What was I going to do? Here I was, moments away from being taken down by something as simple as a lack of papers.
Black spots filled my vision as my heart pounded in my chest. I was seconds away from fainting when Xander reached into his pocket and withdrew a wrinkled sheet. I couldn’t read the words from where I stood, but it appeared to be some form of identification.
“Here you go, sir.” Xander handed the guard the sheet of paper. Staring at it, I wondered exactly where Xander had gotten it.
Did he just walk around with fake marriage identifications? Did he get them from Nonna? Was this whole thing a setup? I resisted the urge to look behind my shoulder, to see if the Winged Soldiers were there, waiting to catch me unaware.
Before I could continue down my spiral of fear, Xander squeezed my hand. He leaned in close to the guard and winked, lowering his voice as though he was imparting an important secret.
“My wife and I are traveling to Breley for business. We had hoped to take a detour through Thyr. Extend our trip for a couple of days away from the eyes of her parents.” He winked at the guard. “We are seeking some time alone—if you know what I mean.”
The soldier laughed crudely, slapping Xander on the back.
“Do I ever,” the guard chortled. “All right then…” He scanned the paperwork. “Mr. and Mrs. Whitefall, go right ahead. Might I recommend you take your pretty wife to the Winter Market, Mr. Whitefall? She looks like she may enjoy some of the baubles being sold today.”
The soldier blatantly ogled me once more, his lecherous gaze remaining on my breasts as he handed Xander back the papers.
A snarl rose in my throat at the male’s continued disrespect, but before it could come out, Xander was already tugging on my elbow and dragging me through the city gates.
The moment we stepped through the city gates, it felt like we had entered another world. My eyes widened at all the sights.
Tall buildings towered on either side of us as puddles of questionable origin filled the gutters lining the cobblestone streets. People hurried down the road—so many people. I hadn’t even known this many people could exist in one place. They moved with purpose towards their destinations.
I looked up, taking in the lines stretched between the buildings overhead. Garments swayed in the wind, blocking the view of the clear sky.
“Look out!”
A shout came from behind us, and Xander pulled me aside just as a horse and rider went barreling past us.
“Hey!” I yelled. “You idiot! Watch where you’re goi—”
Xander drew me against him, pulling us both into a nearby alley before pushing me up against a wall. He bent down to whisper in my ear, his breath warming my skin.
“Get a hold of yourself, Sunshine,” he growled with his hands on my shoulders. “I know anger is your first response to every single thing that happens, but you can’t go around yelling at everyone you meet.”
“That horse almost ran us over,” I hissed, standing on my tip-toes so I could meet Xander’s gaze. “Not to mention the soldier who was practically undressing me with his eyes. It was disgusting.”
Xander shifted back, crossing his arms as he stared at me. “Who are you, Ana? Have you never met anyone before in your entire life? If you think that guard’s behavior was bad, you are in for a rude awakening. I’ve met people ten times as bad as him. Most people in this country wouldn’t blink an eye before putting a female like yourself in her place.”
“Is that a threat?” Widening my stance, I clenched my jaw. Pressing my back against the grimy brick wall, I ignored the people walking by as I kept my eyes locked on the male towering over me.
He shook his head, his nostrils flaring as he huffed. “Good gods. Thisfemale. No, Sunshine.” He took a step towards me, glowering. “I wasn’t threatening you. I’mtellingyou that people here won’t hesitate to deal with someone like you.”
“What does that even mean?” I snapped.
“It means that there’s only so much that I, as your husband—”
“Fake husband,” I interjected, my voice hard. “Fake. I would rather die than be married for real.”
He growled, running his hands over his face. “There’s only so much I as yourfake husbandcan do for you if you step out of line.”
“Is that so?”
“It is,” he ground out through clenched teeth. “It would behoove you to behave.”
Xander stepped forward, putting a hand over my head as he leaned in close. I stared at him; the air becoming charged between us. Both our chests heaved, the foot between us seeming at once both a mile and no space at all.
I seethed, “Perhaps if people want me to behave better, they would act deserving of such conduct.”