Page 82 of The Gathering

Nadir flinched and picked up pace away as the Dreamer began shouting, but Draven tossed her a few gold coins to pay for the damages.

“It’s insane,” Draven affirmed about the idea.

“It is,” Nadir agreed, though the grin didn’t fade from his lips. “I like it.”

Nadir began to skip backwards in front of Draven, obviously excited about the idea he was suggesting. Draven just eyed his friend. “I hope you fall,” Draven bantered.

But Nadir just grinned wider. He grabbed an apple from a woman’s basket and spun around, flicking her a coin and giving her a once-over when she passed by.

“So what’s the plan?” Nadir asked eagerly. “Wait, is the mountain involved?”

There was a cart up ahead that Nadir wasn’t paying attention to.

Draven didn’t bother telling him about it.

“Mountain is involved,” Draven said.

“Come off it,” Nadir argued. “You know my beach is much better for a wedding. Not fucking snow—shit—“

Nadir stumbled as the cart hit his knees, and he went crashing into the hay piled high within it. Chickens flew off the cart and fluttered from within the boxes, and the owner came running out with a broom in her hands.

She started to shout, shooing them off like they were children, until she saw who it was, and her face reddened. Even so, Draven just laughed and shook his head at the comments she made as he reached for Nadir’s hand.

“Shut up, woman,” Nadir growled once he was on his feet, trying to brush off the yellow hay from his clothes and out of his hair. “Why don’t you move your fucking cart from the middle of the street—“

“Watch where you’re going, sandman,” she shouted.

Nadir rounded over her, all playfulness gone from his core. “The fuck did you just call me—“

Draven grabbed his arms, not realizing the woman would say things to Nadir as well. “Let it go,” he said as he held him back.

“—Oi, you want a go, lady? Let’s go. I’ll wring your neck like one of your chickens—“

“Let it go, Naddi,” Draven said louder. He shoved Nadir back as people started moving from behind their carts, coming to defend the Dreamer. Nadir started forward again, still arguing, but Draven pushed on his chest and pointed behind him.

“Walk,” he said sternly.

Nadir huffed a last time at the woman, but straightened his shirt and turned on his heel as Draven had asked.

Draven was going to have to use all his gold paying for his friends being troublemakers.

“I don’t get it,” Nadir said as they continued through the market. “How are these the same people that live in the Villages?”

“It’s the water,” Draven grunted, half-teasing.

“Village Dreamers are nice, welcoming—well, except for the prick Captains and Council. Everyone else… That fucking giver has poisoned this place.”

“You get used to it,” Draven said.

“It was once a fucking paradise, too,” Nadir continued, looking over his shoulder at Draven, hands in his pockets. “First time Lovi brought me, I remember asking him if we could stay. There wasn’t all this—“ he pointed to the walls and the tents and vendors “—nonsense. Castle was beautiful. Everyone was nice, welcoming. There were trees on the cliffside still.” He shook his head as he started looking at some of the iron pieces now that they were heading into the smithing areas.

“I miss the old country,” Nadir finished. His gaze lingered on a long dagger, the blade was crooked, and Nadir picked it up to test the weight.

“Queen might like something like this for her engagement present,” he said, referring to the gift men would present their loved ones with upon asking them to marry.

“It’d have to be a bow,” Draven argued.

“I could bring you the sea dragon spine,” Nadir suggested.