Page 10 of The Immortal’s Trick (Bound to the Immortals)

Field after field. Building after building. I pass friends and neighbors but don’t see any of them. I don’t feel the dust clinging to my sandals, or the sun pressing down on my uncovered head.

I focus on every step, eager to get farther from my father—from the house where Nebet pretends not to be heartbroken—from the decision that will break our family apart.

How could he do it?

Why didn’t he even try to find another way?

Tears hover at the corners of my eyes, stubborn and relentless. I blink them back, again and again, but they burn just the same. I try to think, scheme, and plot a way out of this. There has to be something I can do to stop this marriage. Something besides giving up.

“Eshe!”

I stop mid-step. That voice… I would know it anywhere, even over thunder. Its owner tugs at my soul in ways I have yet to understand fully.

I turn, and there Lome is, weaving through the crowd with quick, graceful steps. His smile falters the moment he sees my face.

In an instant, he is at my side. I flinch, shocked at how fast he manages to reach me.

“Eshe?” His eyes roam over my entire body, searching for any sign of hurt. “What is the matter? Are you harmed?”

I try to answer, but the lump in my throat is too thick. My eyes fill, and this time, I can’t stop it. The tears fall freely, racing down my cheeks. I try to breathe, but it only makes the sobs worse. My chest heaves.

Gods, this is mortifying.

Strong hands cradle my face, guiding my gaze up to his.

“Breathe,” he murmurs. “In. Out. Like this.”

His chest rises and falls in a slow, steady rhythm. I try to match it, hiccupping and gasping as I cling to his elbows for balance. My face flames with shame.

But Lome stays. He doesn’t flinch or pull away. He holds me steady until my breath comes easier.

Only when I’m calm enough to see clearly do I realize we’re no longer in the market. He must have pulled me between two stalls, shielding me from the crowd.

I drop my hands and step back, bumping into a wooden pole.

He asks cautiously, “Feeling better?”

“Y-yes,” I croak.

His gaze searches mine. “What happened?”

I shake my head.

“Eshe,” he presses. “What happened?”

There’s no escaping his eyes, no running from the weight in his voice. And maybe… maybe I don’t want to run.

“My father has accepted Benipe’s suit,” I sniff and pat my cheeks to clear away the moisture. “Nebet will marry him within the month.”

His jaw tenses, but he remains still. “How did she take it?”

“She’s… resigned.” Another tear rolls down my cheek. “She says she’s happy to be able to save our family.”

He leans in. “Save you from what?”

“Debt.” I swallow hard. "Our last harvest disappeared. Was stolen, actually. Without that income, my father says this is the only way.”

“I am sorry to hear it.” His fingers reach up and brush the hair gently from my face. The gesture is so tender, so intimate, it takes my breath.

A new tear escapes. “He didn’t even ask Nebet before he made the deal. He didn’t care about her feelings. He just... traded her.”

Lome’s thumb brushes away a lingering tear from my cheek. “You say she’s resigned. Perhaps helping your family brings her peace.”

I jerk my head violently. “No. I won’t let her do it.” The words burn in my throat. “I have to stop it. There has to be another way.”.

He opens his mouth like he’s going to say something, then closes it again.

“What?” I ask. “What is it?”

He shakes his head. “Nothing.”

“No.” I reach for him without thinking, fingers wrapping around his wrist. “ Please . What were you going to say?”

His gaze lands on my hand, then lifts and searches my eyes. Whatever he sees prompts him to say, “What if I told you I could help?”

My grip tightens. “Then I’d beg you to tell me how.”

“Very well.” He places his hand over mine. “Take a deep breath.”

“What—”

The world shifts.

Buildings around me blur. Pressure slams into my chest. Wind blasts against my skin, and for a heartbeat, I can’t breathe. Can’t think.

Then, it’s over.

I open my eyes. My legs wobble, and I clutch Lome’s arm for support. Trees sway gently around us, and the sound of water trickles nearby.

I know this place. It’s the creek near my home.

“W-what?” I whisper, my wide eyes lock onto him. “How?”

Lome gently disengages my hand from his arm, placing it back at my side. “I thought it best to have this conversation in private.”

Realization crashes into me, followed by fear.

“You... you moved us here?”

He nods.

I’m losing my mind.

“How?” I ask again, voice shaking as panic crawls up my throat. “What are you?”

Lome takes a step toward me, voice low and steady. “I will explain. It relates to how I may be able to help you and your sister,” he says. “If you allow it, I’d like to start from the beginning.”

If it weren’t for Nebet, I’d hike up my skirts and run away screaming.

But for my beloved sister, I swallow down my unease, lift my chin, and demand, with a tight voice, “Explain.”