At the sight of her, Rivelin visibly brightened for the first time since I’d met him. Smiling, he opened his arms as the elven woman dropped the wagon yoke and rushed toward him. He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her in for a hug, but when her eyes caught sight of me, she stopped and swatted at his arm.
I braced myself for her reaction. Just like everyone else in this village, she’d know who I was and where I came from. Even without Isveig’s sigil, I stood out in a world where half-orcs were a rarity. Her eyes flicked up and down, but then she held out a hand and smiled.
“Hello. I’m Rivelin’s sister, Lilia. Are you…” She slid her gaze sideways at her brother with merriment dancing in her eyes. “Well, I don’t know how else to put this. Are you his lady friend?”
“No,” he cut in with a frown. “This is Daella Sigursdottir.”
I braced myself. If she hadn’t known who I was before, she did now.
“Lovely name,” she said in a singsong voice. “For a lovely orc. I’d say it’s a shame my brother isn’t courting you, but it’s probably for the best. He can be a bit of a grump.”
The corners of my lips twitched. “Only a bit?”
She laughed and elbowed Rivelin’s side. “I keep thinking he’ll cheer up if he meets someone. You sure you aren’t interested? He—”
“Lilia,” Rivelin said.
“Oh, come on. Don’t frown at me like that. I’m just trying to look out for you.” She glanced up at the ash on his forehead, her eyes widening. “You finally got chosen for the Games.”
“And it’s about fucking time.”
“Gregor?”
His eyes darkened. “You were right. He’s in it again.”
“He has to be cheating. No one else has ever been chosen more than once.”
“How? He has no Fildur sand to fake the flames. I checked.”
Lilia shook her head, her brows pinched. “I refuse to believe Freya legitimately blessed him a third time in a row, especially after what he asked for last time.”
“You mean the lover thing, don’t you?” I asked.
“Rivelin told you about that? Good.” She nodded. “He’ll probably try to go after you next, and he’s persistent. Anyway, enough about bastards. Riv, where can I set up shop?”
“I’ll go clear some space in the square for you.” Just before he turned to go, he clasped her shoulder, and that rare smile returned to his face. “I’m glad you’re here. Don’t make it so long next time, eh?”
She beamed at him. “I make no promises. The Traveling Tavern goes where it’s needed.”
Rivelin moved off to find somewhere for her wagon, his broad frame pushing through the crowd. I couldn’t help but watch him. Even though there were a variety of demons and other elves, he somehow managed to tower over everyone else, and the bright morning sun illuminated the silver in his hair.
Lilia cleared her throat. “So how long have you known my brother?”
I dragged my gaze away from him. Lilia was pulling her long hair back from her face and fanning her neck. It was a hot day already. I felt it deep in my bones, but it didn’t bother me quite the same way, as long as I was wearing the right clothes.
“About twelve hours,” I said.
“Twelve hours? That certainly explains why he’s never mentioned you before.”
“I was in a shipwreck, and I washed up on shore last night. Rivelin…found me.”
Her eyes widened. “Fate be damned, are you all right?”
I rubbed at my arms, still sore from all the rain. “I survived.”
“Freya must have been smiling down on you for you to have survived the Elding. Listen, you deserve a fun evening after what you’ve been through, and my brother probably isn’t going to give you one. Stop by my tavern tonight when the sun goes down, and I’ll give you a drink on the—”
“Lilia.”
The elf’s face went bone white as Gregor sauntered out from behind the rear of the wagon. His eyes zeroed in on her, sweeping across her curves and the cleavage highlighted by her low-cut tunic. Lilia’s entire demeanor seemed to change in a breath. Her body went taut. Her eyes went hard. Tense lines bracketed her lips.
I shifted a little closer to her, my hand instinctively going to my belt. But there was no dagger there, of course. That damned Rivelin.
Gregor slowed to a stop only an inch from Lilia. With a wicked smile, he propped one hand against the wagon and leaned in to whisper into her ear. I didn’t hear his words, but I had a pretty good idea of what was said. Lilia hissed through clenched teeth and then slapped his cheek.
He flinched and reached for her wrist, but before he could touch her, I was there. I slid between the two of them, palmed his chest, and then shoved him up against the wagon with the lethal speed and dexterity I’d honed over the years.
“You can’t do this,” he growled. “This kind of assault is against the law here.”
I smiled as he tried to shove against me. “I know violence is frowned upon in this village, but the thing is, I’m not from here. Now leave the girl alone, eh? I’d hate to cause a scene in your idyllic utopia.”
“You heard her. Get out of here Gregor,” a gruff voice said from behind me. My chest tightened. Rivelin was back. No doubt I would get reprimanded thoroughly for this. I just hoped he wouldn’t decide to kick me off his Midsummer Games team because of it.
I dropped my hand to my side and stepped back, flashing Gregor a tight smile as he snarled and stalked away. And then I braced myself as I turned to face Rivelin’s wrath.
His hard gaze met mine. I held myself still as he took a step toward me. He looked as if he were ready to rip the world apart. But then he lifted a gloved hand to his forehead, rubbed the soot with his thumb, and then reached out to me. His thumb swept across my forehead, the leather soft against my skin, and everything within me went painfully tight. I held my breath, heart thundering, until his hand dropped back to his side.
“Thank you for that.” He turned to his sister. “I take it you’re all right?”
She nodded, though her face was still pale. “Yes, I’m fine. Thanks, Daella, though I’m sorry you had to do that. He’ll have his eye on you now, and he doesn’t forget things easily. He hasn’t left me alone since I turned down his advances last Midsummer.”
“It’s fine. I have a lot of experience dealing with bastards like him.”
Rivelin gave me another considering look, the kind that felt like he could see straight through me. Based on everything he’d said to me so far, he probably thought I’d only stood up for Lilia to gain his trust, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. My instincts had taken over the second Gregor had wandered out from behind the wagon.
“Let’s go get you set up, Lilia,” Rivelin said, reaching for the wooden yoke that jutted out of the front of the wagon. “Everyone’s excited the Traveling Tavern is here. They can’t wait to have some of your signature brew.”
Together, the elven brother and sister pulled the wagon to a corner of the square, where a crowd was already gathering. I started toward them to help when the intoxicating scent of dragon washed over me. My heart jerked into my throat as I whirled in the direction of the breeze, trying to pinpoint the source of it. But then it was gone, almost like a dream.