Page 18 of Sky and the Grumpy Troll

“I didn’t think you’d done anything wrong. We’ve arrived.”

I blinked and looked up. The road had climbed into rocky foothills while I’d been otherwise occupied, and a town had materialized out of the hillside, stone buildings with heavy doors, built on a scale that made me feel like a kid in an amusement park. Through a tavern window I could see trolls eating their dinner. A blacksmith’s forge sent sparks across the street.

“Sorrend,” Moerrven said. “We’ll stop for the night.” He glanced at me, and his brow furrowed. “Are you all right? You look flushed.”

“I’m fine. It’s the sun.”

“It’s been overcast for an hour.”

“Maybe it’s allergies, then. New varieties of pollen my body isn’t used to.”

He looked at me for one more beat before turning back to guide Clover toward a large building at the center of town. An inn. Poppy yawned on his shoulder and stretched, her claws pricking through his shirt, and he tucked her safely into her basket before we reached the inn, making sure she wouldn’t get distracted or lost.

I held The Stonewall Bride against my lap like a shield and waited for my erection to subside.

Chapter 6

Moerrven

I was still pulling Clover to a stop when Sky hopped down from the bench, landing with the light-footed grace of a dancer.

“Is that a bakery?” He was pointing across the square at a shop with a flour-dusted awning and the warm, yeasty smell of fresh bread drifting from its open door. “It smells incredible. Can I get pastries? I’m getting pastries. Enough of your pickled whatever. Do you have cookies in Qoksmere?”

“Sky, we need to—”

“Oh, come on. You can have some, too.” He held out his hand, palm up, with the absolute confidence of a person who had never once been told no. “I’ll be right back.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted two trolls who were pointing at me and Sky, whispering something and giggling. So instead of arguing, I dumped a generous stack of coins into Sky’s hand, realizing the soulmate news had already reached Sorrend and the damage wanted containing.

Sky grabbed the coins and took off across the square at a trot, and I eyed the giggling, whispering trolls warily.

The innkeeper’s name was Hoalla, and she had clearly been gossiping about me.

“Moerrven Mossren!” Hoalla bustled out from behind the front desk the moment I stepped through the door. She was broad, sturdy, with arms that could have wrestled an ox. “We heard! The whole county heard! Jodvara sent word via pigeon. What a lucky man, to find another soulmate after such tragedy! Where is he? Let me see him!”

My stomach dropped. Of course the gossip had traveled faster than Clover. “He’s acquiring pastries. Hoalla, I would appreciate some discretion—”

“Oh, he’s shy about it? How sweet.” She clasped her hands together. “I’ve put you in our finest room! Best bed in Sorrend. Biggest, too. You’ll need the space!” She winked. “For the pair of you. I read your books; I know the kinds of things you enjoy with your lovers.”

“We would prefer two rooms.”

Her face fell. “Two rooms? But you’re soulmates! Has there been a quarrel?”

“There has not been a quarrel. We simply—”

“Oh, I understand.” She tapped the side of her nose. “Taking things slow. Very romantic. Very traditional. But unfortunately, because you only sent word that you needed one room—”

“—the note on the carrier pigeon specifically requested two!”

“—I have given our last free room away. So alas, we must place you together. In our finest room.” She winked.

I looked around the empty inn. “You gave your last free room to whom?”

“A very tired group of travelers. Went straight to sleep, no time for the tavern or anything! I couldn’t say no, you see.”

The empty inn around us said otherwise. “You have no other—”

The front door banged open. Sky appeared, flushed and triumphant, holding a large paper-wrapped package aloft like a trophy. “I found pastries. The baker gave me this sample because I’m, and I quote, ‘pocket-sized and darling.’” He showed us his prize, a sticky cinnamon square already leaking glaze over his fingers.