I pointed above his eye. “You moved your eyebrow.”
His cocked eyebrow immediately lowered. “Pardon?”
“Your face moved. Normally, it doesn’t do that.” His forehead furrowed ever so slightly, and I grinned. “You did it again.”
As if realizing he was sharing facial expressions, his demeanor smoothed entirely. “How very observant of you, Miss Hollaran.”
I just grinned more.
For the briefest moment, his gaze fell to my lips, but then he cleared his throat and nodded toward the door that he stillheld open. “Are you going in?”
Cold air swirled around us, the snow thickening, and the wildling sitting at the desk inside the inn shot us an irritated look. It probably didn’t help that I’d already opened the door half a dozen times to bring my supplies in.
I ducked inside, and Kole followed, closing the door after himself, but I stopped at the threshold, almost making the warrior bump into me.
I twirled around and scrunched my nose up at him. “It is odd, though, to see you again, especially here of all places.” I didn’t tell him that I’d sensed his presence the other day after I’d heard that strange growl in the Wood.
“Is it?” he asked, his bland voice giving away nothing, as if it was completely normal that we were running into each otheragain, in the wilds of the shifter kingdom nonetheless, and in some tiny village to beat.
“Yes, it is definitely odd.”
He shrugged. “Coincidences happen.”
“Are you both checking in?” the wildling behind the desk asked, forcing my attention to her.
I pushed off the strangeness of our paths colliding for a third time and sidled up to the check-in desk. Crackling from the inn’s fireplace overtook the howling wind outside, and the scent of mint filled the air. Candles burned near the desk, their subtle aroma permeating the entryway.
Aramifinwaited expectantly, already standing with herledger open before her. Hooved feet clapped the wooden floor quietly every time she shifted position.
It was a small inn, with only the check-in desk, several hallways stretching from it, and a lone stairwell in the corner. A cozy fireplace with a glowing fire crackled across from the wildling employee, and the music from the salopas across the street could still be heard, but it was faint through the walls.
I smiled pleasantly at her, but her attention shifted momentarily to the large siltenite warrior at my back, and I was fairly certain the huge sword strapped to his back was the reason for her gulp. Or perhaps it was Kole’s open demeanor and friendly smiles. I snickered internally at my sarcastic humor.
“He’s harmless,” I said, my lips tugging up. “An enforcer of the law, in a way. You’re safer with him here, even with that sword of his.”
A throat cleared behind me, and I was curious if my comment had rattled Kole’s composure. It had thrilled me to see his eyebrow move and then his forehead furrow. The thought of an actual scowl brewing on his face elicited a pleasant shock in me that definitely bordered on the realm of disturbing. Perhaps several days on the road by myself, with only mental check-ins with Gwen and Ree to keep me company, was making me a bit desperate for excitement. Or maybe the Stone was affecting me again now that Kole was back. Who knew.
Smacking myself internally, I said happily to the wildlingstaff, “But yes, checking in please, as you probably noticed from all of the supplies I dragged in.” I waved toward the mess I’d made.
The ramifin dipped her long head. “I figured as much. Do you have a reservation?”
“No, but it’s just for one night.”
“Place your hand here.” She gestured to the crystal ball that sat beside the ledger, and I placed my palm upon it.
Magical bands encircled my wrist, keeping my hand in place as the crystal’s power siphoned my identifying information onto the wildling’s ledger. My name and home address appeared, scrawling upon the page as though written from an invisible hand.
“Whiteolf, eh?” She cocked her head, her snout looking even more elongated with the movement. “You’re a long way from home. We don’t see many Mistvale fae up here. Hunting the Stone, are you?”
I offered an unconfirming shrug. “Have many ventured this way after the Wishing Stone?”
She shook her head. “Only a few beside you, thankfully. From what I hear, most have gone to the eastern coast, in the direction it was seen headed. Is the Stone why you’re here too?” she asked Kole, her focus shifting to the warrior.
He didn’t reply, and the ramifin hastily returned her attention to the ledger.
She finished her work, and with my information carefully catalogued, the inn employee held out her hooved hand for thenecessary rulibs. I counted the coins from the small purse tucked in my cloak and handed it over.
Finally, she gave me a key. “Upstairs on the second floor, third door down.”
