Pulling on Amira’s arm, Elyssa led her behind the food booth and ducked behind the board, breathing hard.
Amira dropped to the ground next to her, so close that her breath scattered over Elyssa’s cheek. Meeting the princess’ eyes, Elyssa’s breath hitched. At first, her gaze was wide, almost frightened, then a gleeful laugh escaped her ruby lips, and Elyssa thought she’d never heard anything sweeter. Her eyes couldn’t help but linger on Amira’s lips.
“That was…” Amira started, her face flushed from running all the way here.
“Fun?” Elyssa asked, not hiding her own grin.
Amira sighed happily. “Liberating.”
There was a well of pain fighting its way through Amira’s eyes. She could see it.Freemust be a rare thing for the soon-to-be queen.
Peeking out from behind the booth, Elyssa spotted the guards hurrying away, looking for them. When they were out of sight, Elyssa got up, extending her hand to Amira. “Shall we?” she asked.
Amira glanced at her hand as if taking it had more than one meaning. A dare. An offer. Aplea.“Yes,” the princess replied, clasping Elyssa’s hand as she rose from the ground.
For a second, Elyssa got lost in her carefree smile, wishing Amira would confide in her, tell her why she felt the need to pretend, to portray this shell of herself instead of showingthisAmira. This true version whose eyes burned bright and whose striking grin sparked something in Elyssa’s chest.
“Excuse me,” a voice said, loud enough for Elyssa to pick up. Amira let go of her hand.
Elyssa turned to a fae girl, who had her hands on her hips. “What were you doing behind my booth?” The fae had chin-long chestnut brown hair, and her eyes were a vivid shade of sunset orange. She was pretty, no doubt about it.
“My apologies,” Elyssa said. “We needed a hiding spot.” Taking in the food displayed on the wooden booth, Elyssa landed on cinnamon buns. “You have a great selection here. What would you recommend is the sweetest treat?” Elyssa let a playful smile live on her lips. “Besides you?”
Elyssa thought she heard Amira coughing, but it could just be the wind.
The fae girl blushed, her smile showing her perfect teeth. “Oh, it’s all very, uhm, sweet. Try anything you’d like.” She bit her lip, a flirtatious tone in her voice.
“Anything, huh?” Elyssa replied, enjoying this more than she should. It’d been a while since anyone had flirted with her like this. Although the trader was not the one whose attention Elyssa was seeking.
The fae was about to respond when Amira moved in front of Elyssa, blocking her view of the pretty trader. “We should get going,” the princess said, fidgeting with her sleeve. Something told her that Amira didn’t like where this conversation was going one bit. Was the princess impatient to get going, or appalled by Elyssa flirting with agirl?She’d hoped Amira hadn’t taken to Allamyst’s disgusting views on same-sex relationships.
“Right,” Elyssa replied, stepping to the side as she sought out the trader’s gaze. “Another time, then. Save me something sweet.”
The fae girl smiled at her before Elyssa and Amira backed away from her booth.
“Was that really necessary?” Amira asked her as they walked towards the edge of the market where it was less crowded.
Elyssa took in Amira’s stern expression. Where was that free laugh of hers? She missed it already. “Why do you care? I got us out of trouble, didn’t I?”
“So it was about avoiding an argument?”
“Yes,” Elyssa replied. “And she was rather pretty, wasn’t she?”
Amira crinkled her nose. It was damn cute. “I don’t have an opinion on the matter.”
“I thought you would look for beauty everywhere, coming from Allamyst and all.”
Amira’s gaze found hers, a conflicting web of emotions swirling in rich purple. “Well, nother.” Something about the way she said“her” made it sound like she wasn’t as opposed to the idea as Elyssa had assumed.
Elyssa grinned at her. “Don’t worry, princess. She can’t hold a candle to you.”
Amira’s brows rose in surprise before she turned forward again.
A silence stretched between them as they headed deeper into Pyria. Walking through mostly deserted streets, Amira slowed. She fidgeted with her cloak.
“Do you want to head back to the palace?” Elyssa asked.Say you want to stay.
The princess turned her head, her lips shut as if she didn’t have an answer. As Amira opened her mouth to reply, a fae came sprinting around the corner. His shoulder crashed into Amira as he ran past them on the narrow path. Almost tripping, the princess put a hand on the wall next to them.
