He smirked and let the ax have another log. “Do you always spy on men working?”
“I wasn’t spying. I was just checking… the weather.”
Alaric stopped and rested his elbow on the end of the ax. “And what’s the weather like, Malia?”
My blush only deepened. “It’s hot.” I waved my hand at him. “I’m heading to town today. You better get yourself cleaned up because you’re coming too.”
He only grinned and I hurried in, embarrassed at everything I said. “Hot?” I muttered to myself, shaking my head, trying to reason that it was, indeed, a hot day. And it had nothing to do with him.
Once Alaric wasready and we’d eaten a good, albeit a silent, breakfast together, we packed for the brief journey.
“You should go today,” I repeated as I cleaned the dishes, but Alaric gently put a hand on my waist, as if memorizing my shape. My cheeks heated.
“Alaric…”
He was making this harder on both of us.
But it almost seemed like he wanted to…enjoythis moment. Our last moments.
“If that’s what you want. But I will walk back with you… to make sure you’re home safe,” he said, then added. “I am a gentleman, you know.”
I laughed, and he rubbed his hand across my back before helping me pack for the journey. He was used to this.
And I secretly loved that he’d paid attention. It was strange… and so new, but I loved it. And I would truly miss Alaric being around my home.
When we madeit to town, I used Alaric as a shield against the prying eyes of the villagers. What would I do once he was gone? Everyone would spread rumors about how I’dput a spell on a handsome whaler, and then he mysteriously disappeared. The thought caused my stomach to tighten.
Maybe they won’t notice me with him,I thought, though it was in vain. Already a few villagers glanced at me, suspicious.
They didn’t say the words aloud, but their gazes said everything:
“Children-eater.”
“The cursed girl.”
“That poor whaler she put under her spell…”
Alaric walked a step ahead, towering, calm, casual, like he belonged here. He paused at a fruit stand, lifted a ripe noni with a grunt of approval, then began an easy conversation with the merchant. I shrank behind his broad shoulders, hoping the merchant wouldn’t notice me.
“That was a good storm last night. Your grove must weather it well to produce such beautiful fruit. That’s a miracle in itself.”
I shifted back and forth on my feet, eager to get out of there. That was all I needed: a simple noni fruit. So why was he striking up a conversation with the merchant?
The merchant laughed, shaking his head. “There’s only one miracle I see here. You’re still breathing after heading into the woods with her.”
Alaric didn’t even blink. He tilted his head towards me, my head down. “She saved my life,” he said.
Silence rippled across the market, as if everyone was listening. The merchant looked from me back to Alaric.
“You’d all be mourning if not for her,” Alaric added, and a lump formed in my throat. “I’m Alaric Galebourne.” Gasps and cheers sounded, something I did not expect. Alaricwaspowerful… The people did not have such a strong reaction to the prince as they did to this whaler. And whaling was illegal here in Corallure. The fact theylikedhim said a lot.
“Whatever you think of her,” he said. “You’re wrong. And as any of you know, I’m a good judge of character.”
“He is!” exclaimed some nearby sailors, lifting their pints to him.
But the crowd began to press in on us. “What did she do?” they asked.
“How did she save you? I thought she ate people for dinner!”
