His hand brushed hers as he clasped the quiver and took it under his arm.
And Mimi, of all the women to have this happen to, was speechless. Perhaps for the first time in her life.
What was happening right now? Her dreams were crashing, colliding, intermingling. When still she said nothing, the man spoke, “I’ve been looking for this one. If you don’t mind.”
And her eyes followed him to the counter where he paid for the quiver.Herquiver. The quiver that made her liver quiver.
She cleared her throat. “Excuse me, I was about to buy that.”
The man furrowed his brow, “I don’t think so. You’re a wom—”
“I’m an archer,” she finished for him before he could insult her.
“Well, I suppose you’ll get the next one then.” He had hardly taken the time to take a brief glimpse of her.
“Your Grace,” the clerk started, “shall I wrap this up for you?”
“Thank you.” With that, his attention had already moved on from her.
Her heart was pounding against her ribcage while her feet were locked in place. Her hands were fisted at her sides, but light was cascading into the store illuminating the duke. And she suddenly knew what this was. She knew what was happening. It wasn’t just about the quiver. It was about a man.
Fate.
It made no sense, but it was fate. There were moments in life where fate boomed its voice and spoke clearly. When it shouted down from Heaven pointing the way of the future. This was such a time as that.
“Mimi?” For the second time that morning, Nobi nudged her sister with her elbow and whispered, “Are you all right? You’re staring.”
“Who is that?” There was only one other person in the store, the duke, so Mimi needn’t clarify the question she posed to her sister.
“The Duke of Vanic?” Nobi supplied the name she’d been waiting to hear. Eager to know the man, the duke, a fellow archer.
In hushed tones, Mimi repeated the name, “The Duke of Vanic. It’s fate, Nobi.”
“What’s fate?”
Standing awkwardly in the middle of the store staring, the two sisters would have appeared peculiar to anyone else, but not to the Duke of Vanic. Mostly because he didn’t bother with a second glance.
But Mimi paid that no mind.
“It’s fate to have met him here.” She heaved out a long sigh. “And now.” She unclenched her fists and pulled her hands up to her heart. “He’s my duke dare.”
Nobi blew a soft sound from her lips. “You don’t even know him, Mimi.”
“I know him enough. Sometimes it’s enough to trust fate. He walked into my life and took my dreams. But it’s all a sign.Heis my dream. Not the quiver, but the man. It’s an analogy, no? He’s the quiver in which rests all my fantasies.”
“So you’re not upset about the actual quiver?” Nobi gestured toward the empty space where the quiver had once been on display.
“What quiver?”
“The golden one. The most incredible one—”
“Pfft. No. I mean, yes. It was—is—incredible. But I have a more important mission now.”
“What’s that?” Nobi picked up an arrowhead and was flipping it back and forth between her palms.
“He’s the one. The duke for me. I can feel it. Something is about to happen, and he is it.”
Nobi rubbed her shoulder gently. “He hardly looked at you, Mimi. I’m not certain he would recognize you if he saw you again.”
