I glanced at the staircase she waved to in the entryway’s corner and sniffed, trying to detect a hint of food in the air, but the only smell that greeted me was the burning mint candles. “Is food offered here?”
She shook her head. “You’ll have to venture across the street for that. Unlike most inns, we don’t have a salopas as well.” She shrugged an apology, but I smiled and waved away the trivial matter.
“It’s fine. I’m happy to go across the street. What was your name by the way?”
Her head snapped back. “My name?”
“Yes, I’m Primelle, as you can see on the ledger, but nobody calls me that. Feel free to call me Prim.”
“Ah, right, um, nice to meet you. I’m Nivinity.”
I grinned, taking great pride in the fact that a Stonewild wildling had actually told me her name. I’d half expected her to ignore me given their reputation. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Nivinity. I’m sure I’ll see you again before the night’s over.”
She blinked, as if unsure how to respond, but then she dipped her head.
“Bye for now.” I waved cheerfully, strapped my pack to myback, and began to collect my things, lifting each item awkwardly.
Nivinity glanced at Kole, who’d been unsurprisingly silent. “You’ll have to have your information processed by the ledger as well, even if you’re staying in the same room.”
My eyes rounded to saucers, my mouth dropping. I swung toward Kole, but he was merely staring at Nivinity.
“No, we’re not. I mean, he and I aren’t—” I tried to slow my words, but my heart was suddenly racing. “He and I aren’t stayingtogether. We barely know each other.”
Nivinity’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh, sorry, I thought you two were a couple.”
“No, we’re not,” I blurted, just as Kole said, “No need for an apology.”
His more tactful response made my cheeks burn. I quickly gathered more of my goods and began shuffling toward the stairs. Of course, that was difficult. Between my pack, boxes of supplies, and the long cloak I was wearing, I nearly dropped everything.
It was only as I reached the stairs anddiddrop the box containing my cured meat and cheese that the warrior’s aura brushed against my back. I wanted to smack myself at my clumsiness, but I didn’t have a free hand to do so, so all I could do was watch as a wheel of cheese rolled across the wooden floor while the package of meatthunkednear Kole’s feet.
Perhaps Ishouldbe using my telekinetic magic even if it draws attention...
“Sorry about that.” My cheeks warmed, and I tried to bend down.
Before I could grab what I’d dropped, Kole reached for the box and easily placed the meat and cheese back inside it. From there, he took the remaining boxes I held along with my pack. He did it so quickly, as if automatically.
Empty-handed, I shuffled from foot to foot. “Oh, um, thank you.”
He abruptly stilled and glanced at what was in his arms. For the briefest moment, a look of surprise coasted over his features, as though he didn’t understand how all of my goods were now being carried by him, but then he said gruffly, “I’ll uh, take this up for you.”
He climbed the stairs quickly, not faltering once under the weight of my supplies, and despite my heart pounding when a rush of his scent curled around me, I hurried back to the entryway to grab everything else, then flashed Nivinity another smile in hopes of distracting myself from my latest visceral response to the warrior. “I love that necklace you’re wearing.”
She brought a hooved hand to the small gem encased in silver at her throat and smiled shyly. “Thank you.”
Ihmmeda happy response, then climbed the stairs after Kole.
When I reached the second floor, my breaths came faster than they should have for a single flight of steps, but the warrior was already at my chambers, my supplies neatlystacked beside the door, and his height, impressive sword, and broad shoulders once again stole my attention and threatened to star in my next round of vivid female fantasies.
“Where are you staying?” I asked and beamed, hoping to cover up how easily he affected me. I inserted the key into my door’s lock awkwardly since I still held two boxes.
He nodded at the fourth door. “That one.”
“So we’re neighbors,” I replied, still struggling with the key. Seriously, it should not have been this hard, but Kole was standing so close to me, and apparently, coordination was no longer something I possessed.
The warrior reached out and took the key from me, our fingers brushing in the process. For the briefest moment, he once again grew still, but then he broke our contact and easily inserted the key and opened my door.
Warmth bloomed on my cheeks since my fingers still tingled from the brief touch we’d shared. “Again, thank you.” I shook my head sheepishly. “I swear I’m not normally this clumsy.”
