“Antelope, I think,” I replied. “I’m kinda hoping we won’t make it back for lunch.”
* * *
Aria led us to the meadow gate, and reached for both my hand and Mari’s. I took it and picked up Trix with my other arm.
“Do you know where you are going?” Matt asked suspiciously.
The Dragona smiled up at him, her amber eyes aglow. “I always know where I am going,” she said, and took us through.
I wasn’t surprised when we emerged into an alley. Most gates seemed oriented off the beaten paths.
“I take it this realm isn’t virgin?” I asked as I set Trix down and contemplated putting her on her leash.
Aria nodded to the gate guardians and headed for the street. “Shards, no. The Richin market is one of the busiest across the realms. Everyone comes here to get quality merchandise.” She regarded me. “But—you should probably pull up your hood.”
“You really think someone’s looking for me?” I couldn’t believe it, to be honest. And it was warm in Richin.
“Better safe than sorry, Angel,” Matt said, tugging my hood up around my face. The sword hilt stuck up against the fabric, and I rearranged it so that if I dropped the hood, I could reach the sword.
I was, after all, no longer defenseless.
“I supposeyoudon’t have to,” I complained to him.
“The number one rule for a bodyguard,” Aria pointed out as she led us onto the street, “is to have your senses wide open.”
There you go, Angel. Just stay all wrapped up, and we’ll throw ourselves at whatever pointy things come our way.
Easy to say. You aren’t pouring sweat.
But a moment later, I forgot my pique. Once out of the alley, the Richin market stretched as far as I could see. On each side of us were brick-and-mortar storefronts, and I supposed more existed somewhere on the back side of the sea of tents and awnings.
I glanced down to Trix, who surveyed the place with a lifted nose. If she ran off here, I’d never find her. But when I mentally reached for her, she looked up at me. Her bright-blue eyes were calm. Focused.
Matt whistled as he glanced around. “Look at all these tents. A twister would have a heyday in this place.”
“I have heard of this market,” Mari commented. “It is even more impressive in real life. And what is a twister?”
“A powerful swirly windstorm that destroys trailer parks,” Matt answered.
Mari frowned at him. “Why would it have a heyday here?”
“He means it would rip the whole place to pieces,” I said.
She shook her head at Matt. “You have very weird ideas.”
Aria gestured to the market. “Pretty much anything you would ever want is available here. Emmanuel keeps a booth in the summer months. He moves to a storefront for the winters.”
Seemed sensible of him. Aria took us boldly into the sea of colorful tents. To me, it was an incomprehensible maze, but the Dragona seemed to know where she was going.
Then she glanced at me. “I know this Galeran thing is upsetting to you, but maybe this will help. We arefamilynow. I have asister. That’s sharding cool.”
Family. I had a halfbrother. And he had two mates, which made them my siblings-in-law.
Not just any family,Matt added.Family with power.
I didn’t actually know how to respond. He draped an arm over my shoulders and gave me a squeeze.
It’s all right, Angel. Family can be a pain in the ass, but it can also be fun.
