My stomach drops.
She is envisioning outfits for her. Probably already undressing her in her mind.
Planning, perhaps, how best to present her female once she has succeeded in stealing her away.
The silk brushes Moe’s arm. Lis murmurs something into her ear. Moe laughs.
I grip the nearest stone column so hard dust crumbles beneath my fingers.
How much has she laughed today? More than she laughed with me yesterday?
That thought lands like a blade to the ribs. No matter how injured I’ve been since we got to Aimaxion, I’ve never felt a pain so potent.
At one point the crowd thickens and a group of larger warriors shoves between them.
Before I can react, Lis catches Moe by the waist and pulls her neatly against her side to keep her from being jostled.
My vision tunnels.
Waist. She touched her waist. That is not accidental. That is not protective. That is ownership.
Possession.
By the Seven, that is a declaration, clear like the two moons!
Moe’s hand catches briefly against Lis’s forearm as she steadies herself. Neither of them immediately move away.
My heartbeat pounds in my ears so violently I scarcely hear the market around me anymore.
Gods. I don’t know how much longer I can stand in the shadows andnotdo anything.
They stop at a perfume stall and Lis selects a vial. She uncaps it, and gently takes Moe’s wrist.
My entire body goes rigid.
She presses the scent against her pulse point. Then leans in to smell her skin.
Everything inside me goes perfectly still. I may actually black out.
She is smelling her.
Smelling.My. Female.
And she’s doing it in public. Without shame. Without even pretending subtlety.
And Moe—my sweet, innocent Moe… She blushes.
A roaring sound fills my ears.
This is catastrophic!
This has progressed far beyond what I initially feared. This is no mere flirtation. This is active courtship. Aggressive courtship. Possibly pre-betrothal.
My thoughts begin deteriorating completely.
Has Lis already confessed to her?
Has Moe confessed back?
