Page 10 of The Noldrin Witch

Elise cursed lightly. She hoped Morgaine had a good idea of what she was doing.

The guard kept her gaze on her, but before he could say anything, the sound of a horse spared her the trouble.

A man in fine clothes approached the gate.

Elise was taken aback for a moment. She felt time slow as her gaze swept over the fine gentleman.

Accustomed only to modestly attractive men, she could not help but think the heavens had been unusually generous in his case. This was not the typical handsome fellow from Noldrin; this one made Edward look like a defective specimen. His strong frame and perfectly chiseled face, crowned by light brown hair, made his blue eyes feel as though they could look straight through a person’s soul.

Elise could tell the man was tall even when seated high upon his black horse. He was strong indeed, much in the style of his countrymen. He was handsome enough to draw a few sighs from the women around and polite enough to pretend he was unaware. There was something in the way he held himself in the saddle that spoke of power. He didn’t say a word, yet Elise felt something in his stare. He looked at her without apology or restraint.

She felt immediately overwhelmed by the attention. Then she remembered the state of her own appearance—her dirty dress, her dust-covered hair—and any suspicion of admiration from a gentleman like this vanished faster than dust in the air.

She broke the comely man’s gaze and lowered her head as she felt her cheeks grow warm.

The women around, still marveling at the sight, began to murmur, and soon the name of the striking stranger touched their lips.

“The Duke of Dornheim,” a woman whispered, just loud enough for Elise’s sharpened senses to catch.

Elise lifted her gaze again, only to be shaken once more. The man was still looking at her, while the guards rushed to open the gates without question or delay.

“Is there a problem here?” the duke asked, only then breaking his steady study of Elise.

“These fine gentlemen were just about to let us in,” Morgaine said as she stepped to Elise’s side again, shooting a defiant look at the guards.

The handsome stranger glanced at Elise, this time with some worry in his dark blue eyes. “Are you faring well?”

Elise glanced to either side, wondering if the question had been meant for someone else. The man waited, his lips parting as he did.

She gathered some resolve and spoke calmly, “I’m just trying to enter the city, my lord.”

The duke did not need to be told twice. As sharp in wit as he was in looks, he immediately ordered the guards to let them pass. The guards obeyed at once, and soon Elise and Morgaine were stepping onto cobblestone instead of soil.

He followed just behind them, as though escorting them. Elise could feel his eyes on her as Morgaine seemed utterly entertained by the situation. Once they had crossed the gate, Elise’s gaze met his for a brief moment before he dipped his head and went his own way.

It was one of those moments when Elise wondered why fate allowed the most handsome man she had ever seen to witness her at her worst. She was, therefore, grateful no introductions were made. As for Morgaine, Elise was ready to take her leave when the woman spoke.

“Quite an impression you made on one of the king’s most favored gentlemen,” Morgaine said. “If you had planned it, it could not have gone better.”

“I see,” Elise murmured, unable to erase the memory of the handsome stranger. Perhaps her thoughts were too plain, for Morgaine added, “Careful with him, dear. You might be pretty, but that one is the king’s best man, and those rare few are not meant to mingle with foreigners, especially someone from Falaine.”

Elise felt her gut sink. She would have preferred to hear that he was a simple man of commerce, or at least of a lower station, but it was as it was; he was a duke in any case. She was not about to let a brief, traitorous beat in her chest dull the excitement of finally being in a new city far from the gossip of Noldrin.

“I must go to the apothecary for a few things, darling,” Morgaine said. “Would you care to come? I could show you a bit of the city.”

Elise paused. Kind as Morgaine seemed, she was convinced the woman was no respectable acquaintance. Still, she could not help but wonder why a woman of that sort would need an apothecary. She had, after all, seen her give a vial to that man the night she found them in such…circumstances.

In the interest of fairness, Elise ventured, “What did you say is your trade, good woman?”

Morgaine smiled. “The oldest profession, my child.”

Elise swallowed.

Regrettable, though not unexpected.

Out of curiosity, and before parting, Elise whispered, “If you don’t mind me asking, what’s your fare?”

She had never met a lady of the night. It seemed a missed opportunity not to inquire. Elise’s imagination began to run wild, picturing the sort of services natural to that line of work.