Page 107 of The Ranger

“I understand about missing one’s family members. I went a long time without seeing my family.” He glanced over one shoulder at the open front door. “For a time Melvale and I did not... get along.” It was too early to tell her about his and Melvale’s interesting relationship. For years, due to both having an extra heart, they couldn’t even be in the same room with one another. They became aggressive when they sensed each other’s third heart and would, inevitably, fight. Little did they know that it was the key to freeing them and being able to receive a Call.

“Do you have any other sisters or brothers?” she asked.

“No.”

She set her plate aside and rubbed her hands over the skirt of her dress. “You lived here for a time, didn’t’ you?”

“I did. Outside of town. But I had to return home, and now I am with his royal highness.” It was as much as he could give without scaring her. Too many details and she was liable to run into the house and slam the door in his face. At least they’d convinced her family of what was going on. When they saw more of the Call in action on her end, he was sure they would help as much as they could. Right now, all they knew was that he would take Maida from them, and of course, they didn’t like that.

“Have you been to a lot of different places?” she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.

He thought a moment. King Jaireth assigned him to watch over Clear Creek years ago. When Newton Holmes married a young woman named Arya, some strange things had happened, and he’d been watching over the town ever since. But not in consecutive years. For him, it had only been a few.

“Yes,” he finally answered. “I have been to different towns here in Oregon. Oregon City and Independence come to mind.”

“What did you do there?” she asked with a smile. She brushed at her skirt again, a delicate action that drew his attention and made him want to get closer.

He forced himself to recall his time spent in Independence. “Checking on things, searching for people...”

“You find people, like a Pinkerton detective?”

“Of sorts.” Hmmm, how much to tell her? “I scout for people. Find things, assess situations for potential danger. Threats.”

Her eyes widened. “But you’re not a lawman, are you?”

“In a way, but I work alone.”

“Who do you work for? The government?”

He smiled. It was a good question. “You could say that. And you? What do you do here?”

She rolled her eyes. “I already told you. Not much. Mending, cooking, cleaning. But... sometimes I wonder what it would be like to see other places and do other things.”

His smile broadened. “Like?”

“I... I’d like to see a play one day. The only one I’ve ever seen are the ones performed in church at Christmas, and then the town puts one on in the fall. That’s a new tradition.”

“Two plays?”

“You’ve been around, you know about the Christmas play, don’t you?”

He chuckled. “Yes, little one, I am familiar with it.”

“Who isn’t?”

He drew in a deep breath. So far so good. Neither of them were in any pain at the moment, and they were having a pleasant conversation, getting to know each other. She was, in a word, adorable.

“So... do you... read much?” she hedged.

“Doyouspend a lot of time reading?”

She blushed and nodded. “Maybe too much time. But there’s nothing else to do. I... don’t have many friends. I told you that too.”

He looked her in the eyes and noticed the gold flecks in their depths. “I will be your friend.”

She swallowed hard. “But you’re leaving.”

“One day.”