Kellan at least looked amused.“I would prefer that my parents not know that I am arranging my own marriage,” he admitted.“I hope you will help me to maintain that privacy.”
“Of course,” Celia said, as the line moved forward and so did they.
“Though I can't promise Montgomery won't read it or stay silent,” Darian warned.“He doesn’t have the best morals.Perhaps you’d prefer your father’s messenger?”
Kellan relaxed.“I’m not worried about Montgomery.I've heard of him.I don't think he can harm me.”
At Celia’s questioning look, he continued, “Montgomery's daughter is one of my sister-in-law's best friends, and I grew up with her husband.If Montgomery tries to say anything about me or my family, I'm sure Beatrice and Alexander will stop him.”
It must be nice having noble connections.If only he had a way to pressure Montgomery to do as he wanted.But maybe the nobility lived by separate rules.For all he knew, maybe magic wasn't illegal for them—given the way Kellan had reacted when Darian joked about it.
Or maybe he knew more about it than he was letting on.
Darian’s mind flashed back to the moment in the meadow with Guinevere and Kellan's brother Gideon.Most people didn't go so close to the Gloaming Mountains to forage, and yet Gideon had known about the dragons, and Guinevere had seemed perfectly at home there.
So perhaps Kellan knew far more than he was letting on, but Darian was not going to be the one to inquire further.
Lord Kellan knew where to find him if he had more questions.
It wasn’t as if they’d be able to make magic legal again.
They made their way to the front of the line and Darian paid for four of the cinnamon rolls.Linnea smiled at them as she put them into a box, and Thea hurried over and pressed his coin back into his hands.
“Keep it,” she said.“I meant to bring some the last time I came to the store and I forgot.Your uncles deserve a treat every now and then.”
“I can pay for it,” Darian protested.
But Thea shook her head and motioned for Linnea to serve the next customer in line.
Lord Kellan ordered a dozen muffins, and Linnea didn't even seem surprised.
“A dozen muffins,” Celia murmured.
“They make the best muffins,” Kellan told her.
“That’s what Darian told me,” she said, reaching for his hand.
“We’ll make sure to send your letter off right away,” Darian said, squeezing Celia’s hand as he gently began to pull her toward the door.
He didn't want to share this time with her with Kellan.
He had more cheering up to do.
“Thank you,” Lord Kellan called after them.
“My pleasure, my lord,” Darian said, nodding his head as he towed Celia into the sunshine.
Celia relaxed as the sun hit her face, and they began walking toward the general store, where his uncles exclaimed in delight.
“You brought a cinnamon roll!”Uncle Bram said with glee.
“I did,” Darian said with a smile.
“You see?You do love us,” Uncle Amos said as he dug in.
“Thea wouldn't take money for them,” Darian said instead, and his uncle grunted.
“Of course she wouldn't.Stubborn woman.We'll slip some extra coins into the bag next time.”
