Page 94 of Omen of ice
Valen appears on my other side. He glares at Daroose. “Um?”
The kelpie pushes away from the bar and throws up his hands. “You’re really not supposed to chug it…”
“Was that bad?” I pick up the cup and swirl the tiny bit left at the bottom. The red liquid coats the glass, and for some reason, it’s the funniest thing I’ve ever seen.
I laugh, and Valen, who’s been glaring angrily at Daroose until now, joins me.
“Everything all right?” The barkeep leans against the counter. He has my leather ribbon draped around his neck like a prize. “She only had one. Don’t normally hit the Fae like that.”
I open my mouth to tell him that I am most certainly not Fae, but Daroose slaps his hand against my lips. “First drink. Girl’s a lightweight.” The piskie nods and shuffles off, and Daroose turns his attention to Valen, who is tapping his foot to the beat of the piskie girl’s humming. “What in the Goddess’s name is wrong withyou?”
Valen jabs a finger in my direction and snickers. “Tania’s drunk.”
“I am not!” I hurl my empty glass at him. He manages to move, and it shatters against the wall behind him. It’s the single most amusing thing I’ve ever seen. A giggle escapes my lips, then turns into a hysterical chortle. I catch the bartender’s annoyed gaze as I topple off my stool.
“Apologies.” Daroose hefts me off the floor and scoops me into his arms while Valen continues to laugh. “I’ll just get them out of your hair.”
Out into the fading light, Daroose carries me to the edge of the square as Valen trails behind. I wave to him, giggling as he skips after us. I can’t recall ever seeing him so damned happy! The smile on his face makes everything about him more extraordinary. His eyes are brighter, his cheekbones sharper. Several shorter strands of inky black hair escape the ponytail he’s pulled them into, fluttering into his face. He’s beautiful.
“For the love of— Stop staring at him!” Daroose grabs my face and turns it away from Valen. “You look like you’re about to start drooling.”
“Sorry. He’s just so pretty.”
Valen stomps his foot and jabs a finger at us. “Ah-ha!”
The kelpie is furious, and I don’t understand why. Doesn’t he feel what I do? He had the same amount to drink as me. He should be dancing and singing and laughing his kelpie heart out in appreciation of all the beauty around us! “Kelpie needs to smile more.” I pinch his cheek as he sets me down under a large hickory tree.
Valen lumbers up and throws an arm around Daroose’s shoulder. “She’s right, you know. You might not be as irritating if you smiled more.” He waves a hand in front of his face. “And bathed.”
Daroose snorts and ducks out of Valen’s reach. “Says the little Fae with a permanent scowl on his lips.” The kelpie inclines his head toward me. “Except, of course, when you’re sneaking a peek atmydruid.”
Valen scrunches up his nose. “Yours?Don’t you belong toher—not that she actually wants you.” He whirls to me, his lips turning down. “You don’t actually want the stupid man-horse, do you?”
“Stupid horse?” Daroose stomps his foot. “Hang on a minute.”
I stand and wedge myself between them, throwing one arm over Daroose’s shoulder and the other around Valen’s waist. “What if I said I wanted both of you?”
The kelpie’s eyes widen, and Valen pales.
I lean over and kiss his cheek. “Or if I said I wanted neither of you!”
I dislodge from them both and bound across the square, to the edge of the farthest row of trees. This morning, I had so much to think about, so many worries and fears. Now they seem to have slipped away, and I wonder how I haven’t suffocated beneath the weight of them all.
The tree closest to me is tall with tiny, waxy leaves and delicate, bright-pink blooms. “These are amazing. What are they?”
Daroose groans and joins me at the tree. He picks one of the flowers and places it in the palm of my hand. “Piskie bell. They only grow in areas where the piskies have settled. The piskie’s natural pheromones promote growth. It’s what they use to make the ale.”
The pink flower is so fragile, so small that it’s hard to see. I can fix that, though. I’m a damned druid! Closing my eyes, I imagine the flower growing larger. The smooth skin of the petals stretches, and the weight in my hand increases.
“What are you doing!” Daroose snatches the thing and hides it behind his back. “Are you trying to give yourself away? If someone sees—”
I try to get the flower back, but he steps out of reach.
Thankfully, Valen is closer. He snatches the bloom. “Itispretty. I know what would make it prettier, though.” He blows out, and a cloud of frosty air engulfs the flower. When it clears, the thing is encased in ice. He hands it to me. “Here. Something worthy of such a being of beauty.”
Daroose makes a gagging sound. “I’m going to be sick.”
“Do I want to know why the barkeep told us to come round up our children?” Delkin stops a few feet from the tree line, arms folded and scowl firmly in place.
