Page 97 of Enchanted Kingdom
“What?” I asked, looking from him to her.
Owen went to his usual spot at the window as he stated, “Keir wanted to be sure she was reimbursed for the time her shop would have to be closed.”
My eyebrows reached for my hair as I turned and looked at my mother. She gave me a little shrug, neither of us knowing what to do with that.
“Tell me about your week,” Mother said as she sat us at the table in the corner, usually used for customers.
I took a deep breath. I’d seen a murder. I’d seen Keir kissing Delaney. I’d been drugged by the king. And I found I wanted to talk about none of it. “I’d rather not talk about my week. I’ve been really missing home this week; tell me everything about Nerede.”
Owen spun to look me in the eyes, as if giving me his blessing if I did want to talk about those things, but I found I didn’t. And not because I didn’t want to scare my mother, I just didn’t. My week had been too heavy.
“Youwish to gossip?” Mother asked surprised.
I nodded. “I haven’t heard a thing about Nerede in weeks, Mother. So yes, yes I do.”
Still feeling bad for our argument on the way, I walked Owen a cup of tea before sitting back down next to my mother.
“Well,” she smiled. “Will has been asking about you a few times.”
I took a deep breath. “Oh?”
She nodded. “I told him he should probably wait until you return home for good before he seeks you out.”
Owen made a snort from his spot, as if agreeing with my mother.
“That’s probably best,” I agreed.
“Plus, I’ve always felt he was a little pushy with his affections toward you.”
“What?” She’d known we were friendly but had no idea the scope of our relationship.
Mother put a finger in the air. “No. Not pushy. I do not mean it in that way. Will is respectful and kind. I just mean that the boy tried too hard to make you love him, I think.”
Owen laughed now, trying to cover it with a cough. I glared at the back of his head anyway. What Mother said made a lot of sense, actually.
“Ivy Westhaver is now engaged,” Mother offered just before taking a sip of her tea.
“What?! Wow. To whom?”
“The broker’s son, Jeremy Arquise.”
“Wow,” I commented, knowing that the broker was one of the more successful merchants in Nerede.
My mother leaned in. “Should you return here anytime soon, I fear I should need to hire a guard for the lineup of suitors to come knocking upon our door.”
I gave her a glare. “Because there were so many before I left for the castle.”
My mother wrinkled her nose. “But having been there, it’s as if you are now a Rallis woman.”
I groaned. “Great. Just great. I’m still just me. Still mouthy. Still a baker.”
She snickered before adding, “The Ragle twins got caught for stealing again.”
I scrunched my nose. “Oh no. Who turned them in?”
She gave me a look.
We both said at the same time: “Matilde.”
