Page 50 of Wild Bond

“A fine choice, my lady,” the stall keeper observed. “Those are made from the finest Halmarish steel and crafted by one of their most renowned artisans. Had to pay him a pretty gent or two before he was willing to part with them.”

“How much?” I asked, though I wasn’t sure why. Trainees received a monthly stipend from the crown for necessities and to compensate their families, but I knew it would be nowhere near enough.

As he told me the price, my brows rose. I could save for several years and not be able to afford that amount. My heart sank. I let my hand drop and gave the stall keeper what I hoped was a lighthearted smile. “On second thought, I don’t think I need them.”

His expression remained a professional mask as he dipped his head. “As you wish, my lady.”

I turned to face the two men at my back and smiled, probably too brightly. “Sorry for the detour, shall we continue?”

Rake gave me a look I couldn’t quite read and began to offer, “I can—”

“It’s fine,” I interrupted. “I don’t need them.”

He shut his mouth and nodded. I could see that he knew there was no point arguing, but the hard line of his mouth told me he wasn’t happy about it.

I wasn’t sure if Zade had caught the exchange or not. When I looked over to where he had been standing, he had moved to a stall a few paces down. He was talking casually with the woman there. If I wasn’t such a proficient at sleight of hand myself, I would have missed the fact that the woman reached under the table and slid something to Zade with one hand while she accepted payment from him with the other. All of this was nearly hidden by the fold of her skirts and the cloth covering the table. He picked up what I knew had to be a random trinket from off her table as if he had purchased it, thanked her, and then strode back to us casual as could be. Valla followed him.

He dropped the trinket into my hand and declared, “For you, Button.”

I glanced down to see that he had bought me a thin necklace made up of a simple silver chain. I looked back up at him in surprise and pleasure. “Thank you.”

He shrugged. “Don’t mention it. Besides, I had to get you something to remember our trip by, since you won’t let his broodiness over here buy you those daggers.”

“Oh?” I scoffed. “Are you sure it wasn’t just to disguise what else you bought from that woman?”

I heard Rake’s rough chuckle at the look of shock on Zade’s face.

“She has you there,” Rake grinned. His blue gaze had warmed considerably as he looked at me. “Quite observant, aren’t you, little thief?”

A small thrill went through me at his words and the rare levity in his expression. His whole demeanor had softened slightly. Not that I thought Rake could ever fully turn off that lethal edge, but it was at least dimmed for the moment.

I raised my chin a little. “Very observant.”

Rake’s eyes gleamed. “Well, then,” he said thoughtfully. “I can’t very well allow myself to be outdone by that pretty boy over there, can I?”

“Uh, excuse me,” Zade interjected. “First off, I resent, or rather resemble, that comment because I am rather stunning, and secondly, have you looked in a mirror?”

Rake continued as if Zade hadn’t spoken. “Since daggers are off the table, I’ll just have to find you something better than that measly necklace, won’t I?”

I grinned. “It only seems fair.” The stiffness I had sensed from him earlier was gone, replaced by a teasing light in his gaze. I loved getting a glimpse at this rare side to him. The man was mercurial, that was for sure.

I gave the chain to Skye. She hummed at the tiny silver necklace and puffed her jade scaled chest out a little as I dropped it around her neck.

Mine?she asked, staring up at me hopefully.

Yours, I thought back to her.

“Challenge accepted, my friend,” Zade proclaimed, rubbing his hands together in mock anticipation.

I couldn’t help my amusement at their antics as we began to make our way back down the path between stalls.

We spent the next hour with each of the men buying me one ridiculous bauble after another, each time trying to outdo the other. At first, they bought me semi-useful things like candies, a scarf, soaps and lotions, and even a low-slung cloth body bag to hold it all. But then Zade found an elixir that made it so you could throw up on command, supposedly for medicinal purposes, and things deteriorated from there. I drew the line when Zade found me a feathered headdress made of bright purple feathers from a magical creature I had never heard the name of. I made him take it back.

My favorite gift, however, was a silver ring Rake gave me that was made up of a pair of dragon wings that wrapped around my finger and touched gracefully at the tips. It was both delicate and feminine, and somehow fierce at the same time. ‘I thought you would like this’ was all he said when he slipped it on my finger. I was glad Zade wasn’t around when he did, because I had to fight to keep that annoying blush from my cheeks as I thanked him. Then I had to mentally remind myself not to read into it.

I wasn’t foolish enough though to think that buying me outrageous gifts was all they were doing. I didn’t miss that while the men purchased me one ridiculous gift after another, they were also having quick, casual conversations with the shop or stall owners. Often quite a bit of money exchanged hands, way more than the worth of what was supposedly purchased. Remembering what Rake had originally said about why we were here, I played along. A few times, Rake or Zade even slipped away for a few minutes, and I would have no idea where they had gone before they reappeared again.

I didn’t question them about it, though, to avoid drawing attention, as people watched us wherever we went. I remembered doing much the same thing when I was young, staring unabashedly the few times a dragon or their rider had ventured into the lower city. I had to admit it was a little unnerving to be on the opposite end of those stares now, but I forced myself to pretend they didn’t bother me. The three dragons were really what drew the most attention anyway, and Skye, for her part, was soaking it all up. Once, when a little child was brave enough to come close, she even pretended not to notice when he patted her tail.

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