Page 8 of The Immortal's Trick
Logical enough. Besides, hedidreturn my purse.
“Eshe,” I say.
“Eshe,” He repeats slowly, as if savoring its shape like something sacred. A shiver courses down my spine.
I swallow the lump in my throat, ignoring the butterfly wings fluttering in my stomach. “And you?”
“Lome.” He lays a hand over his heart and bends at his waist, but his eyes never leave mine. “It is an honor to make your acquaintance, Eshe.”
I tilt my head forward with respect, my heart thumping wildly in my chest.What is wrong with me?
Lome straightens and gestures over his shoulder, back toward my house. “The woman who directed me here, the one from the market, is she your sister?”
Anger blazes in my chest.
Is that why he came all this way to deliver my coin purse? To see Nebet?
I won’t let the Greek anywhere near my innocent, beautiful sister.
“Yes,” I bite out, ignoring the strange pang in my gut, and curl my hands into fists. “Why?”
Lome holds his hands up again. “I was only trying to make conversation. I did not mean to offend you or your younger sister.”
The fire begins to dissipate. Slowly.
“Nebet is older than I,” I say to fill the awkwardness nagging at me for my overreaction.
“Really?”
I nod. “By two years.”
His gaze scans me, curious. “I would have guessed the opposite.”
I bristle. “Why?”
“You carry yourself like… someone older.”
I can’t tell if it’s meant as a compliment or if he’s simply trying to disarm me.
“You’re not what I expected,” he adds.
I cross my arms. “Good.”
His smile deepens—mischievous, not mocking. “I mean that kindly.”
A pause stretches between us. The only sound I hear is the wind in the reeds.
“I am the younger sibling as well. I have two older brothers,” he says quickly, as if eager not to let our conversation end. “Des was with me at the market. Perhaps you saw him?”
I give a noncommittal shrug. He doesn’t need to know how enraptured I was by him and his brother.
My thoughts drift back to the market and the stark contrast the men provided against the drab city background. There’s no way I would’ve missed seeing either of them.
“Do you enjoy reading in Greek?”
I snap my attention back to the man in front of me. It takes me a moment to process the question. “We do not have books at home.”
Those were the first luxury items Father sold.
