“If you can’t stop looking uncomfortable, then you need a reason for it. So now we’re on a terrible date.”
Did he just decide that’s true so he could say it?
Emlyn tickles my side as he weaves me through the crowd toward one of the merchant stalls—a simple wood table creaking under the weight of woven baskets of fruit, its owner shouting about his goods.
Heat rises to my ears as I smack Emlyn’s hand away. “Stop that.”
“You know you like it.” He plasters his most annoying smirk across his face. “Now what would you like to eat, flower?”
“Please don’t call me that.” I don’t need any stupid nicknames.
“How about some figs?”
“There are no figs.”
“What?” Emlyn widens his eyes, then looks at the merchant, a stout fellow with dusty black hair. “No figs today?”
The merchant looks back and forth along the path, then grunts. “I might have figs tomorrow.”
Emlyn clicks his tongue. “I can’t wait that long. I’m only passing through.”
“Let’s just get the pears,” I say, but Emlyn pushes his fingers against my mouth.
“Shush.” He doesn’t even look at me. “Is there anywhere else I might find some figs?”
The merchant rubs his thumb along his chin while I yank Emlyn’s fingers off my lips, then gives a sharp huff. “The tavern down the way serves fig wine. They get busy after supper.”
“Wonderful! Thank you very much. We’ll take some pears.” Emlyn hands the merchant some wooden disks that I assume are money, then fills my arms with fruit.
“We can go now, flower.” He pushes me along as I attempt to keep the pears from spilling out of my hands. “Let’s find an inn and see if we can turn this date around.”
“I hate you so much right now.”
“I can work with that.” He pinches my side, and my body jerks, causing a pear to spill to the ground where someone immediately kicks it.
“Hmm,” he says. “Too bad. Less for you. Now let’s go.”
He drags me through the crowd to an inn suspended in the forest canopy. The second he closes the door to our room, I throw the remaining pears at his face.
“What the fuck was that all about?”
Emlyn drops the ones he caught onto the bed, which is apparently the only piece of furniture in our tiny room. He draws the animal hide hanging beside the window across it, plunging us into shadow.
“Quiet down. You were acting suspicious. If you’re gonna draw attention to yourself, it’s better to have an obvious reason for it instead of making everyone curious. And people avoid the overly affectionate.”
I guess that makes sense.I grumble to myself as I sit on the edge of the mattress. It’s firm, as if stuffed with straw.
“Why is there only one bed?”
Emlyn peeks out the window. “Because Taran doesn’t pay me enough to afford two.”
I blink in surprise. I was expecting a comment about wanting to bed me.Could I have pushed him away one too many times?
My chest sinks. I should say something. But what?
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Emlyn, I—”
He drops the curtain as he turns to me. “I need to go back out—hear what people are saying. You’re gonna stay here.” He pauses at the door. “I’ll be back later, then we’ll get supper at the tavern.”
