Page 25 of The Demon of the Wood

Surprise lit her face, but then she glanced shyly at the treats. She pointed to a cinnamon cookie, and Jacey handed it to her.

“It’s my favorite,” Jacey said.

Melina took a bite, a soft moan escaping her mouth, the sound making Kaemon shift uncomfortably and swallow hard, trying to tame his suddenly racing thoughts. “This is excellent!”

Jacey stood taller, preening from the praise. They bid her farewell and left the shop.

“I’ll pay you back,” Melina said, reaching for her coin purse, but Kaemon placed a hand on hers.

“I wanted to buy that for you. You should save your money, Melina. I have plenty.”

She squinted her eyes at him, placing her hands on her hips, but he only laughed. “Kaemon, let me pay you.”

“Please,” he begged. “Let me share this with you. I don’t have a family to share with and I want to.”

It was a dirty move, using his lack of family, but he wanted her to save the money. He wished she could see how much sharing with her made him happy.

She nodded. “Very well then.”

They walked around the corner and through an alley full of stalls containing jewelry and clothing, handbags and scarves. At the end was a seamstress shop. Bolts and bolts of fabric lined the shelves, with an entire wall devoted to thread and needles, and another for embellishments.

Melina’s rapt expression of delight made his chest hurt exquisitely. In the center was a large work table with notches for measuring. Kaemon was out of his element in the store, but he could watch Melina browse the wares all day. The shop owner came up, chatting with Melina and showed her a variety of fabrics. Melina’s eyes kept wandering to a fine floral brocade of brown with pink and yellow and purple flowers stitched on.

Kaemon grasped it and held it towards her. “You want this one.”

She smiled. “Yes, but it’s too much for now. I just need fabric to make a few basic shirts and skirts.”

She shifted her gaze away to a sturdy brown cotton and a lightweight white one. She talked to the shop owner and had several yards cut of different fabrics.

Melina turned to him. “Kaemon, I’ve made plenty of men’s clothes, too. I can sew you anything.”

He almost said no, but she was so eager, and he knew she would see it as a way to pay him back. “I could use another shirt.”

She beamed. “What fabric do you want?”

He looked around, overwhelmed, and scratched his head. “I don’t rightly know…”

She snatched an olive green, taking his hand and pulling him over to hold it up to his face. Hi skin warmed from the examination as her face scrunched up and eyes squinted. She shook her head and pulled out a forest green one, holding it up.

“This one.” She took the bolt to the shop keep.

Tucking their items away in Kaemon’s knapsack, they walked back into the market, heading for the Tipsy Tavern, when a small orc child, being chased by her friends, slammed right into Melina. The little girl let out a cry as they both tumbled to the ground.

“I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry!” the little girl cried out.

Melina laughed. “It’s nothing.” She brushed the hair from the girl’s face and glanced over her. “Are you alright? Did you get hurt?”

“No, miss,” the girl replied.

“Very well. You should go before your friends catch you.” She gave a dip of her head to two other orc children weaving in the crowd to get to her. The girl sprang to her feet.

“Bye, sorry again!” she ran off and Melina watched her for a moment, a tender look of sadness on her face.

“You seem to be good with kids,” he commented.

She turned back to him as they walked on. “I like them. I’ve always wanted a big family.” Her tone was so impossibly sad that he weaved his hand into hers again.

“I’m sure you will have it one day,” he said, though the thought of her married to a man, with a brood of children—away from him—tasted bitter.

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