Page 47 of Auctioned Mate

Her radiance came back at full volume, showing me the brilliance of her smile and her contented giggle. She lifted her paper cup from the bench beside her and took a sip, staring at the fountain for a moment as she leaned against my shoulder. Her touch was light. Her face was free of the usual bitchy expression.

All that remained was what felt like home.

“Juriah?” she asked softly as she extended her legs. “What did you do that you feel like you have to punish yourself?”

She overheard my conversation with Izdor, I thought timidly.I can’t tell her. She’ll see me as a monster.

I squeezed her hand firmly, waiting until she squeaked to cue my release. I wrapped my arm around her then and held her close to my side, conveying every gentle intention possible. “Something I don’t speak of.”

“Why don’t you tell me?”

“I suppose you’re not the only one with trust issues, little wolf.”

Amusement danced over her tone. “So, there is a crack in your armor. I was waiting for that one.”

“My armor holds the strength and beauty of the great goddess herself. Why, the stars would bedazzledto find themselves reflected in the sanctity of my armor!”

She sat back and laughed, glorious giggles that rang through the roundabout, matching the whimsical trickle of water from the fountain. I could see now she was joking, and I joined her with a few timid chuckles. It was hard getting used to her jokes since her attitude had been more stubborn than friendly as of late.

But this was wonderful. I could get used to being like this with Macy.

“Sensitive,” she commented while rubbing my knee. “I like that. I like sensitive.”

“I don’t see why I shouldn’t feel the scope of my emotions.”

She beamed. “You’d be surprised how many men don’t think that way.”

“And so, this realm continues to baffle me.”

“Yeah, well, what can you do?”

I stared blankly at her. “Don’t you hold rallies and festivals?”

“Yes, but they don’t always work. Some people are just stuck in their ways, you know? They don’t want to be kind or gentle. They just want power.”

“Such things are familiar to us in Estaria.”

Witnessing her sadness hurt me, but I knew she was merely sharing the load of that burdensome statement.

“It’s hard to think a magical place could be so unfair,” she admitted. “But I guess everybody has problems.”

I nodded. “I fought in a war. I was a commander. I’ve seen things done with magic that weren’t magical at all.”

“That sounds terrible, Juriah.” She held my shoulder. “When you’re ready, you can tell me. I can promise you I’ve seen some pretty fucked-up shit in my life.”

“Yes, they would be considered fucked-up, as this realm would put it.”

Her grin shone once more, reminding me of the light that dwelled within her. “You’re really catching on, huh?”

“I’m learning as I go.”

“You want to learn some more funny phrases?”

I motioned for her to continue.

Our afternoon unfolded with a lightness unmet in our previous encounters. Between our first meeting atMossand our current circumstances, I couldn’t have ever predicted this kind of engagement. She was remarkable in every way, understanding, and patient with my questions about various phrases.

Sitting with her now felt entirely different from how we’d met. There was something different between us, something that made me feel like things had changed. When I tapped into her aura, I noticed a new color resonating way down deep underneath the rest. It was a sunflower yellow, a starry hue that made me think of warmth and comfort.

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