The woman, who was nothing like the young, starry-eyed creatures he typically charmed, had instantly fascinated him. Iris had a past filled with almost as many tales of adventure as he did, and there was no chance empty promises and sultry smiles would ever seduce her. That was what made her all the more fascinating and all the more impossible.
The former rogue and current village apothecary might be his friend, but she’d known enough hellkins in her day to make her immune to his usual techniques of seduction. He’d learned that the hard way and had a shelf in his room filled with remedies and healing oils to show for it.
“Vask?”
He snapped back to reality, blinking at Cali as she repeated his name. He also realized he was scratching his wrist with more than a little vigor.
The pantheri narrowed her eyes at his wrist. “You okay?”
Even though his skin burned beneath his sleeve, he shook it off. “Yes. Sorry. I got distracted by the honey.”
Cali crossed her arms as she studied him. “Mmm hmm. Something distracted you.” She flicked her gaze toward the apothecary shop, then opened her mouth.
Before she could ask him something he wouldn’t want to answer, Vaskel patted her arm andbacked away, his mind set on visiting the apothecary before he made his way to The Tusk & Tail. “You might be right about Lira’s wedding.”
Cali closed her mouth, then opened it again. “Of course, I’m right.”
“I should head to the tavern, but I’m glad we’re in agreement.” He beamed at her. “Let’s talk about your plan more tonight.”
A myriad of emotions crossed the pantheri’s face, finally settling on utter confusion. “What plan?”
Two
“Hello?”Vaskel eased his head around the opening in the door, his eyes slowly adjusting to the dim interior of the apothecary as he peered inside.
Stepping fully into the shop and wincing at the jangle of the bell overhead, he took in the dark walls lined with shelves and the ebony-glass jars and bottles filling them. Even without reading the paper labels curling at the edges, Vaskel knew the containers held exotic oils and rare ingredients, all of which were used in the various powders and tinctures Iris blended. His nose twitched as he inhaled the cacophony of scents that some found overwhelming, but he found comforting.
“Hello?” The echo of his greeting from deep within the shop was softer and higher-pitched, holding traces of wariness.
Iris’s face appeared at the seam of the heavy brown curtains that served as the gateway to the back room, her drowsy expression quickly morphing into a smile. “Vaskel?”
Suddenly, the hellkin was overcome with a bout of uncertainty. “Is it too early?”
Iris stepped through the curtain, shaking her head. “I’m open. I popped back to put the kettle on, that’s all.”
Vaskel took tentative steps toward the counter separating them. Being unsure of himself was an odd sensation, but Iris rattled him like no one else. It certainly wasn’t because of any effort on the woman’s part. Despite her adventuring past—a past not everyone knew of and she rarely spoke about—Iris had taken to the role as the village apothecary and de facto healer with enthusiasm.
She wore her silver-streaked dark curls loose or piled on top of her head in a haphazard bun. Her colorful skirts were full, and the half-moon spectacles—ones Vaskel suspected she didn’t need—often rested on the tip of her nose, while the distinct blend of scents from her shop clung to her skin like perfume. Despite all this, or perhaps because of it, Vaskel found her fascinating.
Iris leaned her elbows on the counter, steepling her fingers and resting her chin on them. “You’re out early.”
“Cali and I were in the market,” he said, his tongue thick and the words tripping from him in a clumsy muddle.
Iris’s gaze took in his lack of bags or market wares, but she didn’t comment. Instead, her smile brightened. “Did Cali mention finishing the latest book I lent her?”
Vaskel couldn’t keep up with the rate at which Iris supplied his friend with novels and Cali read them. “She didn’t, but I think she’s given up trying to explain the appeal of pirate romance.”
Iris laughed, straightening. “This is technically a mermaid romance, but there are one or two pirates.”
Vaskel couldn’t help but grin at the woman’s laugh, the sound loosening something inside him. “I think you’re a big part of why Cali wanted to stay in Wayside. She’s never met anyone with as many books as you have.”
Iris’s green eyes were luminous behind her glasses. “That’s one of the reasons I agreed to settle in Wayside all those years ago. I could finally have all the books I’d ever desired.” She winked at him. “Running with a crew isn’t exactly conducive to building a library.”
His chest hitched in response to the wink. That was usuallyhismove, but he was sure she hadn’t done it in the practiced way he did. Even so, it had knocked him off balance, and he cleared his throat gruffly and tried to remember his excuse for popping into her shop. But her mention of crewing sent his mind skittering to her time as a rogue and her friendship with Lira’s gran, who had been their crew’s mage. “How long did you?—?”
The whistle of a teakettle interrupted his question, and Iris turned away with a bit too much eagerness. “I’d better get that.”
Then he was left standing alone in the shop, wondering if there was a reason the apothecary avoided talking about her crewing days or if he was imagining her dodging the topic. Either way, he needed to get a hold of himself, or the woman was going to question his frequent visits. As it was, she probably thought he came down with more than his fair share of throat tickles and sore muscles.
