The Lycan and His Witch Read Free

walked to it,
his frown deepening as he drew near. It couldn’t be. He cast a
disbelieving gaze over the small ornaments and objects made up
entirely of gold.
    “Damnation,” he whispered
hoarsely. No wonder she wasn’t interested in his offer to buy the
cure with gold. She had enough of it.
    Bryce stared at the largest
statue near the end of the mantle. He picked it up and stared at
it. The figure was of a wolf sitting on its haunches by the feet of
a beautiful maiden whose hand rested on its head.
    “Put that down!”
    The sudden voice startled him so
much he almost dropped the statue. He was grateful he was holding
it with both hands. He turned around toward the voice, then turned
back to the mantle, gently setting it to its rightful place.
    Zora stood by the entry of the
living room holding a tray of bread, cheese, sliced meats, and
fruits, her expression both distressed and embarrassed.
    If he wanted to befriend the
hag, he wasn’t making a good start.
    “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to
intrude,” he said.
    He watched her walk briskly into
the room. She deposited the tray on the dining table, straightened,
and gave him an apologetic look. “No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t
have reacted like that. I’m…I’m not used to having people
here.”
    He glanced at the tray laden
with food.
    “Please sit down and eat.”
    He didn’t need to be told twice.
He wasn’t lying when he said he was hungry. Bryce took a seat and
reached for a slab of meat. “Thank you.” He motioned with his head
to her mantle. “That’s an interesting collection you have
there.”
    “Yes. It’s been in my family for
generations.”
    Bryce frowned. “It’s no wonder
you refused my offer for gold. You have a fortune sitting up
there.” He swallowed the last bite of meat and reached for the
bread and cheese. “The woman and the wolf is an interesting
statue.”
    She looked uncomfortable.
    “Yes. It’s my most valuable
piece.”
    “I can see that, judging by its
size.”
    She drew in a shaky breath. “Its
value is sentimental, not monetary.”
    He gave her a curious look,
watching her visibly tense. It was apparent she was uncomfortable talking about the statue so he decided to let the
subject drop.
    There was another subject,
however, that he wanted to bring up. “Do you live here alone? I
heard a young woman singing earlier.” He frowned at the memory.
“She had a beautiful voice,” he murmured, almost to himself. “The
voice of an angel.”
    “I’m here alone.”
    Stunned, he snapped a
disbelieving gaze to her face. Quickly, he recovered from his shock
and schooled his features to appear unmoved. Dammit, he didn’t want
to insult the poor woman into thinking no one like her could sing
so beautifully.
    A stab of discomfort shot
through his frame. He was guilty of basing his judgments on her
solely on her appearance.
    Her steady, blue gaze disturbed
him, making him wonder again at the beauty of her eyes. They were
out of place with the rest of her.
    Troubled by his train of
thought, Bryce reached for his napkin.
    “You have a beautiful voice,
Zora,” he said.
    “Thank you. I like to sing. It
calms me.”
    An unbidden smile rose to his
lips as he thought about the first time he heard her sing and how
the sound calmed him, too. Calmed him too much, he realised—her
singing almost made him forget the wolves circling him.
    “It’s a shame no one can enjoy
it as you’re here all by yourself,” he heard himself saying. Damn,
was he starting to feel sorry for her?
    She laughed, but it sounded
forced. “My cat enjoys it. Anyway, it’s not so bad being alone. I
keep myself busy with my gardens, my home, and…and other
things.”
    “Don’t you feel lonely
sometimes?” The question surprised him and Bryce wondered where it
had sprung from.
    Her expression was guarded.
“No.” Suddenly, she motioned with her hand to the kitchen area
behind her. “If you want seconds, please help yourself. I’m going
to make up your