Page 48 of A Hunter for Luna

Benedetto chuckled, the sound low and amused. "Try not to look too impressed. Beggars will swarm you if you look like you’re from the country."

I scowled at him, my cheeks heated. "It's not every day you see a city this size."

He leaned closer, lowering his voice. "And just so you know, you'll need to find your own room. I'm not sharing mine with you."

My sweet, insincere smile would have been used to flavor the morning’s porridge. "Oh, don't worry. I'm sure I'll have no trouble finding a room. I don't run out of coin at the drop of a hat."

I paused, tilting my head. "Though you might need to find someone who wants to share with you to save on expenses. It'll be a struggle with that… charm of yours."

Two can play at this game.A flash of annoyance filled in his gaze. If he thought he could unsettle me with his arrogance, he would be wrong.

As we rode through the gates and entered the market district, the city came alive around us. So many people, all jostling each other and moving and shouting.

And so many smells, not all of them pleasant.

The gate we passed led straight to the market. Vendors lined the streets, shouting their wares, fresh fruit, spices, silk scarves that fluttered in the breeze. The smells of roasting meat, spiced drinks, and the distinct tang of the sea filled the air, covering the odor of so many people living close together.

This city seemed like it was a living thing, pulsing with life. I could spend weeks just exploring the streets.

I didn't have weeks. I was here for a reason and had to work for Benedetto’s cooperation. I tore my gaze away from a display of glittering jewelry and focused on the road ahead.

"Where to first?" I asked Benedetto, raising my voice to be heard over the clamor of the market.

He glanced at me, his expression unreadable. "We'll stable the horses, then find lodging. After that…"

The words trailed off, Benedetto’s gaze turning distant. "After that, we start looking for answers."

I nodded, my pulse quickening. Everything was so different from Legnali here.

"Benedetto, is that really you?" a voice said as we made our way through the crowded market.

Benedetto's face shifted from wariness to annoyance to something softer as a man strode up to us. He was a few inches shorter than Benedetto, with a well-groomed beard and wavy black hair. He was dressed in fine but comfortable clothes, his eyes twinkling with genuine warmth.

"Lorenzo," Benedetto dismounted and greeted him with a rare, genuine smile. "I didn't expect to see you here."

Lorenzo's eyes flicked to me, widening slightly in surprise. They rested on Pip and widened further. "And who is this lovely lady? Your wife has grown up to be a lovely woman, Bene."

He had a nickname? I’d never heard it used. I filed it away for future reference.

Before Benedetto could respond, I smiled a bright smile, sliding off my horse’s back.

"Luna," I said sweetly. "Luna d'Alvarez, my lord. And yes, it's true, at long last, we’ve found each other and travelled to Kalion."

Lorenzo laughed heartily, clapping Benedetto on the back. "I never thought I'd see the day, Well, you must both come to my home. I won't hear of you staying in some cramped little room, not when there's plenty of space at our place."

Laughter bubbled in me. This was an unexpected opportunity. Both a place to stay where we could be intimate and where we could gather information to further Benedetto’s quest.

"We'd be delighted," I ignored Benedetto's pointed look. "Lead the way, kind sir."

Lorenzo grinned and turned, motioning for us to follow. As we walked, I leaned closer to Benedetto, lowering my voice. "Seems like you have a kind friend. What should I know?"

Benedetto sighed, his gaze fixed ahead. "Lorenzo and I go way back. He's one of the few people I trust in this city. But don't get too comfortable. I don’t stay in one place for long, usually."

I rolled my eyes. "I know that. But there's no harm in enjoying a bit of hospitality while we're here, is there?"

Benedetto didn't reply, but I could see the tension in his jaw.

Lorenzo led us through the streets to his home, a beautiful villa near the hills that held the palaces and the estates of the very wealthy. It was a place of understated luxury, with a courtyard garden filled with blooming flowers and shrubs and a small fountain.

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