“The small ones?” he said. “You expect me to wrangle children?”
“You have nieces and nephews.” Eunny pushed him toward the door.
“They don’t listen to me, either.” Ezzyn cast a plaintive look over his shoulder before he disappeared from view.
Dae set about filling a new tray with candied pieces of fruit and the special leaf-shaped pastries Yerina had decided on for the solstice party. “I knew the shop would be popular today, but this is unbelievable. Auntie Yerina’s tea is good, but…”
Eunny groaned. “People don’t love tea this much. They’re hoping to peep the Homegrown Hero.” She put a trio of cups onto the tray with enough force that they rattled.
“You mean…?” Dae’s eyes widened. “Ollas is here?”
Eunny’s nose wrinkled. “In the main room. Where the adoring public can feast their eyes.”
“I thought things were friendly between you two.”
Ollas Nevin had been the same year as them during their primary days. Gangly, bookish, quiet but friendly enough. Not the type one would’ve expected to become something of a hero after his small band of rangers stumbled across the camp holding Eunny’s trade delegation captive.
“It’s not the locals being a problem. There’s a big group of tourists up from Central and Ollas is too nice. I’ve already snapped at one of them. Which is why I’m back here.”
Concern replaced Dae’s humor. “Are you all right? If he’s making a big deal— If people are being nosy, I canaccidentallyfreeze one of the shop’s pipes.”
“No, it’s fine. I appreciate it, though.” Eunny gave her a tight smile. “Outsiders just always bring it up if we’re in the same vicinity, and I’d rather not. This is Auntie Yerina’s day.”
“I’ll see if I can speed things along.”
Dae pushed into the main room with a resupply of baked goods for the front tables. She ferried trays back and forth, pausing long enough to hug Yerina and congratulate her on another excellent release. She never made it to the corner where Ollas was seated, and by her third trip, he had left the shop.
The shop remained busy despite his absence, though by late afternoon, it shop had quieted. Ezzyn hadn’t been back into the tearoom for over an hour by that point, so Dae stole into the repair café with a reserved pot of the new flowering white tea, the dried bloom unfurling in the glass teapot. She found Ezzyn sitting at a table with a few locals—and a few Sylveren folk. Vaadt was there, alongside the grovetender, Professor Rai, whom Zhenya idolized. Zhenya was there, too, the white-haired inkmaker spotting Dae and waving. The others looked up, their murmured greetings filling the air along with appeals for her to join them.
Dae started forward, eyes meeting with Ezzyn. They’d affirmed their mutual desire for a relationship, but it was, officially speaking, all of three days old. They hadn’t discussed how or when, if there was an order to such things, they were comfortable with making their romance public.
Ezzyn’s head took on a slight tilt, brows raised. An offer and a question, only for her.
She was done hiding, so sick of pretending about the wrong things.
Dae set the teapot in the center of the table. She smiled and slipped into place at Ezzyn’s side, close enough that she could lean into him. After greeting everyone, she raised her cheek to Ezzyn for a kiss. He complied without hesitation.
The table’s conversation rippled, glances exchanged. Zhenya’s eyes went wide as saucers, then she grinned.
“Did you hear? Some mundane fop on the Lower Council wants a commission to investigate tapping the ley linesherefor improved power in Grae Port,” one of the locals grumped as he poured himself tea.
Eunny joined them. “Give them three days straight of rain and they’ll pack off quick enough.”
Chatter resumed, those belonging to the Valley good-naturedly disparaging the ignorance of Graelynd’s politicians.
Dae let it fill her ears, the sounds of her colleagues’ and friends’ easy conversation flowing around her. The warmth of Ezzyn’s body pressing against her, closer than anything platonic. She felt … calm—at ease, the prickle of nerves she’d had about the unknown now a distant memory, fading fast.
So, this was what acceptance felt like. The sense of belonging, that she was amongst her people. People who didn’t look at her and see her name instead of her face, didn’t value her acquaintance in terms of what she might give.
She leaned her head against Ezzyn’s shoulder and knew peace.
THE END
