Tristan tracked the body chain’s design beneath his shirt. It fastened like a choker around Austin’s neck, then fell in a straight line across his sternum. Tristan’s eyes shifted right, following the delicate chain across his ribs. Austin swore he felt something like breath against his nipple.
Tristan’s hands rested on his sides, gripping tightly. All of him was tense. He blinked. “Very well. Do you have someone in mind?”
“Reba.” Austin looked meaningfully at the carriage door. Tristan opened it and offered his hand, guiding Austin up the steps. The inside was velvet and plush, the walls a soft black fabric. There was a windowed door on either side, but coloured glass was used, so Austin doubted those looking from outsidecould see them clearly. When the door shut, it was very difficult to make out any details.
Just outside the door, Tristan exchanged a short word with Inx. Austin thought he heard Inx say, “I think Prince Hal might decide to personally oversee our training after today,” to which Tristan replied with an ill-tempered growl. Austin peeked out, catching a flash of an amused grin as Inx turned away.
Tristan followed Austin into the carriage, claiming the spot directly opposite him. A long, appreciative look slid over Austin’s body, and Tristan’s fingers twitched, as if he was envisioning taking hold of him.
Austin lifted his brows. “Problem?” Of course, dressed like this, nothing out of his mouth would be taken for anything even close to innocent.
“No,” Tristan said.
He spent the entire carriage ride staring at Austin.
Chapter Fourteen
Austin peered out the window as the wild green pressed back from the road and civilisation took its place. They passed a crowded dock teeming with oxen, carts, and men, where goods were loaded off ships and whisked away into the city. Inx rode out ahead to clear the road, though the carriage did most of the work for him. People saw it coming and scattered aside.
Warehouses became businesses, and before long, they were on the edge of the market street, bustling with activity.
Tristan climbed out of the carriage first and turned to offer Austin his hand. Nerves fluttered through Austin’s stomach as he accepted it. It had been a while since he’d been near so many people. The crowd gave their group a wide berth, though curious onlookers peered at them. Austin felt the prickle of attention pass over him and tensed.
Tristan’s chin lifted. His expression was…proud, maybe? Austin puzzled over it. Proud of the market? Proud of the city?
The ocean was one row over, visible through little streets between buildings, and busy with ships. Tristan followed Austin’s gaze. “The water is unpolluted. If you wish to swim, we can do so here.”
“This close to a city? It can’t be clean.”
“This city has always been ruled by merfolk. Not even used tea leaves end up in the water,” Tristan insisted.
Austin’s natural inclination was to suspect people broke rules as soon as they could get away with it, but the waterwasvery blue. “Hm.”
Tristan stuck close to Austin’s side as he began walking, and bar Eli and Reba, their entourage peeled away. Tristan greeted the occasional vendor and received greetings from every city guard who wandered past. Austin took his time going from stall to stall, examining what each had to offer.
Earthy, woody scents filled the air around a stall of tanned leather and the adjoining stall of leather jackets, trousers, shoes, weapon sheaths and book covers. Through a jam of people, Austin spotted a stall with rolls of fabric, soft stuffing and pillows. Embroidered edging and lace. A stall tucked in the shade of a bright orange awning held a table of glass jars, claiming antidotes and rare ingredients. A woman with comically large glasses and nimble hands guarded a table of jewellery. Austin stopped to examine a string of sapphires, strung on a bright silver chain with a lariat drop. Little hooks joined it to a cream, lacy garter.
Tristan leaned in. “Would you like to try it on?”
Austin looked sharply at Tristan. The vendor gave Tristan a similar look. Tristan’s blue eyes darted between them and settled on Austin with a puzzled look. He leaned in close and spoke into his ear. “Did I misspeak? I think it would suit you.”
Austin made the conscious decision not to be irritated with Tristan. The suggestion didn’t seem aimed at embarrassing him. He slid a look at Eli and moved on. When he wandered to the next stall, Eli stayed behind to buy the piece.
Austin kept his attention carefully off the man selling the string of horses. He looked at stacked crates of strange lizards on one side of him, then woven baskets filled with colourful birds on the other. He stepped to the very edge of the horse merchant’sstall and asked the bird merchant about a sharp-eyed falcon perched in a metal cage among all the baskets.
“He’s a hunting bird. I breed them carefully, and his line has some psychic abilities,” the man explained.
Austin gave the bird merchant a prompting look. “Oh?” But really, he was listening to the argument between the horse man and his customer.
“They’re worth five times that,” the horse man was saying. “Look at how quietly they’re standing amongst all this bustle. They’re the soundest animals on the ground you’ll find on the continent. They’re trained for riding, pulling carriages—”
“Carriages?” the customer interjected. “That one’s ewe-necked, that one’s got one eye, andhistoes are almost pointing at each other! And look at the pastern line on those back legs? They’re meat, man!”
The horse man reddened. “None of their conformation issues affect their way of going. They’re all sure-footed and sound, and sound of mind too. They’d ride to war for their handler.”
“I’ll give you five silvers for him.” The customer gestured to the biggest of the lot. “He can feed my wildcats. I have a pretty batch from the east.”
The horse man’s answer was immediate. “No.”
