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He was not ready for that yet. Right now, he simply wanted to enjoy her smiles while he could.
She was smiling at him now. “It’s true that, for a marriage of alliance arranged on such short notice, we’re doing really well. And I’m optimistic that we will be blissfully happy eventually, considering you find me humorous, and I adore your battle scars. Yes, it’s also true that we’re still awkward and getting to know each other, and I don’t know what you’re thinking most of the time, but I’m not sure that is a truth everyone else needs to know. Does that make sense?”
“Yes.” Once again the word popped out due to panic more than thought. But her rambling relaxed his tension. “My family will hear about our trip to Estyra.”
“Rumors travel fast around here, I take it. It would be best if they believed we are happy. You are happy, right? Or, at least, you said you don’t regret marrying me.” Essie’s scowl flashed across her face so quickly he would have missed it if he had not been watching her. The grimace was replaced with a smaller, more tentative smile as she glanced at him. “In Escarland, a newlywed couple often holds hands in public. It shows everyone they are disgustingly happy together. Do elves hold hands?”
“Yes.” He froze. Hold her hand. He could not.
Could he?
Heart pounding so hard it might just tear apart his chest, Farrendel reached for her hand before halting short.
Essie smiled and full-on clasped his hand, their palms together, her fingers wrapping over his knuckles. “This is how we humans hold hands.”
His brain was exploding again. He could not breathe. Or think.
He yanked his hand free, gasping in deep breaths as he tried to force his swirling mind to think.
Worse than the panic tightening his chest was the way Essie’s face fell, her smile slipping before she managed to hide it. He had hurt her by pulling away. She had been reaching out to him, working to make this relationship real, and he had just shoved her away.
He drew in a shuddery breath and forced himself to move. Hoping she could not tell how his hand trembled, he twined his first two fingers with hers so that the backs of their hands were pressed together. “This is how we elves hold hands.”
The grin that lit up Essie’s eyes made everything worth it. Her fingers tightened around his, and she stepped still closer, their shoulders brushing. Essie set out walking toward Estyra again, and Farrendel matched her stride.
Their clasped hands swung between them. All he could think about was the warmth of the back of her hand against his. She was so close he caught a whiff of the grass scent of the shampoo he left in the guest room.
He had stocked the room to give an excuse to purchase another set of items from Illyna. He had purposely chosen one of her slowest-selling scents available to help her clear out inventory.
For some reason, the scent did not seem right for Essie. Visiting Illyna’s shop would have to be one of the first places he took Essie in Estyra. He had the feeling she would appreciate it. And Illyna would know what would be exactly right for Essie.
As they stepped into Estyra, the relaxed bustle of the town closed around him. His fellow elves strolled along the grass-covered paths around the shops built into the trees. More people wandered along the upper paths formed of branches and swinging bridges.
His breath caught in his chest, and he forced his pace to remain steady. It was not crowded. The people would stare, but they would not bother him. He was fine. He would be fine.
Essie craned her neck, her mouth gaping, as she took everything in.
He might have kept studying her, but a prickling started at the back of his neck. An edginess clawed at his stomach, a wariness deeper than just the staring people.
Farrendel darted a discreet glance around, his gaze skipping past the people sneaking glances at their prince and his new human bride and settling on a flash of familiar chestnut hair.
Iyrinder. Weylind’s head bodyguard. He was not even trying to hide his presence. He simply pushed away from the tree where he had been waiting—a place where he would see if Farrendel went to Estyra either by the back way or by the main path from Ellonahshinel—and started following Farrendel and Essie.
Farrendel gritted his teeth, though he kept his expression blank to avoid alerting Essie. Apparently his brother thought Farrendel could not take care of himself. What did Weylind really think would happen? That Essie would attempt to stab him in the back in the middle of the street in broad daylight? Even if Essie had been an assassin—which she certainly was not—no assassin was that foolish.
Apparently, he had been right when he told Essie his family would hear about their trip to Estyra. Not only would they hear about it, but Weylind would get a detailed update from the spy he had set to watch them.
Even knowing the person tailing him was Iyrinder, that itchy feeling at the back of Farrendel’s neck did not go away. He kept a wary eye out, but he did not see anyone else who was following him. Though, enough people were staring at him and Essie that it would be hard to pick out someone who was staring for more nefarious purposes than curiosity.
Still, the prickling did not go away while he and Essie ate breakfast or as Farrendel led Essie down the side trail that led to Illyna’s shop.
This section of Estyra was quiet. The trees grew closer together. Half of the buildings grown into the trees along here were homes rather than businesses. Fewer elves wandered the trail, while others sat in chairs, reading books or the morning news sheet.
With his fingers still clasped with Essie’s, Farrendel led the way up the stairs until they reached Illyna’s shop. As they stepped inside, the overwhelming scents flared inside his nose, though his muscles relaxed.
Essie’s mouth gaped farther open, her eyes wide as she glanced around at the neat rows of shelves grown into the walls, each shelf filled with jars. Essie spun to him. “Is this…does this shop sell elven shampoo? Like for my hair? Or your hair, I guess. Is this where you get it? Because whatever you use on your hair must be amazing because it’s always so perfect. It’s probably more elven magic, isn’t it?”
Yes, this was the perfect place to bring Essie, based on her excitement.
