Shit.
The guard jumped down, landing on those fallen items, and shattering them under his boots. The gorgon merchant’s hair twitched for a moment, but he held his control. Barely. He glared furiously at that guard, watching him walk away, no apology given for the damage done to his goods.
I stood frozen in place for a few minutes, debating my options on how screwed I was—or wasn’t. My elven neighbor across from me tried to gain my attention by waving her left arm high in the air, but I ignored her.
I did have a disguise on. My Fae fucking soul mate would be staying on the street, although that cobblestone road did curve dangerously close to where my table was. I could always sit down on the ground and hide behind my table until he walked by—just to be safe.
I wobbled my head back and forth in thought and, eventually, sat my ass down on the thick, green grass. There was no barrier in front of the table, but my scarves were hanging down low enough to hide my face. I would be safe here and wouldn’t need to deviate from my plan.
I glanced at the elf directly to my left; thankfully, there was no one set up to my right. “I’m just resting until people start showing up.”
He shrugged. “Stay down there all day if you would like. Your items are better than mine, so I’ll sell more if you’re gone.”
I snickered softly at his bluntness. “I am sure you will make enough coin today.” I would gift him any money I made when he wasn’t looking.
“I guess I will see.” he hummed unhappily. He rearranged his many black gloves for sale on his table—they all looked the same. “These would be fine if I weren’t near tables with such vibrant products.”
“You’ll make enough coin,” I soothed once more. I tilted my head down a little as the merchant site quieted again. I peered underneath my scarves, spying on the area from my hidden spot. “What is going on now?”
My melancholy friend whispered, “King Athon is starting his trek across the bridge to the road.”
“Ah. Thank you.”
I kept my head lowered and watched from my concealed position. I chewed on my thumbnail and waited for the blasted shifter king to pass by. I was able to see the road at the curve under the colorful table in front of mine. The shifter king’s personal guards finally came into view. They marched in a protective formation around King Athon. Bishop Marzel strolled next to my bloody soul mate, the two of them entertaining each other with a candid conversation, their features alight with humor.
I gnawed on my thumbnail harder the closer they strolled to the bend in the street, avidly watching King Athon’s face, making sure he didn’t glance over here. The shifter king was busy teasing his personal assistant/personal guard by all appearances. King Athon’s head of long white hair dropped back, his lips parting as he laughed loudly enough that I could hear it in the silence, more mischievous than I had ever seen him. He held his bare, muscled stomach as he sucked in oxygen, grinning from ear to ear at Bishop’s disgruntled glance.
Until he paused on a gulp of air.
His nostrils flared…
King Athon abruptly stopped in his tracks.
His guards, in front of and behind him, halted in their steps, too—oddly attuned to him, perfectly in step with their king.
My red brows furrowed deep over my eyes. I held my breath, pausing from biting my thumbnail, my dirt-covered digit still in my mouth. I narrowed my eyes and scrutinized this quandary.
Bishop cocked his head while he studied his king. His mouth opened, and he spoke to him but didn’t get a response from the looks of it. He lifted his right hand, waved it in front of his king’s face and spoke again.
King Athon knocked his hand away with a quick swat. His head swung to the merchant field next to him, and his nostrils flared once more. Those pure-black eyes scanned each person visible before him, his expression now set in stone, blank as a canvas.
I scrunched my nose up. There was no way he could scent me from there. My Fae damned soul mate had to be smelling something else. A shifter’s nose was excellent, but that would be unheard of with the number of people in this location.
King Athon’s unadorned golden, circlet crown caught the sunlight and sparkled while his head turned in his perusal of the site. He reached out his left hand and snapped his fingers. The guards in front of him instantly spread out into a hard line, blocking off the street and into the grass, not letting anyone pass by.
Then my profane soul mate’s features changed. His black eyebrows furrowed deep over his dark eyes and his mouth set into a thin line of fury. The King of Shifters sauntered off the cobblestone road into the merchant’s site, stalking like the tiger he was through tables, scanning the site with his Fae damned nose up in the air.
My precious Fae-spark told me he was in a killing mood.
It was time for me to leave.
But everyone was standing so damned still. And silent.
With Bishop trailing beside him, they were the only ones moving, everyone else only darting their eyes to watch the King of Shifters—who was obviously hunting right now.
I lowered my thumb from my mouth. I would need to crawl into the wooded children’s park behind me. But I needed to pass a few elves first to creep into the dense brush. I prayed to the Fae that they would stay silent for another elf.
King Athon’s nose was bringing him slowly closer.
