Heartmate Read Online Free PDF

suavity. “You should invite her in and purchase a bauble for her.”
    That broke the spell. Holm laughed. “My friend, you do excellent work and are well rewarded for it. A creation from T’Ash’s Phoenix should not be wasted on a mere passing fancy.”
    â€œThank you. You’d best hurry, I think she’s moving on.”
    Holm adjusted his embroidered cuffs. “I’ll see you soon.”
    â€œRemember, have Tinne come in so I can fit the main gauche to his hand and charge the blade to his energy.”
    â€œYes, of course,” Holm said with a nod. “Merry meet.”
    â€œAnd merry part,” T’Ash gave the traditional reply.
    â€œAnd merry meet again,” Holm said and strolled out the door.
    T’Ash nodded, then his gaze fixed on the antique dagger once more. The spiral engraved on the pommel . . .
    He spent the rest of the evening in the first flush of inspiration and grudgingly handled sales. The shop was far busier than he recalled. Perhaps he should give Majo a higher percentage. That thought was the last T’Ash had of the store until he noticed the shop was vacant. So was the street outside, lit by nightpoles and the weak light of two waning twinmoons.
    Sighing, he opened his cramped hand, stretched it, and rubbed his fingers. Before him lay three pages of drawings, one for each main gauche. T’Ash felt satisfied that the weapons would be exceptional and capable of holding mighty spells.
    He shuffled the papyrus drawings together, then started to close the shop. His memory flashed on the beginning of the night. His HeartMate had left him. His previous disappointment crashed down on him like a physical blow.
    He swung the black velvet display around. His heart lurched. The necklace was gone!

Two

    His HeartGift, gone! The realization jolted. His stom ach clenched and his skin turned clammy. How could this be? Only he and she could see it and handle it. And she had not returned.
    With carefully controlled movements masking his dread, he searched every millimeter of the shop. He turned out the lights, slowed his breathing, and sent his mind down a labyrinth of meditative paths until he could focus on the necklace. He reached for it with his senses and all his Flair.
    Nothing. Gone.
    He had to have the HeartGift. Without it, he couldn’t win her. He wanted to tear the city apart. Hunt. Kill.
    He couldn’t. He was bound by vows to forge a main gauche for Holm. Tinne Holly’s life hung in the balance.
    Cursing under his breath, T’Ash stirred the water in his scrybowl to initiate its inbuilt spell, then let the liquid settle. He formed a detailed mental image of the guardbuilding and vized the Council Guard, projecting both sound and a holo of himself.
    The guard who answered promised immediate service.
    T’Ash waited in the gloom, standing on the grounding mat to expend the churning tide of red anger. The anger he’d channeled so well when stalking his Family’s killers. Anger, an emotion that could turn him into a feral beast.
    A man tapped on the glass door, and T’Ash reluctantly gestured the lights on and the door open. As befitted T’Ash’s rank, the guard who entered was a mature man of forty or so. His cuffs showed the embroidery of a GrandHouse son.
    He scanned the shop, and T’Ash felt some relief at the man’s keen gaze and the flow of his searching Flair. He nodded to T’Ash. “Winterberry of Hazel, on special assignment to the FirstFamilies. You have a missing necklace.”
    â€œMore.” T’Ash gritted his teeth, still unable to grasp how this had happened. He could barely form words.
    â€œMore items than the necklace?” Winterberry walked through the shop, examining the placement of the jewelry as if for gaps, angling his head as he sensed the shieldspells.
    â€œMore than just a necklace. A HeartGift,” T’Ash ground out, angry, too, that he couldn’t