Chapter 19

Nineteen

Market day in Rolara had always been something I'd dreaded. A necessity, though I'd always felt the lingerings of guilt when villagers lined up near my usual stall before I even arrived.

I should enjoy this more,I'd always thought as I'd lugged my cart of potions all the way from the Black Veil into the village. Every month, like clockwork. People depended on my potions. They made their lives better. And it did make me content. There was a sense of pride in my work.

But I was no longer the fresh-faced, starry-eyed recruit in the Healers' Guild as I once had been. I'd hidden myself away after Aysia's tragic death, unable to take the whispers and pitying looks that followed me everywhere I went. I was comfortable in the Black Veil, comfortable in my solitude with my glowflies and Peek for company.

Every month, as I lugged my cart to the market, there was a sense of duty now. Duty because I was a keeper of glowflies and the keeper of the rarest of them all—shadevines. Duty because I'd taken an oath, bound in magic. Duty because…well, I needed the money to keep my cottage running, to buy any provisions I needed, and to pay the witch for the monthly protection spell.

So, no, I didn't enjoy going to the market under normal circumstances.

But today?

Today, I hurried from the Black Veil at the crack of dawn and made for Rolara.

When I'd first encountered Lorik all those months ago, when he'd sauntered up to my stall with a mischievous smirk, his keen eyes scanning my table, covered in a cloth with holes in it…that day had begun to make market days a little more interesting. Because I always knew he'd be there. I'd had a silly, childish, fun crush on the mysterious Kylorr-Allavari male…

Only now I knew him. I knew he was as charming as he looked. I knew he could kiss me until I felt like I was floating and that he made my tea perfectly in the mornings. I knew the way his arms felt around me, how they made me feel safe and protected.

I knew I liked him and he liked me too. And I knew that I was in danger of falling in love with him. And I knew he'd left me in the washing tub nearly four days ago and he hadn't come back…

My heart was in turmoil, a maelstrom of emotions. Elation and hope that I could see him today—because he'd always been at the market days. Disappointment and hurt because I felt abandoned, with no indication of when I'd see him next.

When I reached the town's outskirts, I saw that the banners and streamers signaling the market day had been put up overnight. Colorful ribbons that danced in the cold breeze. Most of the vendors during the event had their own shops in the village…but there was a sense of community and excitement surrounding the market, a small celebration in itself to close out the end of every month. There would be music and dancing and food. And overpriced items that you could buy for half the following day in the village.

I wasn't the only one to arrive early, and I nodded at the familiar faces as I passed. I'd arrived so early today that there wasn't a line for once in my usual place, and I felt a sense of relief. I could take my time this morning, arrange things just so.

And most importantly, I could keep an eye out for Lorik.

But the morning came and went. Lorik didn't show. He was nowhere to be seen. And in between fulfilling orders and stashing away coins in my pouch, chatting with customers who always asked probing questions about the Black Veil and how I could stand to live in such a desolate empty place, and dodging any sympathetic comments about my sister—which I still received even now…I never saw him once.

As the morning stretched into the afternoon, I started to get worried. He'd never missed a market day, and he'd said his summoning was urgent. What if something had gone wrong? What if…what if he was injured?

I sold the last of my potions long before the market was over. And still, I sat at my stall. I ventured over a food stand selling smoked-meat sandwiches with root chips, and it tasted like ash in my mouth. I wandered the market, my purse of coins clinking noisily against my hip, though I tried to keep it muffled so a brazen thief didn't get any ideas.

But as vendors began to pack up their carts, I felt a slump of defeat, worry, and disappointment. And I began to do the same.

I finished quickly, now eager to leave because the dark could come soon and I didn't want to trek through the Black Veil at night. But I could hear the crunch of footsteps behind me as someone approached.

"I'm all out of everything," I told them when they cleared their throat. I had my back turned, had been used to saying the words all afternoon. "I'm sorry."

"Never thought I'd hear those words coming from your lips, Marion," came a familiar voice.

My teeth grit, a surge of distaste going through me, even though I'd decided to try to move on.

Remember what you decided,I told myself.

When I turned, I saw Veras there. His guard stood a handful of paces away, giving us the illusion of privacy.

"Veras," I greeted as politely as I could manage. Just because I'd decided to move on…it didn't mean I had to like him. I likely never would.

His smile was small, his eyes assessing as he studied me and my cleared table. I imagine other females would find him very attractive—Aysia certainly had—but I just felt nauseous thinking about him in that way.

"Good day at the market?" he asked.

"It always is," I said back, raising a brow. When his lips quirked, I blew out a small breath, casting a look to the sky, at the sinking sun. "Habit. Seeing your face just brings out the bitch in me."

Veras barked out a sharp laugh. "I'm one of the only Allavari who wouldn't take offense to you telling me to fuck off, Marion. For others? Not so much."

"Why are you here?" I asked, ignoring what went unspoken—that he treated me differently than he treated others. Because of Aysia. "Market days aren't usually your priority as you make your rounds."

"I told you before—I've always watched out for you, Marion."

"But you never needed to show your face to do it," I said back, tossing the hole-ridden tablecloth into my empty cart. I needed to speak to the witch before I left, to schedule her to come to the Black Veil soon, and I was suddenly impatient to leave.

"I'll walk you back," he said after a lengthy silence. He wasn't dressed in his usual clothes. He looked almost…casual. Gray pants and a black coat, though both were still expertly tailored with a talented hand. His boots even had a scuff on them. "It's getting dark."

"I don't need your help."

"I'm not asking," he murmured, his eyes straying behind me to the line of trees in the distance. "The Black Veil has seen more and more Severs coming through."

I jerked my head up to him. "What do you mean?"

"Just that the activity is increasing," he told me, his gaze returning to mine. "My guard and I will escort you back to your property line. We won't step foot inside. Then I'll leave. You don't even have to speak to me on the journey, but there is something I want to say to you."

I knew it,I thought, both worried about what he'd tell me for Lorik's sake and annoyed because he likely wanted something from me. An antidote for one of his men, perhaps? He'd asked before.

"I don't have any more night nettle for antidotes," I informed him.

"It's not that," he said, smiling.

"I still have to talk to the witch."

He shook his head. "I'll pass on your request to her tonight. I'll be in that direction anyway for a dinner party."

I hesitated for only a moment more. The sky was darkening quite rapidly over our heads—and it looked like a storm might've even been brewing—and I didn't want any trouble home.

"Fine," I told him. "You can escort me home. But don't think I'll serve you tea afterward. You leave when we get there."

"Can I visit her grave at least?" he wondered.

I exhaled a sharp breath, a soft note in his voice making me feel guilty.

"Yes."

"Did you…did you give her the wreath?" he asked next.

"Yes," I said, sighing. "I did."

"Thank you," he murmured. I nodded and went to take the handles of my cart. "Emell will get the cart—don't worry about it."

His guard, I realized when the hulking Kylorr stepped forward, inclining his head at me. I let it be—there was nothing worth stealing in it anyway—and walked toward the boundary of the Black Veil.

Vendors packing up their wares observed us as we passed, but I kept my head down to avoid their stares. Veras, however, smiled and greeted everyone we passed. Ever charming, keeping up appearances. I nearly snorted.

When we entered the line of the forest, Rolara faded away and there was a sense of relief that wiggled through my bones. Veras, however, seemed on edge. He didn't like the Black Veil. Which was ironic because I'd always thought he, out of anyone, should feel the most at home in its dark, rotting depths.

But instead…it was me.

Behind us, I heard Emell pull the cart over a fallen log, but Veras got right to it.

"Where's your lover?" he asked. "Lorik, isn't it?"

Veras knew perfectly well what his name was.

"You wanted to talk to me about Lorik?" I clarified, casting him an observing look. He slid his arm through a canopy of low-hanging vines from the tree above, like he was parting a curtain for me, and I stepped through it.

"Yes," he said. "I wanted to warn you about him."

I stilled on the unmarked path, though I knew the way to my cottage like the back of my hand. Turning to face him, I leveled him a look with narrowed eyes. I was torn. One part of me wanted to defend Lorik, to tell Veras to stay out of my business. The other part? He knew something about Lorik that I didn't. Something I wanted to know…but it would betray Lorik's trust if I asked, wouldn't it?

But he'd been gone for four days. I hadn't heard a single thing, not a delivered note or a scrap of a message. I didn't even know when I'd see him again because he'd given me nothing.

"I don't know where he is," I said, answering his question. There was no harm in answering a question wasn't it? "He didn't tell me."

"Ah," Veras murmured.

I started walking again, but I didn't hear the creak of my cart nor Veras's footsteps as he followed.

"Lorik is a Sever, Marion."