“She may be unruly, but it doesn’t bother me much having to watch her,” another guard winked, taking a sloppy drink. “Especially when she’s training with her weapons. She definitely has the stamina of a sturdy woman and the body of a well-paid whore,” he said, and the group howled with laughter.
My lip twitched in disgust at the way they talked about women, but I didn’t dare breathe a word as they continued.
“No, I think she is determined to get herself killed or, better yet, one of us,” one whined. “She isconstantlytrying to sneak into town. She would be better suited staying put and doing womanly duties, like her mother.”
The group grumbled in agreement.
She sneaks out, does she?
My mouth quirked up in a grin. My plan was coming together before my eyes.
I remained in the corner as the guards finally got up to leave. This trip had, in fact, not been a waste. Leaning back, I stretched out one arm, resting it on the now empty chair beside me, and crossed my ankle over the other knee.
Sighing with satisfaction, I let the tension roll off my shoulders as I watched a drunken couple stumble out the door, laughing.
As soon as the door closed, it opened again. I froze as a woman entered. When she glanced up, she looked straight at me and I felt everything at once. The pull. The lust. The blinding, overwhelmingneed.
The bond.
I was staring at the most beautiful woman I had ever seen and she was my mate. I knew it in my soul as we locked eyes.
She had long, dark hair, hidden in her cloak—as if that could hide anything about her. She stood out like stars against the night sky, commanding attention. Her eyes were a piercing storm gray, the same color as her blue-gray tunic, and her lips were full and red, begging for my kiss.
My fingers itched to touch her as I felt her gaze roam over me and then…
She looked away, walking to the bar.
Did she not feel this?
I gaped at her as she waved at the blonde bartender. They clearly knew each other.
What is she doing here of all places? If they knew each other, she must have been here before. What was a Fae doing in Auryna?
My gaze was locked on her, lost in thought, when she peeked over her shoulder at me, immediately jerking back to the bar when she realized I was still staring after her.
So she felt it, at least, but why would she ignore it like this? Does she not realize what this is?
* * *
I sat in the corner as she spent the night at the bar chatting with her barmaid friend. Several people came and went, stopping by to speak with her for a few minutes before moving on. She was clearly a regular here.
As the night came to an end, people started to clear out, and I stood, easing my way to a closer table. I slumped in the chair, resting my chin on my hand with my elbow on the table, and faced my back to the bar, just close enough to overhear her.
“I think I might need to go home soon. I do believe if I have one more, I won’t be able to walk back, much less climb,” she said to the barmaid, chuckling.
Climb?
The barmaid laughed lightly, sadly.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay, Ara? If you can wait until we’re closed, I can walk you as far as I can, so you don’t have to go alone,” she offered.
Ara, I whispered under my breath.
“No, I’ll be fine,” she replied, sighing. “I don’t know what I’ll do come tomorrow, but at least my last night of freedom was nice. Thank you, Livvy. How much do I owe you?”
“Oh no, hun. Tonight was on the house,” she whispered, coming around the bar to hug Ara.
This is so strange.Last night of freedom?None of this made any sense.