Bonded to the Rakian Berserker (Rakian Warrior Mates #3) - Elin Wyn Page 0,17

same, wooden shops pressed against the shelter of half-timbered larger buildings. The streets here were cobbled, not just hard packed earth.

People seemed to be in more of a hurry, hustling along instead of stopping to chat and gossip the way everyone seemed to in the smaller towns, whether you were in a hurry or not.

Suddenly Esme’s hand tightened on his shoulder. “Over there,” she nodded, just the faintest of movements to her right where a row of stands had been set up, brightly colored cloths covering the roofs in a riot of color. “The woman in the green headscarf, do you see her?”

Gavin searched the crowd, but to no avail.

Esme’s gaze stayed fixed on the small booths, then her shoulders slumped as they passed by. “She’s gone now, but I would’ve sworn I knew that woman. She travels with Hendrik’s clan.”

“A potential ally then. And even better, a source of news, if they’ve been here long.” Gavin turned his neck to watch behind them. “Do you want me to go find her?”

Esme bit her lip, worrying. “She won’t know who you are. Better not, not now at least. If they’re here, we can find them later.”

Declan clicked at the horses, navigating the cart round a cluster of fruit sellers’ stands as they turned the corner into a side street.

“Try to remember the newlyweds don’t usually look quite so intense, unless it’s at each other,” he said under his breath. “And if you’re admiring the local women, your bride should be more annoyed with you.”

Esme’s face immediately shifted to a soft smile, but Gavin could see the strain still in her eyes.

“You’re pretty good at that,” he said. “Lots of practice?”

“Smiling at customers when they come to the booth after you’ve been standing all day and just want to be done is a skill you never quite forget,” she answered with a wry smile.

Declan laughed. “See, you’re a perfect fit for a merchant’s wife.” He nodded to Gavin quickly. “That particular merchant’s wife, in fact.”

They had turned into the side alley leading to the inn’s stable yard by the time Gavin had finished turning those words over in his mind.

There was something there. There shouldn’t be, but there was.

A heat that crackled through his veins. But not the rage.

Something new. Something different.

Whatever it was, he couldn’t deal with it now.

He added it to the stack of mysteries to ponder later, when he could break away, go for a run with the ground pounding under his paws.

As the cart stopped, Esme stood, stretching out the stiffness from sitting hours on the hard wooden bench.

Grabbing their satchel and slinging it over his shoulder, Gavin met her eyes as he lifted his hands towards her.

She winked, and lightly jumped, ready for him to catch her around her waist, swinging her in a wide circle before setting her down on her feet in the stable yard.

“You know what you asked earlier? I’m taking you up on the offer. Tomorrow I’m walking, and you can ride,” she muttered.

Gavin tucked her slim hand into the crook of his elbow, patting at her fingers the way he’d see the human husbands act with their wives, then grabbed a small, heavy chest from the back of the wagon to carry under his other arm.

“That really wouldn’t do at all for a lady in your position,” he answered, voice pitched oddly high.

The corners of her lips quirked up and she glanced at him. “That almost sounded as if you were mimicking someone,” she said. “But not any of your brothers.”

They stepped through the side door of the inn and she stumbled slightly in the sudden darkness.

Gavin held her steady, waited for her to catch her feet, shaking his head at himself.

“Commander Saltern,” he mused. What an odd memory to be turning up now. “Don’t even know why his voice came up in my head. I haven’t thought about him in, well, I don’t know how long. He was in charge of our interplanetary protocol courses.”

This time it wasn’t just a smile, but a warm rich laugh burst from Esme as the hall opened into a brightly lit room.

“I’m just going to imagine you sitting in an etiquette class for a while,” she said, squeezing his arm. “That might be the best thing that’s happened all day.”

Gavin’s gaze swept over the room. Despite not yet being dusk, a large fire roared in the far end of the room, banishing the slight chill in the air that promised a harsh winter to