“Alright, then,” Corvin replied, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
“Is it okay if Nix comes along?” I asked. “I was thinking it might be a nice chance for the two of you to bond with each other.”
Then maybe Nix will stop calling you Bird Boy,I silently added in my head.
“Of course. Are you still thinking we should head into Sivell? The Whitebridge Marketplace? You’re going to travel most of the way there by boat, right? I’ll fly and meet you there.”
“That’s right,” I confirmed. “The Whitebridge Marketplace is close enough that I can return with more moonstones in the future.”
Corvin let out a small yawn. “Sounds great. I’ll see you soon.”
“I’m grateful you got the mirror back,” I told him. “I missed talking with you.”
“Me too. I’m glad Kygraw finally relented. Though he won’t let me have my cloak back,” Corvin grumbled.
“Hopefully soon. Sleep well,” I said, his drowsiness eliciting my own involuntary yawn.
He gave me one final, searching smile. His gaze roved up and down my body, like he needed to confirm I was really alright, that I had truly returned from Solaris safe and sound, after everything I described to him. “You too,Moonflower,” he replied, placing a tender emphasis on the words.
It was a name I fought to keep, and one I intended to hold close to my heart.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
“What do you think of the market?” Corvin asked after we’d perused the first row of vendor stalls.
Nix padded along at our side, now too heavy to sit comfortably across my shoulders.
What did I think?Wandering through the crowd made me glad we’d selected a medium-sized market. I could hardly fathom the number of people a larger city might have drawn. If you asked me, there were far too many bodies occupying the street, making it impossible to look at the stalls and booths on display without accidentally touching a stranger’s shoulder or getting unexpectedly jostled by the people walking behind you.
And the noise. The omnipresent sound of shouting voices as people haggled and bartered over wares. Not to mention the sweaty tang of the crowd, barely overpowered by the smell of freshly baked bread. “It’s all a bit overwhelming,” I admitted.
“Not as tranquil as your island, that’s for sure,” Corvin responded with a kind chuckle.
It’s not all bad.I snuck a sideways glance at his tall frame. Despite the chaos of the market, I always seemed to feel calm in his presence. And his enthusiasm for novelty was contagious. More than once, I found myself pausing to take another look at the craftsmanship on display after Corvin shared a kind word with the vendor or pointed out something I’d failed to appreciate at first glance. The wares on display were striking, but evenso, my eyes continually passed them over, gravitating upward toward the strong lines of Corvin’s handsome face.
My heart started to hammer, thinking about how this outing, unlike our other adventures, could be construed as a date. Was this just another chance for Corvin to help fulfill his debt to me? Or was he also aware this was the first time we’d been alone together since things…shifted…between us? Since we shared that kiss in front of the cottage.
Approaching the jeweler’s residence all but derailed that line of thought, reminding me wewerehere on business and therewassomething I wished to accomplish during our day at the marketplace, that had nothing to do with the frequency in which my gaze was drawn to the curve of Corvin’s lips or the strong arch of his brow.
The jeweler’s building was easy to spot—because it was positively swarming with guards. They were impressively outfitted too.Thieves beware.It was obvious the Jeweler’s Guild took no chances when they went to market, but that made sense to me. After all, theywerethe merchants with the most valuable wares.
At least, if the stained-glass windows decorating the building’s exterior were any indication. They must have cost a fortune. None of the other nearby shops looked quite so decadent. And of course, the richly dressed noblewomen, trickling in and out of the building, draped head to toe in sparkling gemstones, implied a particularly wealthy clientele. Corvin patiently agreed to wait for me, murmuring something about buying Nix some fish at a nearby stall.
I walked inside alone, ushered by the guards. The shelves of the shop’s spacious interior were overflowing with items for sale. My eyes skimmed over jewel-encrusted perfume bottles, dresses, girdles, brooches, necklaces, and much more. Thejeweler was clearly a master of his craft, because each item filling the shelves was more exquisite than the last.
He sat at the back of the room at a polished mahogany table covered in the tools of his trade. A small glass monocle stretched across one of his deep blue eyes, attached at the other end to a long golden chain. I located his name, Gail Grilask, neatly inscribed upon the framed license hanging above him on the wall.
“How may I help you?” the man asked, setting down the emerald in his hand.
“I’d like to schedule a meeting with the members of your guild,” I declared.
He scrutinized me thoroughly—like any self-respecting jeweler, his gaze went immediately to the moonstone pendant hanging around my neck. From there, his eyes trailed upward, lingering with wary surprise on my pointed ears. Even in the Kingdom of Sivell, the only place without a direct entrance to the Fae courts, the populace knew better than to break a deal brokered with the Fae, with someone like me. I felt a small degree of guilt over the intimidation tactic, but I was willing to exploit my Fae heritage if it meant convincing the jeweler’s guild to trade honestly with me, even if it was an empty threat since I didn’t actually understand how to make a magically binding deal.
“Who are you?” he asked, his voice guarded. “And why do you want to meet with our guild?”
“My name is Elvira Hallwell. But I possess another title, a much older title, that this realm has forgotten, but will one day know again. The Midnight Sovereign. I’m also known by another name—one more relevant to our business here. The Moonstone Maiden. I want to meet with your guild because I can offer you a steady supply of moonstones, and because I believe you may be able to assist me in return.”
The man scoffed. “We serve the Sivellian Noble Houses, supplying them with the highest quality gemstones money can buy. I’ve heard tales about a stone that shimmers with the light of the moon, but I can tell you right now, the guild has no interest in purchasing something out of a children’s fairy tale…” His face went pale, perhaps worried I would take offense at his choice of words.
