Chapter Forty-Two
“Kill her?” I echoed Jaron’s words.
The mage-priest blinked. “What? No, he didn’t kill her, I said. Can’t you see? She’s still right here. She’s right here!”
I watched in disbelief as he sprang from his seating cushion and danced a jig around it, his tray cluttering to the floor just as mine had earlier. He nearly tripped over his discarded staff, which continued to fill the air with the scent of jasmine. Still, the rooster feather in his hair didn’t fall out. He lifted the hem of his robes to reveal a scrawny pair of ankles and filthy, bare feet as he pranced about, singing a merry tune without words. He helped a bewildered Tahlia to her feet and linked his arm with hers to spin her around.
“I found you! I found you!” He crowed the words in a sing-song voice. “After
