Page 49 of The Heir's Bargain

Soon enough, the table in the corner quickly became our spot.

The tavern was one of the oldest establishments in the capital's village and had been in the current barkeeper's family for generations. The barkeeper's wife was constantly changing things and updating the place despite the history worn into each piece of pavement. Once, I asked Roth how he dealt with all the changes. To which he said, "I couldn't care less what this place looks like, but if it puts that wide smile on Bernie's face, who am I to interfere? There is no greater joy than seeing my wife happy."

I hadn't known how to respond to that. Why change something if it worked? If it held such history within the grain of the worn wood?

Some things, I supposed, weren't meant to be understood.

Like the amount of heads that now turned in my direction wherever I went.

No one had ever cared that I was best friends with Fynn. But now that he was courting me? It changed everything. Wherever I went, more eyes turned my way, more cursory glances tracked me, more whispers trailed every step I took.

I only agreed to come to The Splintered Oar tonight because Sylvia wouldn't stop begging me. And once the patrons drank a few more pints of ale, their gazes would surely fade.

I hoped.

I hadn't seen or spoken to Fynn since storming onto the castle's training grounds. Going days without seeing him shouldn't have made me anxious, yet my knee shook beneath the table. He said he would take this seriously, but I didn't know if I believed him.

And when I told him I hadn't courted anyone? The look on his face?

It made me question why I had agreed to this plan in the first place.

To make matters worse, my mother had dismissed the news about our courtship with a wave of a hand, saying she would believe it when she saw it herself. Sooner rather than later, we would need to make an appearance before her.

"Another?" the barkeep asked, approaching our table in the corner.

"When have we ever said no, Roth?" Sylvia asked, sliding their mug across the table.

Moris cheered in response, his mug crashing into Sylvia's. As Roth refilled the mugs from the pitcher of ale he carried, he looked at me expectantly.

I shook my head and brought the half-filled mug closer to my body. "Still on the first."

Deep wrinkles creased his rich black skin, and I dropped my gaze to the ale as I sunk back into the worn leather bench. Typically, I was the first in our trio to wave him over, but today, the ale wasn't sitting right.

"She's had a rough week," Moris said, a hand covering his mouth—as if that would prevent me from overhearing him when he hadn't even bothered to lower his voice.

"I have not," I mumbled.

"Oh, come on, you can't fool us. You know you expected?—"

I kicked Moris' leg under the table, and Moris glared at me.

"I'm all right for now, Roth. Thank you," I said, ignoring Moris' pointed stare.

Roth raised his pitcher, disbelief still deepening the wrinkles on his forehead. "Holler if you change your mind, all right?"

I nodded, even though I knew I wouldn't.

Roth walked away, turning his attention to another table as the band began strumming a lively song. Moris and Sylvia fell back into casual conversation, but I was only half listening, my thoughts wandering elsewhere. It was still early in the night, and spirits were high at the end of the work week. Yet, I couldn't help but feel a nervous energy filling the ale-soaked air. However, as couples moved toward the band, it seemed only I had noticed. Everyone's limbs were already sashaying to music, their lips loose as the chatter around the room increased in volume and excitement. Song after song passed, and the longer I sat there, the more the nerves grew.

Sylvia poked me in the side, jostling me and pulling my attention back to the table.

"What?" I asked.

"You didn't mention your new beau was coming, Ferrios," Sylvia said, wiggling their eyebrows.

My brows furrowed. "What are you talking about? He's not?—"

I choked on my words when Sylvia elbowed me in the side again and tipped their head toward the tavern's entrance.

---