Page 102 of The Storm of the Empire

I took the seat, and he disappeared into the crowd. For a moment, I felt vulnerable. Being half clothed like I was felt somehow more provocative than if I’d just owned my nudity as a dragon. But the weapons hanging from Luka's belt might have proved to be a successful deterrent to anyone staring because I didn’t attract much notice.

Luka returned in moments with a bundle of clothing and handed it to me. “Go through there”—he pointed to a door—“and put these on. I’ll be out here when you’re ready.”

I looked at the clothes, then back at him. How did he rustle these up with seemingly no effort?

“Go on,” he urged. “I’ll get you a drink.”

Nodding, I headed through the door and found a bathing chamber with separate stalls. I closed myself in one to change and unfurled the clothing I’d been given. To my shock, it was a stylish dress. It was nothing I would ever have worn given the choice, since I lived in battle leathers at all times. This was low cut and belonged to someone whose aim was to attract the attention of males. Nevertheless, I slipped it on and worked to cinch the various ties, fitting the dress closely to my form. It left me feeling less clothed than I had in just a linen tunic.

I had a moment when I wasn’t sure I could go back into the tavern dressed like someone I was not. But Luka was waiting, so I gathered up the weapons and his tunic and returned to where I left him by the bar. Except he wasn’t there. He was on the other side of the bar itself, serving drinks like he’d been doing it his entire life!

Maybe his magic was persuasion. He could sell water in the River Kingdom if he wanted to. I’d never seen a gift like it—and so smoothly. Like it was second nature.

“What are you doing?”I asked mind to mind, retaking my seat.

He didn’t even look in my direction before using our new bond to reply.“Earning our accommodations. Drink?”

He’d rendered me speechless.

Was he for real?

He just walked into a strange tavern, and within just a minute, we had fresh clothes and somewhere to stay for the night in exchange for work at the bar. I was suddenly very aware I didn’t know the half of what his life had been like, hustling his way around the kingdoms. But I didn’t distrust him for it, unlike before. Now, knowing his mind, I was in awe of him.

He placed an ale on the bar in front of me, winked, and then he was on to the next patron, pulling their ale expertly and giving change for the silver they handed over.

The maid working the bar looked impressed and extremely grateful for the help.

“Should I help?”I asked him, loving how we could communicate now.

“No, relax. You flew for hours. I have food coming for you.”He handed off more ales and glanced my way with a smile as he took payment from the males.

I just watched him work. Bare chested and moving with such ease, he was mesmerizing. He drew a crowd of young fae. They leaned over the bar, trying to speak to him and keep his attention. He didn’t give any of them a second glance, but that didn’t deter them.

I must have been more tired than I realized. That or this dress was restricting blood flow to my head because I wanted to crawl over the bar and claim him.

I heard him chuckle in my head and cursed myself for allowing that to slip out to him.

What was wrong with me?

A tray came up from a kitchen below, via a pulley system, and the maid hefted it onto her shoulder, heading out into the tavern. She stopped off by me first and put down a bowl of delicious looking soup with some fresh bread.

“Your friend says eat. He will take his once this rush has calmed.”

“Thank you,” I told her and looked to Luka in appreciation.

The maid carried on with her laden tray, delivering food to tables around the tavern.

Luka worked hard for over an hour, then took a break to eat soup since the crowd had thinned.

I marveled at him. No matter how many different situations he found himself in, he always knew exactly what to do. It was amazing.

I would have slept curled up in a cave, but here we were with full bellies and a warm place to stay. And he made it look so easy.

“What are you thinking?” he asked, sipping the last of his soup.

“Just about this fae I know who has a knack for making everything right,” I teased.

“Oh?”

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