“How—” She shook her head.
“I can sense your emotions.”
She shook her head again, clearly disbelieving. It was a strange confession, admittedly.
“I don’t understand how it works,” I said. “But I want to know what frightened you when you reached for my hand.”
Evera cast her gaze aside but allowed me to continue holding her hand in my own. “Honestly, I don’t know.” The faintness of her voice tugged at my heart.“Can we not discuss it?”
I relented, despite the worry I held for her. Perhaps I could fluster her again, as I had in the garden, and shift her mood at least.
“Would you rather discuss kisses?” I asked, leaning down to her ear.
She inhaled sharply and dropped my hand to shove at my chest. “I do not want to talk about—” She huffed.
“Kisses,” I suggested, grinning. “The kindnoton your mouth.” A reminder for the sake of adding kindling to the fire.
She flushed, her cheeks taking on a rosy tone beneath the dappling of freckles. If she did not wish to speak of what weighed on her, at least I could lighten the burden with distraction. Retaking her hand, I led her through the door and into the stables. Inside, the air was warmer and held the familiar scents of animals and dried grass.
“What are we doing?” she asked, stopping.
A smile tugged at the corners of my lips, and I braced an arm on the wooden beam of the door just above her head, takingadvantage of the opportunity. The heat in her cheeks deepened, and she narrowed her eyes. Her pupils dilated as they adjusted to the dim light until hardly any color remained in their outer rings.
“It will be more enjoyable to ride than to walk.” I leaned in.
“We don’t ride Sorrel,” she said, though this time her words came on a breath, quieter, her sharpness tempered by my proximity.
“What is the point in having a mare you don’t ride?”
Not waiting for a response, I released Evera and paced to the wall where bridles, brushes, and other miscellaneous items hung or sat on rudimentary shelves.
“She pulls our wagon,” Evera explained, remaining in the doorway. “Aureus travels south to the port of Literra once every three or four fortnights to replenish supplies for our shop.”
“Which bridle is hers?”
“Second from the left,” she said with a shake of her head. “But we don’t have a saddle.”
Withdrawing the tack, I passed Evera and turned left to her mare’s pasture. “We don’t need a saddle. Do you know how to ride?”
“Not really.” She fell into step beside me, withdrew a key from a pocket in her skirts, and fit it in the lock at the gate. “Leighis used to set me on Sorrel’s back when I was a child and lead me around the pasture.” There was an edge of wistfulness to her tone, and when the gate swung open and she looked up at me, I held her gaze.
“That is why you care so deeply for the mare.”
“Maybe so.” A smile tugged at her lips, and she stepped past me.
Each time she did so, the absence of her presence left me feeling … not whole. I followed her, leaving the gate ajar as Evera crossed a short distance to greet her mare.
“Sorrel is a companion,” she said, brushing the mare’s forelock to the side. The animal snorted and nuzzled at Evera’s neck, making her giggle.
An animal couldn’t be a companion. Animals were unintelligent beasts that cared only for self-preservation, incapable of feelings or caring for others . But Evera was happy now, smiling, and that was all that mattered.
When I reached her, I held up the bridle, and the mare dipped her head obediently. Fitting it over the animal’s ears, I secured the buckle beneath her jaw and gathered the reins in one hand.
“Why did you say back in the shop that you would never have children?”
The question surprised me, though perhaps it shouldn’t have. It was logical that such topics would arise during the courting process. Still, it put me on edge. The concept of creating another monster like myself was not an option. I drew the reins over Sorrel’s head to rest on her withers.
“As I said before, I have no name to give.” A thought came to me then. “You did make the tea, did you not?” The beat of my heart quickened. I braced my hands on her shoulders, demanding her full attention. A knot twisted in my stomach as I awaited her response.
