By the time we reach the city, it’s late into the night, and my body aches from being jostled and bashed around. I have no idea how thefarmer’s vegetables usually survive, but I’m pretty sure they’re less bruised today, thanks to using my body as a cushion. Torin helps me to climb down onto the pavement while Aster’s new four-legged best friend shoots him moon eyes, panting when he tickles her ears.
... can’t say I blame her.
The farmer trundles off and I can’t help but stand and gape around at the city.
Even in the dark, the city of Mistlemarch is like nothing I’ve seen before. Purple streetlights line the streets, like open flames flickering a foot into the sky. The buildings are an interesting mixture of sleek, shiny fronts that rise to imposing heights, and much older stonework that’s smoothed with exposure to the elements.
The streets are almost unnaturally clean and filled with people, despite the late hour. Everywhere I look, bodies are bustling about, dressed in clothes that would get you pickpocketed in an instant in any of the places I’m used to living.
Aster seems just as struck by the place as I am, his eyes wide with the lights glinting off his dark irises. Torin just looks pissed off, glaring around with his customary grumpiness before chivvying us along.
“We’ll find somewhere to shower and bed down for the night and then pay Jack’s folks a visit in the morning.”
Jack’s raven form is nowhere to be seen as we head toward a tall, silver building that glows with purple light. It’s the shiniest, sleekest thing I’ve ever seen, and apparently, it’s where we’re staying for the night.
“What is this place?”
“The Lupine Hotel,” Torin replies, surprising me by wrapping an arm around my shoulders and tucking me into his side. I grip Aster’s hand, interlinking our fingers together and keeping him close on my other side.
Outside the front entrance of the hotel are two men. Both men are dressed in sharp suits that probably cost more than my monthly income. Both are also over a head taller than me and about as broad as Torin and there’s something about them and the predatory way they size the three of us up that has my instincts on alert.
Pressed up against him like I am, I feel rather than hear the rumble vibrating through Torin’s chest.
“Are you... growling?” I mutter. “At the people guarding the door?”
Torin ignores me, instead giving both guards a respectful nod. One darts forward, his eyes snapping to Torin’s face and for half a second, I’m convinced they’re going to turn us away. Tor’s chest is still rumbling away, and I can feel his spine stiffening.
The last thing we need is a display of beast-borne dominance in the middle of the street. We particularly don’t need Torin showing off his metallic spines to the entire city.
“Calm your boots, buddy,” I mutter as the guard tugs the door open.
Maybe he’s not a guard then, but a doorman. I can’t say I’ve ever been into an establishment fancy enough to need either one.
Torin freezes in place, his body now stiff and on alert as he stares directly into the man’s eyes. He looks like he’s about to pounce on the guard as a growl rolls through their chest. Panic fills me as I have no doubt about what is about to happen. I can sense that both doormen are beast-borne and they’re two seconds from attacking, clearly picking up on Torin’s natural dominance.
So, I do the only thing I can think of.
I put my hand on Torin’s arse and squeeze. Hard.
He jolts like I just put a finger up his bum and narrows his eyes at me.
“Reva,” he spits. “What are you doing?”
My touch seems to break him out of whatever weird standoff he’s having with the doorman. They’ve both dropped eye contact, and the one is still holding the door open, their cheeks flushed.
“Thank you,” I sing-song as we pass.
“Sorry. Sorry, I panicked and didn’t know what to do. It was either that or tweaking a nipple,” I quickly mutter as soon as we’re inside, pulling my hand away from Torin’s firm arse. I then shoot an apologetic look at Aster. But when I turn to look at him, he’s silently laughing his arse off. There are tears in his eyes and everything and my lips twitch in response.
“His face.”
I snort, trying my best to stifle a chuckle as Torin glares down at me. Aster’s entirely lost his composure, silently shaking beside me with his hand covering his face.
“Behave you two,” Torin grumbles, although his lips are curled up at the edges like he’s fighting a smile. He doesn’t let go of me as he leads us further from the door until we’re standing to one side of the hotel foyer. “This is a fancy hotel.”
Understatement.
I do a sweep of the place, keeping my feet firmly in one position so it’s not too obvious I’m gazing around wonderstruck like an ignorant yokel. Now that we’re inside, I’m hyperconscious that I must stink and am probably covered in mud from spending the full day on a wagon. I’m also fairly sure there’s straw in my hair.
