“I’m sorry we had to leave—”
“It wasn’t any trouble.” Ora held up a hand. Their footsteps slowed, and I looked up into their hazel eyes. “I might seem filled with calm and whimsy, but that was hard won. Not everyone was happy that I chose this life with two hands. I know what it means to need to leave in the middle of the night.”
“I wish I felt that way,” I whispered, dropping my gaze to my clenched fingers. “That I chose my life with two hands.”
“You will when you’re ready,” Ora said. “And when it’s safe to do so. Not everyone can scream their truths from the rooftops, and that’s okay, too.”
My eyes guttered. They didn’t know how close they were. It was true—I couldn’t go around shouting I was a princess of Olmdere or even that I was a Gold Wolf. But there were other truths about myself, too . . .
I looked at Ora, with their perfectly painted lips, neatly trimmed beard, and flowing velvet shift.
“That’s a beautiful dress,” I murmured instead of the truths in my head.
We wove our way toward the fountain and I admired their rope belt, golden tassels waving in the breeze.
Ora smiled. “You can borrow it sometime if you like.”
“Oh, I don’t know.” I snorted, feeling strange nerves bubbling up in me. “I’m not very appealing in dresses.”
“Appealing to who?” Ora cocked their head, their hazel eyes cutting straight through my defenses. “The first person you should be appealing to is yourself. You wear the things that make you happy.”
I shook my head. “I don’t know what that is . . .”
Ora took off their fur-lined hat and plopped it on my head. I smiled, smelling their citrusy floral scent in the fabric. “Maybe it’s time to try on a few new hats and see which ones fit.”
I had never really considered it. All of Galen den’ Mora knew me as someone other than the person I insisted I was in my own head . . . and it seemed they liked me without any other name or label. Just me.
Ora and I joined the others at the table by the fountain, and I kept my jittery hands in my cloak pockets. It felt freeing and confusing all at once. If I gave myself permission to be anything, who would I want to be? No answers jumped immediately to mind, but I knew one thing for certain, though I didn’t know what it meant: I didn’t want to wear dresses like Briar.
I wanted to wear them like Ora.
Twenty-Six
The music of the horns danced around the lively plaza as we people-watched. I loved all the rounded fur hats and thick wool cloaks with silver embroidered hems. The Taigosi human garb was a little worn, but exceedingly beautiful. I admired the details on their thick leather belts and the silver hoops they wore in their ears, far more elegant than the humans in Allesdale.
I didn’t spot Grae, though I kept searching, and I hoped for the hundredth time that morning that wherever he was, he was okay.
“Navin!” Ora called, flagging down the tall harpist.
Even hunched against the chill, Navin stood a head taller than the shoppers meandering around him. He veered over toward us, winding through the tables and chairs.
Sadie sat up, her slumped posture turning rod straight.
“Join us.” Ora gestured to an empty chair.
“I’m off to buy some more resin for the twins,” he said, tipping his head toward the end of the plaza. He glanced at Sadie, lips curving up as he looked at her. “Want to come with me?”
“She can’t,” Hector said before Sadie could reply. “We’ve got some errands we need to run.”
“Oh, okay,” Navin replied, rubbing his hands together.
Sadie glared at her brother and back at Navin, jutting her jaw to the side. “Ora was telling us about this restaurant, the Ice Dragon. Have you heard of it?”
“Yes, I love the food there.” Navin’s bronze eyes beamed.
“Maybe we could go there for dinner tonight?” she asked, leaning into the table to block Hector. “Just us?”
I leaned back and smirked at Hector’s fuming expression.
Navin’s eyebrows shot up as his cheeks dimpled. “I’d like that.”
“Great.” Sadie nodded. “I’ll see you tonight.”
“See you then.” Navin’s chest puffed up, the invitation breathing new life into him. He bobbed his chin to the rest of us and headed back into the throng.
“Could you excuse us for a moment?” Hector asked, rising from his chair and tapping his sister on the shoulder.