a shocking encounter

[Ivy Rhodes]

It wasn't often that the lieutenants all gathered for dinner like this, but apparently one of the captains had convinced them to meet up once a month to try and form tighter bonds, which would encourage them to work better together. It was the Rhodes' family's turn to host, which meant that Ivy had spent the better part of the week fretting about whether they would have enough roast and potatoes and soup to feed all those hungry men. She'd seen the amounts these men could consume at the last dinner party, and she wasn't going to fail them. She'd also ensured that even though it was only the beginning of spring, some of the early hyacinths from the gardens had been clipped and put on the table to add a pop of color and brightness.

And yet, even so, as it always did, the dinner conversation had turned to old battle stories and boasts. And, as he always did when he was trying to win the attention of the whole room, Davis turned to his favorite story--Ivy's first brush with death, three years ago. She wished he wouldn't, even tried to signal him not to continue, but he just laughed and kept going.

"So there's Ives, on the ground, blood-spattered all over, pooling on the cobbles, and I'm screaming my head off like I've never seen blood before because this is my pretty little wife on the ground! And this girl runs over, says she's a nurse. But all she does is take off her sweater and use it to stop the blood. But then Ives, she's smiling like she's just falling asleep to a lullaby. I knew right then that something wasn't right, but that girl, she took off soon as she saw me looking at her funny.

Once I took that sweater away from Ivy's neck, I saw I was right! Like it had never happened, almost! She'd fixed it, with magic, and if I hadn't noticed, she'd have kept right on bewitching her, turning her mind with whatever spell made Ivy act so strange.

So I said to myself, I have to find her, right? Well I ran off, and I tried to catch her, but she got away. So I went back to Ivy, and she was just waking up like she'd been asleep! She didn't even believe me that she'd been nearly dead in the street.

So I told the guard, like the good citizen I am, gave a description and all that. But then I got knocked about the head by Saunders over there, and I went into the infirmary. And then I saw her! Turned her in then and there, I did.

And what's worse, she really had bewitched Ivy somehow, cuz she fought and fought, insisting the woman was an angel who deserved to live. She even went and watched that woman get her head lopped off. Put her off food for a week before she started acting like herself again."

Ivy pushed her desert around her plate, too upset even for custard as she wished she could vanish into the floor. She hated that her husband still thought he'd done the right thing and that Ivy had just been 'witched' to think differently. She still had nightmares about the sound of the ax as each of those mystics lost their head. She'd learned the woman's name, that day, Melody, and she'd met her eyes before the ax fell. She'd never forget how sad she'd looked. She could only hope that Melody knew how sorry she was.

She was pulled out of her misery by the sound of a chair scraping hard away from the table. She jolted up, just in time to see Eoghann Lee Frye leave the dining room. She shot her husband a disapproving look. "Try to talk about something more pleasant, won't you dear? That kind of thing isn't really meant to be discussed over custard."

She kissed the top of his head as she passed him, to soften the blow, some, then followed Eoghann out into the hall. She spotted him a ways down it, looking out the wide window into the garden where the leaves were beginning to return. She smiled softly, hoping that the pleasant view would ease his nerves. She hurried towards him.

"Lord Lee Frye? I'm sorry if my husband did anything to upset you, he doesn't always think before he--" She'd put a hand on his shoulder, meaning to be reassuring, but when she drew close, a bright spark arced between his shoulder and the ring on her hand. She thought she smelled something almost metallic, for just an instant, and then she actually felt her heart stop.

"Oh…" her breath left her in a limp gasp as she collapsed to the floor, and everything went black.

[Eoghann Lee Frye]

He didn’t know.

The lieutenant party was a usual occurance, and this time it was at the Rhodes. Eoghann usually attended, something he normally enjoyed as he liked having dinner and sharing with stories with his fellow rangers. It was great bonding, ways to get advice on subordinates, the works. It was also a good way to learn anything he could that he could then give to Oberon later. His eyes and ears were peeled. Only, Davis Rhodes was a man that had always rubbed Eoghann the wrong way. There was just something about him that he didn’t like. Which was saying a lot, Eoghann tended to get along with most people. Especially his fellow rangers, but this one?

He hadn’t known.

The story over their custard at first hadn’t gotten his attention, but the more he listened… it had to be. And it was only confirmed. He’d never known the one to turn in Melody. He remebered her telling him about the woman she’d been able to save. Her throat had been cut, she’d only meant to stabilize her but had acted on instinct and healed her too much. To know it was Lady Rhodes...that is was Davis Rhodes….

If they weren’t at dinner, if there weren’t more people… He’d be dead.

He had a name now.

He knew who was responsible now.

Oberon would make him pay, he’d see to it. If not him, Eoghann surely would. His temper flared suddenly, and he felt the buzz of electricity against his skin. He had to leave, or reveal himself as a mystic. He couldn’t be here, not when he was losing control of his emotions. Before anyone saw, he had to go. He quickly excused himself from the dining hall, and hurried down the hallway, taking deep breathes of air, trying to calm himself down. It was hard to however, knowing that Melodys murderer was in the other room. His blood was boiling amd there was the small crackle of electricity. He didn’t have to look down to know it was dancing across his skin in blue arcs. Charged by his emotions.

He was staring out the window when he heard a voice. It was Lady Rhodes, coming to check on him. A kind and yet stupid gesture, as she was about to put herself in danger.

Too late, before he could say anything she touched him. Worse, she had metal on her hand and be turned to see the arc of lighting strike her, the smell of the metal filled the air, and she was falling. “Fuck!” He swore, lunging forward just as he caught her. He looked up and down the hallway quickly, before he gathered her in his arms and all but ran into the nearest empty room. He closed the sitting room door with a kick to the door, hurrying to the nearest couch he set her gently down and then held his ear to her mouth. She wasn’t breathing. He checked for a pulse and found none. “Fucking dammit!” He swore again. The electrical charge he felt before only intensified with his now panic. He’d essentially just killed the woman. And all she’d done was try and be kind.

Not today. “Lady Rhodes,” he chucked in mild annoyance, “Gonna need you to walk up.” He told her, adjusting her head before he yanked his jacket off and rolled up his sleeves. The electrical currents more visible now. He didn’t have time for modesty as his hand grabbed the front part of her dress, pulling it down to expose more of her chest. With his other hand he took deep breath before he pressed the flat of his palm onto her sternum. Her body suddenly convulsed with his touch, her back arching as her chest rose upwards with the shock. He quickly pulled his hand away, a red palm print from where his palm burned her now rested in her skin. He hoped she’d forgive him. He willed himself to calm down, forcing himself to get his emotions in check so he could control his gramarye. He pressed his ear to her chest to listen for a heart beat. Prepared to zap her again if need be.

He wasted no time then, as he brought the front of her dress up and then placed one hand over the other as he began to perform CPR on her. Counting the beats to get her heart to pump her blood again before he pinched her nose, tilted her chin up, and pressed his mouth over hers to breath life into her.

[Ivy Rhodes]

She was floating in nothingness. A gentle soprano voice laughed nearby. "So eager to see us, little dove? It's not your time. Not yet. Go home. Live."

Ivy obeyed.

She hadn't expected living to hurt, but her heart and her lungs burned as if they'd been replaced with live coals. She needed air.

Ivy gasped, pulling the air from her would-be rescuer's lungs. She could feel the movement of the air against his throat as it forced its way out of him and left him with nothing. Horrified, she pushed him away from her with all the force and adrenaline she could muster. It was all instinct, that violence, but as her chest heaved again, cold air against burning lungs, she finally opened her eyes and saw who she'd pushed to the floor.

"Lord Lee Frye? What--?"

Her head spun as she scrambled to sit up, but she was too panicked to waste time on dizziness. She'd just used her gramarye on Eoghann Lee Frye. One of her husband's fellow lieutenants. One of the king's men. She was as good as dead. But wait...why had his lips been on hers in the first place? Ugh, thinking and moving so fast was making her nauseous, and it felt like her skull was splitting in two. What in the world was going on?

Her hand strayed to her forehead as she groaned and squeezed her eyes shut again. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to...Please tell me you're alright?"

[Eoghann Lee Frye]

Eoghann managed to get one puff of air into her when something strange happened. He didn't think he'd put every drop of air from his own lungs into her, but he suddenly felt as if something had reached in, and taken every bit of air he possessed from inside his lungs away from him. Her hands pushed against his shoulders, and he easily toppled to the floor as his own lungs began to scream for air. This was a new sense of getting the literal wind knocked out of him, as he was on his hands and knees, gasping. It wasn't natural. Something like that shouldn't have happened. He, electrocuting her, shouldn't of happened, and yet here they both were.

Seems they both were in for a shock.

"I-I'm fine," Came his hoarse response, as he took a slow, steadying breath. Okay Eoghann, you kind of deserved that... He told himself. He let his head hang for a moment, his hair flopping down into on his eyes. He'd felt dizzy with the sudden air escaping his lungs, but he began to feel better after a moment. He ran a hand through his hair as he got up on his knees beside the couch. Being careful not to touch Lady Rhodes again in case he shocked her on accident. His gramaraye was always unpredictable, and he tried his best not to go around touching people. "It is I that must ask if you're alright My Lady, I gave you quite the shock there." He said. Concern showed in his dark eyes. The statement hadn't been a figure of speech either. He'd shocked her to death, or did she not remember? "How's your head? Anywhere else hurt?" He asked. Afraid she might have suffered some nerve damage. He hoped that wasn't the case...

His dark eyes studied her face, "I must warn you as well my Lady, I-" His eyes flickered down to her chest for a moment before going back to her face. "Had to do something to bring you back. I hope you can forgive me." He gave her a sheepish grin.

[Ivy Rhodes]

Ivy opened her eyes just a little to squint at him in a mixture of concern and suspicion as he began to recover. She could hear him catching his breath, so that much was good. Actually, she could hear them both catching their breath--they sounded as if they'd been running...or up to something rather less innocent. Her cheeks darkened and she looked away as he sat up.

He spoke up, though, and politeness forced her to look back at him. He seemed worried for her, and he didn't invade her space again. She was grateful for that. Her head was swimming enough as it was.

"My head is splitting and it feels like I've been breathing fire, but that will pass. I'm just a little...confused..."

Why were they in the sitting room? Why had he been so close? "I've given you quite a shock" he said, and the memory rushed back. She'd reached out to touch his shoulder, and then... She rubbed her temples. Had that been him? She was opening her mouth to ask when he spoke up again, and she sharply snapped her jaw shut. What had he done?

She saw his gaze drop to her chest and already her light blush was darkening. What exactly did he... She looked down at her chest, which was still burning. A few little red marks peeked above the bodice, and she glanced back at him before pulling it away from the skin ever so slightly. She could see the entire outline of his hand, as crisp as if he'd stamped it onto her in ink--but instead it was raised, burned flesh.

Thankfully most of it was on the flat portion of her sternum and collarbone, but the bottom of his palm definitely drifted onto the curve of her breasts. She could feel her cheeks burning just as hot.

She dropped the fabric, but kept her head down a moment as she struggled to keep any kind of composure.

"I see...Well..." she began with a sigh as she finally looked back up. "Can I at least assume I don't have to worry about you turning me in?"

[Eoghann Lee Frye]

Confused was a good thing, wasn't it? At least she could still feel things. There was a bit of relief then as he let a small sigh out through his nose, relaxing. He watched her carefully then as she inspected herself to see what he'd done. Under different circumstances, touching another man's wife, especially a colleague, in the way he had was grounds for her slap him, and for Davis to request to have his hand removed. Only, if he hadn't done what he did...she'd still be dead.

He sat back on his bottom, bringing a leg up so he could rest his forearm on it as he watched her. A small smirk appearing on his face as she asked her question. "Only if you don't turn me in." He mused. A slightly playful look in his eyes as his smirk turned into a lopsided grin. It was a relief to know she was a mystic, he wouldn't have to worry about trying to talk her into keeping his secret.

The reason as to why they'd landed in this small mess came back to him though, and the smile soon faded. A dark look crossed over his features as he looked away from her. Melody. His Melody, was the reason she was alive today. She'd been so pure, so good...And Davis Rhodes had taken her from him. "Is it safe to assume your husband doesn't know?" He asked quietly. His dark eyes flickering over to look at her. His voice quiet.

[Ivy Rhodes]

Ivy's brows climbed even higher when he smirked, then grinned at her. She was stunned, and not from the electric shock. Could he really tease at a time like this? Still, it was almost reassuring to see him be casual after all that. She chalked the abnormal beat of her heart up to the fact that it had been stopped not too long ago. Despite her bewilderment, she found herself laughing once through her nose, shaking her head as she did.

"You have a deal."

Gods, they were lucky her husband had hardly touched her since the year they were married--if he saw that handprint on her chest, they'd both be in danger. She'd have to stay in her own room tonight, say she didn't feel well... She wouldn't have another life on her conscience if she could help it.

It seemed that the ranger's thoughts had taken a similarly dark turn because his smile was gone as quickly as it had come.

"Is it safe to assume your husband doesn't know?"

She nodded, giving him a bitter smile. "If he ever found out, he'd run me through himself. My mother was executed in the first wave of panic, and my father always insisted she was as normal as he, that she was falsely accused… I never found the courage to tell him how wrong he was." The false smile vanished and her brow furrowed instead as she too remembered why she'd left the dining room in the first place.

"Was that what upset you? Talking about mystics being executed?" Her question was out in the air before she had considered it, and she felt the intrusion too late. "I'm sorry--" she hurriedly added, waving her hand as if she could clear the air that way. "That's none of my business."

[Eoghann Lee Frye]

Eoghann nodded slowly. There was understanding in his eyes. if it was one thing every mystic had in common, it was having to hid a part of themselves for their own safety. They were hunted, like animals. No one was safe. Noble or commoner. Eoghann was lucky his family was nothing but mystics, but it also put them all in danger. 

He reached up to brush his hair back into it's proper place. It'd flopped forward after the initial shock, and he slicked it back. A bitter, low laugh then escaped him. Reflecting some of that inner darkness he had within him. He couldn't help the sneer that caused his upper lip to curl up into. His previous anger came back, and there was the crackle of electricity. With his sleeves pushed up, Lady Rhodes would be able to see the lighting dancing across his skin in light blue arcs. 

He settled his dark gaze on the woman. She needed to know, who exactly it was that saved her. Who her husband had sentenced to death. "The woman that saved you. Her name was Melody Blanchard." He his voice was so quiet. Surprisingly calm despite the rage he felt. He made sure to stay put, as he was on the rug. Making sure to not touch anything. He took a deep breath, and his hands clenched tightly. "I never knew who turned her in. Despite trying to figure it out for years, I never was able to find out." He went on to say. His jaw clenched, and the anger was clear on his now. "I knew her for a few years." He explained. "She was a good woman. Someone pure of heart who merely wanted to help people." He whispered fiercely. His rage continued to show, but there was something else in his eyes now. Agony, pain, grief. "She was my lover." His eyes seemed to almost look through Lady Rhodes then. Taking him back to that day where he'd seen her head roll. How his voice had rang out in agony and torment. How his brothers had to physically pull him away. He'd watched his heart die that day, and without her....he'd changed. He'd become tainted by hatred, and it was slowly eating away at him after all this time...

[Ivy Rhodes]

She could see in his eyes the depth of his bitter anger and pain; he had every right to be angry. And yet, even as he held himself clear, the moment he revealed that he knew Melody, Ivy found herself leaning closer. The more he said, the further she was leaning. It was as if he'd become a new source of gravity, drawing her closer to what she'd so desperately wished to know all these years.

And more than that--she could feel an echo of his pain in her chest (beyond the burn his hand had left behind) and she wanted so badly to ease it. She knew she wasn't responsible for Melody's death, but she couldn't help feeling that way, all the same. This poor man had been suffering in silence for years now, and her husband had caused it all. An innocent woman, put to death for being born, and the ripples of his sin were making greater waves now.

As soon as he confessed that Melody had been his lover, whatever shred, whatever frayed thread of propriety had been holding Ivy back, snapped. There was a half-baked math problem in her head: his pain outweighed whatever she was about to experience for her impulsive choice. It would be worth it.

With that, she slid off the couch, onto her knees, and thew her arms around Eoghann's neck in a tight embrace. The sparks crackled and snapped, biting and stinging, her skin prickled, and her hair seemed to have a life of its own, but she didn't pull away. If she could give him even an ounce of comfort in his grief, she would suffer whatever was needed.

"I'm sorry," she told him, her voice thick with tears. "I am so, so sorry." That was a pitiful attempt at expressing the deep sympathy she felt, but she knew no words could erase what had happened. Still, she wanted him to know. To at least know that he wasn't alone, that someone had tried to right this terrible wrong.

"I tried to tell them, to make them see--I even went to the castle, tried to get an audience--but none of it mattered. No one would listen. So I went there, that day. I thought...I thought maybe that way she'd have at least one person in all the crowd who knew that it was wrong. That she should have lived. That maybe I should have died." She swallowed hard. "I'm so sorry for your loss, Eoghann. I'm sorry I was ever in that street. If I could go back and trade myself somehow, I would."

Gods, she remembered that terrible day. She'd made herself watch each one as the ax fell. So much needless violence. She'd met Melody's eyes through her tears, watched the blade fall, blood pour, heard that heart wrenching--oh. Oh, Eoghann. That had been his cry of pain and fury that day. He'd seen his love murdered before him, and been just as helpless as her. The realization only made her tears fall faster.

[Eoghann Lee Frye]

Eoghann sat there in silence, watching her for a moment. Gauging her reaction to the news he’d just told her. The moment she moved towards him, he forced himself to calm down, taking steadying breaths that by the time she threw her arms around him, the charge wouldn’t be enough to harm her more.

He was surprised to see such a reaction, but Lady Rhodes had already proven once tonight she meant well. He sat there frozen for a moment, unmoving, while she apologized. Lady Rhodes scent began to fill his nose, and slowly, almost hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around her. He was realizing how small she was against his large frame. She felt dainty and fragile, and for a brief moment he wondered if he'd snap her in half if he hugged her too tight.

It was a small comfort to know to she’d tried to help Melody. To try and save her, but like him, her attempts had been in vain. She’d died. She died while the woman she’d saved lived. His eyes closed for a moment, and for a brief second, his arms tightened around her. His face was expressionless as he clenched his jaw. Grinding his teeth together, and forcing himself to calm even more. "I'm so sorry for your loss, Eoghann. I'm sorry I was ever in that street. If I could go back and trade myself somehow, I would." His hands went to her shoulders and he was suddenly pushing her back. “Don’t you dare waste the life she gave you.” He whispered quietly. He couldn’t keep the venom out of his tone. He wasn’t upset with Lady Rhodes, It hadn’t been her fault, and he knew Melody wouldn’t want him to hate one of the last people she’d saved. “She wouldn’t want that. She saved you. And your husband took her. It’s unfair, but don’t you dare blame yourself. She knew the risk.” He told her vehemently. The look he gave her would tell her they all knew the risk in using their gramaryes.

Only, Eoghann was never going to forgive Davis Rhodes. He was going to suffer, and slowly, by his hand.

He’d make sure of it.

[Ivy Rhodes]

Ivy couldn't help being worried when he pushed her back, and the concern was written all over her face. Had she overstepped? Should she not have tried to comfort him?

What he said, though, actually made her smile softly though her tears. She'd hoped it would be that way, that she could honor Melody's sacrifice by living well in the time she had. "That's what I thought, too. I know I can't change what's done...but at the very least I can try to help people, like she did. I'm no healer, but that doesn't mean I can't do my part to ease the suffering in this place." She sighed and tugged a handkerchief out of her sleeve to dab delicately at her face, expertly cleaning herself up. She had plenty of practice seeing as she cried at the drop of a hat these days.

"I do apologise for weeping all over you, that's hardly productive. I just...all this time I've been wishing I knew her, knew how I could better honor her. And then to suddenly find that you were so tied to her..." She shook her head. She couldn't really explain in words how deeply she felt for him, or how much she wished she could ease his suffering in particular. There simply weren't words, and even if there were, she doubted he'd be eager to hear them. It was time to put herself back to rights. She needed to be Lady Rhodes again, not just little Ivy Bloom.

"Please, don't worry about um..." she vaguely waved her hand to indicate all that had happened in the last few minutes. "I seem to be nearly dead twice a year at this point, so it's all becoming a little blasé."

[Eoghann Lee Frye]

Eoghann didn't smile. He should have, to show her that he thought what she said was nice. Worthy of the life Melody had given her, but he didn't. He couldn't. He offered her a small nod instead. Not wanting to relive that pain from years ago. He normally did well shoving it into a box so he didn't have to deal with it, but it appeared it wanted to come out tonight. 

He averted his eyes as she wiped her cheeks, smoothing his hair back more until she apologized. "It's alright." He said quietly. He was a bit surprised, though apart of him wasn't, that she'd been so affected by Melody. There was a part of him pleased though that the last person Melody had helped appreciated what she'd done. Lady Rhodes was clearly a woman that felt deeply, even might have felt guilty for what had happened to Melody. He was glad her sacrifice hadn't been wasted on someone who wouldn't have appreciated her. 

What she said next piqued his curiosity. It seemed....off. Dead twice a year? What did that mean? "I'm sorry, what?" He asked. He picked up his jacket and slowly climbed to his feet. Pushing his sleeves back down before he put his arms back through the sleeves. Straightening his jacket so he looked presentable again before he offered her hand to help her back to her feet. It hadn't occurred to him actually be sorry for what happened. Now he felt bad of course. She'd said she was alright though, so he took it that she was. He had to remind himself, no one outside of family knew not to touch him when he was mad. 

[Ivy Rhodes]

She hadn't even realized that Lord Lee Frye had taken off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves until he was taking them back down. A brief flicker of disappointment confused her. She huffed a breath out her nose and focused on tucking her handkerchief back into her sleeve and fixing her bodice so that the burn--his hand!--didn't show to the whole dinner party who were surely beginning to wonder what had happened to them.

"Oh, that probably does sound a bit strange, doesn't it?" she remarked with a little laugh as she moved to push herself up using the couch, then looked back up. She was surprised to see he'd offered his hand, and it showed on her face for a moment before she had the presence of mind to accept it. A little spark seemed to travel up her arm, raising the little hairs there, and she wondered if it was a remnant of his magic. His hand was warm if a little rough; calloused from work and combat. It made her wonder why Davis's were still so soft. But that wasn't the point.

She let go quickly and dusted off her skirts. Back on topic, she rolled her eyes up and to the side as she thought it over.

"Let's see. My throat you know about, next was my nut allergy--thank goodness for Pandora, she saved my life--then we overturned our carriage last spring… oh and I suppose the boating accident was the most recent. If it weren't for my… well, you know, I'd have been drowned. Nothing worse than feeling a little fluttery or dizzy since then, but Pandora has helped with that too, bless her." Finishing, she looked back to him with a soft smile and a shrug.

"I seem to be something of a danger magnet."

[Eoghann Lee Frye]

Eoghann helped Lady Rhodes up to her feet, and then released her hand. Having noted how soft it had felt in his. How small, it had been in his hand. He canted his head to the side slightly, watching her as she seemed to laugh off his question. He was rather curious about it, and watched her as she seemed to think about it. 

She then began to explain all her other near death encounters, and something didn't set right with Eoghann. From what she was describing to him, he found it rather surprising she'd had so many near death experiences. She was a noble woman, not a soldier. Had she had a different occupation he might not have second guessed it.  It just seemed...odd to him. Strange, and maybe it was his paranoia or something else, but something about Lady Rhodes "accidents" didn't bode well with him. A cool expression settled over his face as he looked at her. His brows furrowing slightly. He didn't want to look to deep into it, incase she really was just...accident prone, but there was something that made him want to keep a closer eye on her. 

Knowing what he did now, that Melody had been the one to save her, and that Davis had turned Melody in, made the gears in Eoghann's head begin to turn. He was going to be around more, he knew that much. He couldn't let Davis go now. Now after he knew what he'd done. There was a small smirk on his face  as he lifted a hand, and focused his gramary to it. Charging his hand, you could see the crackles of electricity dancing around his fingers. "No kidding." He clenched his fist and it faded away. "I think I'm your latest near death experience." He pointed out casually. If she was attracted to danger, Eoghann Lee Frye was the definition of dangerous in more ways then one. Eoghann's typical mischievous grin appeared on his face. It wasn't something that should have been laughed about, but given she was alive and standing.... 

"I think it's best you head back first My Lady. Just say I needed some air or something of that sort." He said with a wave of his hand. He looked her over try to ensure there wasn't anything out of place. Without thinking he reached out to tuck away a fly away curl, putting it back in it's rightful place. "There, now you don't look like you've had the shock of your life." He said, that quirk of a smirk showing again. 

[Ivy Rhodes]

Ivy laughed softly at his little display. "That you are," she agreed, trying to swallow her smile and failing. It certainly wasn't something to joke about, at least not in normal company, but… well, it was funny, in a strange way.

Still, the display of power didn't go unnoticed, either. He certainly was a dangerous man, but oddly enough, it didn't bother her in the slightest. He may have stopped her heart, but it had been an accident, and as soon as he'd realized what happened, he'd gone to great lengths to start it up again. In her mind, that indicated that Eoghann Lee Frye was a good man and that she was safe in his company. Rather than being attracted to the dangerous side of him, quite the contrary--what drew her in was that his first instinct had been to help her. (Although she hadn't yet realized how attached she had become in the space of only a few minutes.)

At his instruction that she return first, she wiped the smile more successfully from her face and nodded. He'd been upset by the story, not because of the mystic being beheaded, but by a noblewoman being attacked in the street. It was enough to infuriate any military man.

She stood rooted still under his scrutiny, wide-eyed as she wondered what in the world he was doing. Did she really look that disheveled?She drew slightly away from his hand when he reached for her, startled by the movement toward her face, but forced herself to hold still as he gently brushed her hair back into place. It was an oddly intimate gesture for such a small thing, but considering where else his hands and mouth had been today--Now you stop that, Ivy Bloom Boyle! You're a lady. Get your mind out of the gutter. He was making sure you weren't dead. She swallowed hard and gave him an uncertain smile as she curtsied and backed away.

"Give it a moment before you come back then. And say I showed you the Hyacinth in the garden." She headed out the door, but turned back at the last moment. "And by the way--this was certainly my most interesting death so far."

With that, she turned and vanished into the hall, feeling positively silly for saying such a thing.