The Crystal Warrior

The Crystal Warrior (Chapter 18)

The Crystal Warrior

By Maree Anderson

Chapter Eighteen

When Chalcey wandered into the kitchen, Sam and Marcus glanced up and then quickly down, concentrating far too intently on their breakfasts.

"Morning," she said, ignoring the undercurrents swirling around the room.

"Coffee's on." Sam waved a casual hand toward the counter. "Marc made a fresh press a couple of minutes ago."

Chalcey poured a coffee and leaned against the counter, cradling the cup in her palms. Despite their efforts to be covert she spotted both Sam and Marcus shooting glances at her. Great. Obviously they knew exactly what today was. There went her chances of trying to pretend nothing was different, that it was merely a day like any other.

She took a sip of coffee and tried not to grimace at the bitterness. It was not a patch on Wulf's brew. He had a magical touch when it came to coffee.

Crap. Now that she'd thought about him, her composure was totally screwed. Tears burned her eyes. She'd never realized that tears really could burn. They were only mildly saline weren't they? How could they burn? But these did. As had the tears that she'd cried for Wulf each night since she'd lost him.

She stiffened her spine before facing Sam and Marcus again. "It's okay, you two. You don't need to walk softly around me. I'm not made of glass. I know you know what today is, so just say it, all right? Then we can get back to being normal."

Sam's gaze oozed such compassion that Chalcey yearned to turn tail and flee. Either that or fall to her knees and lay her head in Sam's lap so Sam could comfort her while she blubbered like a baby.

"It's exactly twenty-eight days since you first met Wulf, isn't it, Chalcey?" Marcus finally said.

"Yep."

"So?" Sam prompted.

"So, I'm going to work. I've got a private lesson with Esmeralda coming up—she wants to move up to Intermediate level. Plus I need to work through a lesson plan. I'll see you tonight, guys. Still okay for me to stay on until the weekend? I'm not getting in your way or cramping your style?"

"No," they both chorused.

"Yeah, right. Look, you've both been wonderful but I need to go home sometime. I can't hide out here forever."

"Why not?" Sam asked, her brows creasing in a frown. "Don't you like my place, or something?"

"Like it? I love it. It's completely fabulous, you nitwit. But I didn't convert the storage area of my studio into a living space so I could freeload off my rich best friend for the rest of my life. Besides, I think it'd be good to have some time to myself. Figure out where I'm at, so to speak." She managed a credible smile, a genuine smile, which rather surprised her. But then, watching Sam and Marcus working things out was worth a smile or two. They were perfect for each other. "You two young lovers need some space. You don't need a freeloading guest right now."

Sam glanced pointedly around the spacious apartment and snorted. "Plenty of space from what I can see. I've even been considering getting a dog."

Since Sam had always insisted that she was the only bitch allowed in her apartment, Chalcey chose to ignore that incredible statement. She would believe Sam's yen for canine companionship when she laid eyes on the puppy. "What if you two have a burning desire to jump each other's bones some place other than the bedroom, huh? Would hate to think I'm depriving you of the chance to be truly depraved. And you and I both know I couldn't afford the cost of a visit to your shrink to get over the trauma I'd suffer if I walked in on you two in flagrante delicto."