Page 87 of Twin Crowns

Rose chose her next words carefully. “She certainly does seem to adore you. As much as a horse can adore a man. And you never seem to give her much direction.”

Shen settled back in the sand, propped up on his elbows. “I just know how to talk to her, that’s all.”

“I hear you’ve got a gift for sweet-talking horses and women.”

He raised an eyebrow. “And who told you that?”

“A small, chatty friend we both know.”

Shen shook his head. “I should have known Tilda would tell you all my secrets.” He took another languid sip. “What she doesn’t know is that the secret to wooing Storm is all in a little whisper.”

“What is it?”

Shen pressed a playful finger to his lips.

“Try it,” said Rose. “Perhaps it will work on me, too.”

Shen’s laugh revealed the pearly glint of his teeth. “Very well,Princess.” He leaned toward her, his breath tickling her cheek.“Hush, hush, rush.”

Rose snorted. “‘Hush, hush, rush’? Is that some sort of silly spell?”

“If you call good horsemanship a spell. It’s nothing more than years of training. Storm knows when she hears those words it’s time to go.”

“She must trust you very much.”

“I’ve never given her reason not to.”

“Well, we’ve found the difference between me and Storm, then.”

“I can think of a few more.” He raised a finger to her cheek. “Ortha has given you freckles, Princess.”

Rose swallowed thickly. “I can’t remember the last time I looked in a mirror.”

“They’re beautiful,” he said, gently tracing them. “Like a constellation.”

Rose felt as if she might dissolve under his touch. “Can you read my future in them?”

“I’m no seer,” said Shen, drawing back. “But I hope you’ll feel at home here soon. And know that you are...” His voice trailed off.

Rose gazed at him. “Among friends?”

He laughed a little ruefully. “If that’s what you want.”

“This... this doesn’t feel like friendship to me,” said Rose boldly.

Shen raked a hand through his hair. “No. I suppose it doesn’t.... I guess what I meant to say earlier was, I would like to be there for you. However you’d like me to be.”

Oh.Tingles that had nothing to do with the rum danced through Rose’s body.

She tried not to think of how much he was going to hate her inthe morning, or of what she was about to leave behind. Here was the possibility of a life she had always dreamed of, where adventure entangled with love, and freedom—truefreedom—rolled in from the sea and kissed her cheeks every morning. She cleared her throat. “Spoken like a faithful subject at last.”

“If that’s what you want to call it.” Shen scooted closer to her. “I’m just glad you’ve decided not to be mad at me forever.” His words were slurring now, the rum slowly taking hold of his senses.

Rose let her head rest against his. It was only because she was leaving tonight that she allowed herself this moment. “Today is merely a reprieve, Shen.”

He laughed softly, and she felt the rumble of it in her bones. “I thought you said yesterday was a reprieve.”

“And so it was. Forever starts again tomorrow.”

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