The Wyvern's Spur - Kate Novak [102]
"Giogi, you fool," Cat whispered.
"Cat! You're all right!" Giogi cried out.
Cat gulped and swallowed with some effort. "Could've killed yourself, you idiot."
"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I won't do it again. Ever. Tell me you're all right."
"Hurt like hell."
"Mistress Ruskettle's gone for help. We'll get you a healing potion. You'll be fine." Giogi bent over and kissed the mage's forehead. "You had me so scared. I'm so happy you're all right."
"I thought you hated me," Cat muttered.
Giogi felt his heart pounding. "You little ass, I could never hate you. I'm crazy about you. I was an absolute fool to be so angry with you and act so mean. I'm so sorry."
"Not a little ass," Cat whispered.
"Yes, you are. You just threw yourself into an exploding book and saved my life," Giogi pointed out.
"Precisely," Cat croaked. "I'm a big ass." She smiled weakly.
Giogi laughed and kissed the mage's forehead again.
An out-of-breath Olive burst back into the room with a similarly winded Frefford right behind her.
"Giogi! What happened?" Frefford demanded, puffing.
"I was stupid, as usual. Did you bring a healing potion?"
Freffie handed Giogi a small crystal vial. Giogi uncorked it and held it to Cat's lips. "Drink this," he urged her, helping her lift her head up so she could swallow the potion.
Cat emptied the vial and lay back, licking her lips. "'S good," she murmured. "Feeling better." The mage closed her eyes as if she'd fallen asleep. Giogi brought her left hand up to his lips and kissed it. Suddenly Cat's eyes snapped open again and she sat up. "I think I'll live," the mage said with surprise.
Giogi breathed a sigh of relief.
"But only because you need someone to remind you not to do anything else that stupid ever again," Cat added sharply, climbing to her feet with Giogi's support.
Olive studied the pair with interest. It was a relief seeing Giogi get over his resentment. More astonishing, though, was Cat acting once again like the mage they'd met in the catacombs-saying what she thought. All in all, that was probably a good sign, the halfling decided.
"Giogi," Frefford said, "why didn't you tell me Mistress Ruskettle was here as well? So pleased to see you again, ma'am."
"Thank you, Your Lordship," Olive replied.
From down the outer staircase came an irate call, "Giogioni Wyvernspur! Just what are you doing up there? Are you trying to blow us all to the seventh heaven, you fool? Come down from that room this instant."
"Aunt Dorath!" Giogi whispered, jumping to his feet. "She found out I'm here."
The halfling ran to the door to the outer staircase and pushed it shut. "The lock's broken on this side," she whispered.
"I had to break the door down yesterday," Frefford reminded Giogi.
They could hear Dorath stomping up the stone staircase. The sound of her footsteps echoed through the tower. Fortunately, Dorath had several flights to climb.
Cat looked at the door with annoyance. "Seal," she said.
Olive felt the door shudder beneath her shoulder.
"That will buy us a few minutes," the mage said.
"What for?" Frefford asked.
Cat turned to Giogi and put her hands on his arms. "Giogi, we still need to search this room for clues about the spur and magic we can use. You must leave with your cousin and Mistress Ruskettle. Your aunt doesn't know I'm here. Lead her away so I can search the room. Go to the temple. You need to speak to Mother Lleddew. I will join you back at your townhouse when I'm finished here."
Suddenly suspicious again of the mage's motives, Olive suggested, "Maybe I should stay and help Mistress Cat."
"I can manage on my own," Cat insisted. She crossed the room to the small shelf of potions. She studied the vials for a moment, checked in the pink notebook, then selected two potions, one a slate gray, the other a glittering gold.
"What are those for?" Giogi asked, following behind her.
"You and Mistress Ruskettle." Cat pressed the golden vial into Giogi's hands. "If you have any more trouble-lacedons, bears, anything-drink this," she said.
"What will it