Clement growled.
“Joking!” I squeezed his bicep. “You’re actually very strong.”
He swatted me away, a crinkle appearing around his mouth.
“But I am looking out for you, in my own way. Maybe one day you’ll trust me.”
He grunted.
“You’re a man of many words today, my friend.”
As soon as his gaze ripped from mine to sweep over the market, chills raked over my skin.
He sighed. “I’m working.”
My attention settled back on the prince. He stood watching our exchange, dark eyes shining and a faint smile tickling his lips. I nodded in greeting at him, which was better than the weird curtsey-bow thing I’d done before.
“So, Tam, now that you’ve joined us.” The prince spread his arm over the stall behind him. “What do you fancy? Trinkets, jewelry, clothing?”
“I’ve not come here to shop,” I said. Clement elbowed me. “But thank you.”
The prince turned and dragged his fingertips over a pair of fur-lined gloves. “I’ll find something else for you then.” He turned and winked.
I blinked, momentarily silenced. Was he flirting with me? Or just being nice? Surely, he wouldn’t really buy me something in front of his guards and all these people. Whispers would circulate very quickly.
He turned back and trailed his hand over a collection of glittering figurines. I raised my eyebrows at Clement for help, but he chose that moment to scan the crowd over my head again searching for the Sheriff, his jaw set and body stiff.
The prince rattled a few gideons in his fist and handed them to the stooped man behind the stall. He plucked a palm-sized butterfly from the table and held it out to me. “Here.”
I hesitated. The magic zoomed to life within me, my nails automatically sharpening. Wasn’t this what I wanted? What I needed? Perhaps I could tag him right now and be done.
Clement snatched it from him, inserting his body between us.
“Oh, for the love of the Goddess, Clement,” I hissed. “You’ve taken my knife, now what do you think I'm going to do?”
He thrust the butterfly at me.
“I'll give this to Lilyanna.” I craned my neck around him to look at the prince.
“Don’t you like it?” the prince asked.
Why was he looking at me so intently and why, oh why, was I blushing? “Oh. Well, sure.” I studied the figurine. The body had been molded from solid gold, cross-hatched with small hairs made from a fine blade. The wing segments were each a different gemstone—ruby, sapphire, silver, and emerald. The spiked antenna shimmered in translucent diamond. “But I usually prefer gifts that have a dual purpose.” I tossed the butterfly into the air. “It’s not heavy enough to bludgeon someone with.” I ran the pointed antenna down Clement’s bicep before he pushed me away. “And it’s not sharp enough to sever an artery.”
“Alright, that’s enough.” Clement physically turned me around and marched me away. “Go back and do your job. Stop messing around.”
“I like messing with you, friend.”
“I’m not your friend.” He gave me one final shove and returned to the prince.
“Thanks!” I waggled the butterfly in the air.
From the shaded corner of the market, the Sheriff watched the exchange. His eyes never left the flashing gemstone as I tossed it high into the air again before pocketing it and heading back to the castle.
I had his interest.
Later that evening, I dragged the butterfly out and placed it onto the checkerboard before Lilyanna.
“What am I supposed to do with it?” She reached with the tip of her finger toward one of the antennae, as if she were a princess drawn to a spinning wheel needle in a fairytale.
