I wondered what – if anything – would turn that cold and straight-spined warden’s eyes white?
I supposed it didn’t really matter. He wasn’t in the running to become my husband.
So I turned my attention to the two who were.
“Hi, guys,” I said with a nod and a smile. “I’m Shiloh. It’s good to meet you.”
Rivven made a sound behind me then. I twisted to give him a questioning look, but he was merely frowning over my head at the others.
“I have a gift for you!” Xennet announced. “The book that the good Tasha wrote informed us that human females enjoy flowers!” He shoved a light green hand into the pocket of his trousers and pulled out…Well, I wasn’t exactly sure, to be honest.
“What the blazes is that, Xennet?” Dorn asked, leaning over to look at the dark pile of stuff on Xennet’s palm.
“Well, it was a flower!” Xennet said with feeling. “But it is winter now! I tried to make this one last as well I could, but no matter what I did, it kept getting more and more dried out. I’m afraid, the time in my pocket has made it rather…crumbly.” He held his hand out towards me.
“Oh. Um. Thank you, Xennet.”
I put my own two palms together below his, and he dumped the pile of flower dust onto the cupped surface my hands made.
Finally, Rivven said some actual words to me.
“You do not have to keep that.”
“It was a thoughtful gift,” I replied. I smiled and made sure Xennet saw me put the dust into the pocket of my jacket. He looked absolutely thrilled by this, his eyes burning bright white.
“Shall we head inside?” Tasha asked. “It’s chilly out here today!”
“Oh. Inside? I thought…” I risked another glance back at Rivven. His expression was more serious than I’d ever seen it. His eyes were on me now. Very white. His jaw tense.
“I thought we’d do our usual routine,” I finished lamely. Of course, I wouldn’t get to just monopolize Rivven outside all day like we’d been doing before. I’d been really enjoying my time with him, working on the pond, but there were other people to hang out with now. It was selfish to think it, but I almost wished that the snow had kept Dorn and Xennet away for another few days. Not that I didn’t want to meet them – I did.
But it turned out I wanted alone time with Rivven more.
“We can do whatever you wish,” Rivven said softly. “We can go to the pond today, like always.”
“A pond? What will you do with a pond this deep in the winter season?” Xennet asked, producing a little treat from somewhere on his person to feed to his shuldu.
“We’ve cleared it off. To skate on it,” Rivven answered.
“Well, we will just come along, too,” Dorn said.
Rivven’s frown deepened.
“I did not make skates for you two. Only for us.”
“Us?” I repeated. “You made me skates?”
His eyebrows rose, like my question had surprised him. “Of course I did. Why else would I have spent all that time clearing the pond? If not to skate with you?”
“I thought…I thought it was for you! Because you loved skating!”
Rivven’s mouth softened, and he gave a quiet snort. It was a wordless response, but it spoke volumes.
It told me that he did very little just for himself.
But that he’d do a hell of a lot for me.
“Then it is decided!” Xennet exclaimed enthusiastically. “We will all go to the pond. And skate with Shiloh!”
