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“Why not? A tavern is a perfectly good place to discuss such matters.”
I bolt up from my seat, fearing she will find a way to worsen this conversation. “Give me the money,” I say, holding out my hand. “I’ll get the drinks.” Right now, I would do anything to shut her up. Even approaching Nolan is preferable to continuing this discussion.
Eliya grins triumphantly at me. “Conparios.” Her velvet coin purse appears in her hands. Metal clinks as she chucks it over to me. I catch it clumsily.
“What do you want?”
“Wine. Any will do.”
With a deep breath, I head toward Nolan’s counter.
Soon I will become a Mage of Nolderan—provided I pass my trials, of course. That means I can order drinks from a bartender. No matter how handsome he may be.
Despite my silent words of encouragement, my hands are shaking by the time I reach him. What if I imagined him asking me to come here tonight? What if he doesn’t recognize me?
I clutch Eliya’s crimson coin purse tightly and hope he doesn’t notice my trembling.
As soon as he finishes serving his current patron, he sweeps over to me. His head tilts to one side as he studies me.
A silence lingers between us. His emerald eyes lock with mine. Everyone else melts away. Even Eliya.
I don’t dare breathe, worrying it will come out as a sudden gasp. His gaze is so intense that sparks of lightning pulse through my nerves.
With how potent this energy is, I wonder whether he too can feel it.
I break our stare to glance back over my shoulder. Eliya is watching us. When she catches my eye, she pretends to drink from an imaginary goblet.
That’s right. Drinks.
I turn back to Nolan. His eyes haven’t strayed from me. My breath catches in the back of my throat. Surely he doesn’t gaze at all his customers like this?
“I...” Words fail me. I clear my throat and try again, this time with more force. “I was wondering whether I could have two goblets of white wine, please.”
“Will it beVedemia, Jasone, orEnti Adega?” he asks, his eyes remaining fixed on me as he speaks.
“Um,Vedemia, please.”
“For both of you?”
“Yes, please.”
Only now does his gaze leave me. He reaches behind him for two goblets and a bottle ofVedemia. He pulls out the cork. Before I can wonder whether he remembers me, he asks, “How’s your arm doing?” He tilts the bottle over the goblet nearest him, and the bubbly liquid flows within.
“Better,” I reply. “Thanks for asking.”
Nolan inclines his head in a slight nod, while I inwardly curse myself. Why can’t I think of anything better to say?
He finishes pouring wine into the first goblet and reaches for the other. “Reyna Ashbourne, wasn’t it?”
I grin widely at him remembering my name, and probably end up making myself look like a fool. But I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised he remembers me, since he was sober. Or at least, I think he was.
“Yes, and it was Nolan, right? Nolan Elmsworth?”
“Indeed, it is,” he replies, popping the cork back into the bottle.
He’s almost finished serving me, and so far all we’ve discussed is my arm and our names.
As Nolan turns to place the bottle ofVedemiaback onto the shelf behind him, I glance over at Eliya. She shoots me a thumbs-up. I’m sure if she actually heard our conversation, it would instead be a thumbs-down.
