Page 11 of Storms of Allegiance

“I’m not running away with you, Nik,” I warned. After everything she’d done for me, I couldn’t abandon Amara like that—not even for Miranda. “If you really have a workable plan, you’ll need to convince Amara of that, not just me.”

He nodded once, the movement abrupt and the shadow in his eyes at odds with his apparent agreement.

“Delphine!” A distant call from inside the market reached my ears, bringing the rest of the world rushing back to my awareness.

“Luna.” I looked toward the end of the alley where I could see a glimpse of the back of two stalls and the crowd beyond.

When I turned back, Nik was staring in the same direction.

“Tonight,” he said abruptly. “At the inn. After your birthday meal. I’ll be there to convince Amara.”

“Wait, what?”

I heard my name called again and glanced back toward the market, frustrated. I needed longer to question him. He couldn’t say all that and then just…

Disappear. I sighed as I surveyed the place he had been standing. I couldn’t see his exit route, but somehow Nik was already gone.

ChapterFour

Iemerged into the market feeling dazed. Luna immediately pounced on me, her face creased with concern.

“There you are! What happened? Where did you go?” She clutched my arm as if she was afraid I’d disappear again if she wasn’t holding onto me.

I leaned a bit closer so I could lower my voice in the noise of the crowd.

“Nik.”

She reared back, her eyes wide. “Here? In the market?” She looked wildly from side to side.

I shook my head. “I think he’s gone now.”

But even as I said it, I snuck a glance around myself, remembering my unanswered question about how long he had been tailing me. Was it possible he was still here, just keeping out of sight? I couldn’t imagine a reason why he would hang around, but I felt certain I wouldn’t see him if he wanted to stay hidden.

We continued to wander around the market, pretending to look at the stalls, but it was hard to muster any interest in shopping after the shock of Nik’s return. And even the celebratory evening meal Amara had organized at the inn struggled to hold my attention.

The others had returned from their day at the law keepers’ hall early enough to join us for the meal, but there had been no time for me to pull Amara aside before it began. As we ate, I caught Amara sending me a series of concerned glances. I couldn’t explain my mood to her, though, not with Serena and Clay present.

Clay didn’t know anything about Nik’s involvement in our fight with Grey, and while Serena knew the prince had helped rescue her, I didn’t think I should tell her he was back. But although I kept quiet, I couldn’t stop myself constantly glancing at the door and even the windows. I knew logically that Nik wasn’t going to come bursting through one of them into the inn dining room, but I couldn’t seem to keep still.

When Amara caught me looking for the twentieth time, she leaned closer, her brow lined.

“Delphine?” she murmured. “Is something wrong?”

I shook my head slightly, keeping a smile pasted on my face. “Later,” I breathed back. “I’ll tell you after.”

Amara sat back, accepting my words, although she still watched me with a curious gaze. At least Serena seemed oblivious, too impressed with the feast to notice my odd behavior.

“The inn in Tarin doesn’t cook anything this fancy.” She poked at an elaborate roast duck with a serving fork.

“Will you have to head straight back?” I asked, unable to think of a more interesting conversation topic when half my mind was on what would happen after the meal.

Serena nodded, something in her face catching my attention. “After going reneger, I don’t have a lot of leeway. Of course my master agreed to this trip given Master Anka had sent for me specifically, but I have to return in the morning.”

I glanced from her to Amara, real curiosity flaring. Did that mean the issue that had occupied them all day was resolved? Or just that Serena’s part in it was done? From the somber faces of the three older mages, I was afraid it was the latter.

“Do you not want to return?” I asked, wondering about the reluctance I had seen in her face.

She sighed. “Tarin isn’t the most comfortable place for me right now. But I know it’s my own fault. I just have to win back people’s trust. And to do that, I have to return as quickly as possible.” She brightened. “I don’t know how I’ll move a step after stuffing myself so full, though.”

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