured life and death situations together. They'd trained,
    laughed, and even cried together. Such friendship was rare, and Blaze had never taken it for granted.
    "So what's going on with you and Dame Melody?"
    "I imagine the same applies to us as to other potential mates."
    Torn dragged one of the chairs away from the table and straddled it backwards, a grin on his lips.
    "She seems nice enough."
    "Nice? She is a rare flower. Sweet Music is a fitting name for her."
    "Blood hell." Torn chuckled. "You are in love."
    Blaze's brow furrowed and he cast Torn what he hoped to be a skeptical look. "Love? Me? A man of my years—"
    "Is old enough to know exactly what he wants when he sees it. You're not hindered by the stupidity and ignorance of youth."
    "At least you don't attempt to act as a teacher of the romantic arts. Mate of the Key is full of advice, and my own men have tried thrusting me at females of every form and demeanor."
    Torn laughed. "Lock? He's about as subtle when it comes to handling women as a White Island yak during mating season. As for the rest of your faction, I'm sure they only want to see you happy."
    "Only a man himself can truly see to his own