If only I had my younger brother Rhainn’s penchant for poetry.
Her head lifts, but when her gaze finally meets mine, the words on the tip of my tongue vanish, and I find myself drowning in the golden pools of her eyes. In this moment, I finally understand why all the dragons in those storybooks hoard gold. Why it is the most valuable, most precious of all metals.
Her soft smile makes my own lips tilt up at the corners, as if she has complete control over me. When she lets out a soft gasp, I feel the air in my lungs. When I see the flutter of her pulse at her throat, I feel her heart thumping in my chest.
I clear my throat, breaking the spell this enchantress has cast, regaining some of my senses. But what happens next makesme wish I could give her back control, because I open my mouth and say, “Lemons for what?”
Thoseare my first words to this stunning creature. In a hundred years, when the two of us are happily married, she will be telling our twenty grandchildren this very story. Never mind the fact that I’m destined to marry another. In this very moment, that feels like such an insignificant detail we can surely find a way around.
I swear I can hear their laughter when they learn that I followed her, eavesdropped on her conversation with a merchant, and asked about fucking lemons.
The delicate skin at the corners of her eyes crinkles when she shoots me a dazzling smile. “For cheesecake, of course. It’s my favorite dessert.”
What a coincidence. Cheesecake is now my favorite dessert too.
The merchant returns, a whole basket full of lemons clasped in his beefy arms, as if he is trying to impress her with feats of strength. When he sees me, his eyes narrow into slits. I return his scowl with every spark of fire that flows through my veins. If he wants to fight, I will be more than happy to relieve him of his head.
The woman doesn’t appear to notice our silent exchange of hatred, reaching right into the basket and selecting a new lemon.
“Oh, yes.”
Her exclamation forces the man to look away from me, which obviously makes me the victor in our staring contest.
She nods, her hair falling forward, blanketing the front of her jerkin in sky blue. “This one is much better. May I have ten, please?” She replaces the lemon in the basket and withdraws a small purse from her belt.
Now is my chance to redeem myself after the awkward lemons comment. My clammy hands fumble in my haste to unhook my own purse and withdraw a gold coin. “Allow me.”
The man’s smile tenses as he reluctantly accepts the coin. Must be shite knowing he has to remain here with his fruit while I stroll off with this woman on my arm.
Her eyes widen as she looks upon me with sincere appreciation. The merchant fills a small canvas bag with ten lemons and hands it across the stall. When he goes to retrieve his own purse, presumably to give me change, I tell him to keep the coins, a consolation prize of sorts. I hook my hand through the bag and settle it on my shoulder.
What type of gentleman would I be if I didn’t offer to carry the woman’s bag—and anything else she wants. Her simple trip to the market is about to become an all-expenses-paid shopping spree, courtesy of Senan Vale.
I could imagine her wearing those golden earrings over there. Or that necklace with sapphires glinting in the jewelry shop’s window. And I can definitely picture her in that blue gown across the way, the one that crisscrosses in the front and shimmers like Ever Falls.
I follow the woman away from the stall, waiting for a shower of gratitude, which will provide me with the perfect opportunity to tell her that she can repay the debt by accompanying me to lunch. The winery up in Corva has excellent calamari. Does she like calamari? Not everyone enjoys food from the sea. There’s a fine restaurant in Noctua with a broader menu that sits atop a mountain overlooking a lake. Maybe that would be more impressive.
My plans die when she whirls, golden eyes fuming. “Are you mad?” she hisses, looking angrier than that ratty, one-eyed cat whose tail I accidentally stepped on when Aeron and I last snuckout of the castle. “Did you honestly think the amount of gold in your purse would impress me?”
I had, in fact, thought that. Not that I plan to say so aloud with the way she is glowering.
“I do not want, nor do I need your money. I can buy my own lemons.” She stuffs a hand inside the purse still clutched in her fist and shoves five coppers into my chest. I only take them because I don’t want the things to fall onto the ground and get kicked away by all the people milling around.
She steals the bag of lemons, which I suppose isn’t stealing at all since I purchased them for her. All I can do is stare down at the five coins and wonder what the hell is happening.
She sweeps a few cerulean strands back from her molten eyes. “Before you give out to me for not paying you back fully, it’s not my fault you chose to waste so much on fruit.”
We have clearly gotten off on the wrong foot. If I don’t put this to rights now, I may not get another chance. And for some reason, the idea of never seeing this woman again makes my chest ache. “Do you know who I am?” I ask.
When her gaze rakes from my potato-brown hair to my boots, I have the overwhelming urge to drop my glamour and release my wings.Thenshe will surely be impressed.
Her pointed chin lifts so she can look down her upturned nose at me. “You are Prince Senan Vale, third son of King Taranis of Kumulus.”
I guess I’m not an invisible potato after all. Why isn’t she swooning? Why does she seem so irritated by my very presence when I am so enthralled by hers?
She tugs free some hair captured beneath the bag’s strap and adjusts where it rests on her shoulder. “Unfortunately, Prince Senan, I did not come to the market in search of a mid-day tryst; I came to buy lemons. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have somewhere else to be.”
So, my reputation precedes me. She must know someone with whom I’ve had a mid-day tryst. Unfortunately, it is quite an extensive list because the whole “look, don’t touch” rule has only made touching that much more fun.