He lifted the goblet to his mouth, intentionally pressing his mouth where mine had just been.
My belly felt suddenly warm. I shifted in my seat and crossed my legs. “You’ve just been waiting around town, preparing for the King's men to get you? When you’re not rescuing drowning dragons, that is.”
“It is what’s best, according to you folk.”
“And what doyouthink is best?”
“If it were up to me, I would simply be left alone.”
A frown tugged at my mouth. “Alone.”
He looked like he wanted to say more, but he refrained. “Yes.”
“So run, then. Hide somewhere you can’t be found.”
He sighed. His hand lifted, hovering for a moment in front of my face before settling onto my cheek. I held perfectly still, though butterflies roiled. “I cannot.”
“You could,” I insisted. “You have to.”
He shook his head, donning a sad smile. “Maybe.”
The lie hung thick in the air between us.
“You’re going to disappear,” I pleaded.
His fingers curled around the curve of my jaw. “I might.”
“You’re not going to let them take you away?”
He swallowed. “Of course not.”
“You’re going to save yourself. Promise me.”
He didn’t answer.
And I didn’t promise anything, either.
His hand fell away from my cheek, and I immediately mourned the loss of it.
Shade grabbed my palm, setting a pouch of coins into it. His eyes darted around the pub. “I’ll let you get back to work. For my ciders. And everyone else, here. Bring them all a cider.”
He stood to leave.
“Wait!” I called.
“Yes?”
I didn’t ask the question I really wanted the answer to. “Did you like the cider?” I asked instead.
His eyes dropped to my mouth before returning to my face. A mischievous smile tugged at his mouth. “Good day, Ginger.”
“Afew more days and they’ll be here, I reckon.” Daine set down his spoon and leaned back, stretching his shoulders.
I couldn’t help but eavesdrop. I wiped down a nearby table more thoroughly than was strictly necessary.
“Takes, what, three days to get to Sunhaven on horseback?”
“These days, sometimes less.”
