Page 5 of The Immortal’s Trick (Bound to the Immortals)

The air cools with the approaching night, a welcome balm against my flushed skin. I lean back against the warm stone of the house, letting the rough texture scrape lightly against my shoulder blades, grounding me, as I breathe in the evening.

The scent of dust and distant cooking fires drifts in from the city. Everything feels strangely still—like the earth is holding its breath, just as I am.

Lome could arrive at any moment, and my stomach coils tighter with every passing second.

I can’t decide who I should be when he appears. The curious woman enchanted by a stranger’s voice… or the dutiful daughter who knows better than to let her guard down around strange men?

My fingers fidget with the hem of my linen dress—blue, impossibly soft against my tan skin. Nebet convinced me to wear my finest dress this evening. I’ve worn it maybe twice, back when I didn’t quite fill in the bodice with my girlish frame.

Tonight, however, the dress clings to my chest and waist with feminine appeal. The fabric hugs my legs with each light breeze coming from the fields.

A figure appears on the road.

My breath catches. For a moment, I think it’s him. But no—it’s Ani. I’d know that steady gait anywhere.

I push off the wall quickly, heart skipping, nerves tangling into a new shape. I smooth my dress, tug at the edge of my braided hair.

“Eshe?” My name sounds like a question on Ani’s lips, tentative and soft.

I lift my hand. “Hello, Ani.” I try to make my voice firm, steady, but there’s a quiver in it I can’t hide.

“You look… nice.”

Heat floods my cheeks. The kohl around my eyes feels heavy all of a sudden. Nebet swore the makeup made me look sophisticated. I feel like I’m playing dress-up.

“Thank you.”

He closes the space between us, his gaze sweeping over me in a way that makes my shoulders tense. Not because it’s unwelcome, but because I don’t know what it means. Because part of me wants to step back… and another part wants to step closer.

“Are you here to speak with Father?” I ask, voice rushed, needing to break the silence hovering between us.

He blinks, then his eyes drop to the dirt under his sandaled feet. “Yes. I came to discuss the surplus you and Nebet delivered yesterday.”

Something’s wrong.

His whole posture is off—stiff, uneasy.

“Did the sales go through?” I ask.

He sighs and lifts his gaze. “Not exactly.”

He explains how many of our typical buyers were suddenly uninterested in the discounted crops. Not one of them provided a reason other than simple disinterest.

The information shocks me. “Are there other interested buyers?”

Ani’s lips form a thin line. “I am making inquiries.”

My mind whirls with alternative plans.

Once harvest ends, perhaps we can reduce the field hand numbers. I hate to deprive a man of income, but he could be rehired next season. And if we don’t sacrifice now, there might not be a next season for us.

“I have several promising leads. I hope to find a buyer by the end of the week,” Ani adds, sensing my inner turmoil.

I nod and force a smile. My mouth tastes like ash. “We’ll make do. Thank you, Ani. Truly.”

He flushes, the warm color blooming across his face. “Of course. I do what I can.”

“And we are forever grateful. You are truly a genuine and admirable friend, Ani.”

His eyes dart away, like the words embarrass him. Then he asks, “Are you going somewhere tonight?”

His gaze slides down my dress again.

“Nebet and I are going to the theatre.”

His eyebrows lift. “With your family?”

I hesitate. “No. With… acquaintances.”

That word feels too light, too vague for the feelings the handsome Greek stirs within me.

Ani asks, “Do I know them?”

“I don’t think so. They’re visitors. Greeks.”

His expression sharpens. The warmth in his face drains away.

I fight the urge to fidget. “One of them found my purse at the market. I believe you spoke with him.”

Ani’s jaw flexes. He remembers. “You’re going to the theatre with that man?”

“His name is Lome,” I reply. “And yes. Nebet and I are accompanying him and his brother to the theatre.”

Even if I were the high artisan of Alexandria, I doubt I could recreate the absolute disbelief that flashes across Ani’s face. He stares at me like I’ve lost my mind.

“Will there be a chaperone?” he chokes out the question.

I don’t enjoy causing Ani discomfort, but I won’t lie to him. “No.”

Now, all color fades from his cheeks. “What would possess your father to allow you and your sister to take such a risk? Who even are these men?”

“Nebet and I will take care,” I assure him. “We are not so foolish as to approach the evening without caution.”

His frown deepens. His worries are not so easily alleviated. “Who are they?” he asks again.

I hate the question because I don’t really know. Because I can’t explain what draws me toward Lome, what still pulls at me even now.

“I told you,” I look away from his inquisitive gaze. “They are Greeks visiting Alexandria. The one who returned my purse made a worthy impression on Father. He and his brother are attempting to make friends in their new city. Their intentions seem honorable.”

Ani’s laugh is dry and humorless. “They’re strangers .”

“Even so, Father has approved the venture. So I do not believe there is anything more to discuss.”

Ani physically recoils from my cold tone, as if the words slap him from two feet away.

Guilt prickles at the back of my throat. Ani’s only trying to protect me, but his gaze feels like judgment, and I’ve done nothing to be judged for.

Still, a slight ache opens in my chest as I watch his face. He’s hurt… and worried. Maybe more than worried.

Before I can think of what I’m doing, I step forward and lightly place my hands on Ani’s shoulders. I lean forward and brush my lips above the light shadow covering his cheeks.

I linger for a moment before quickly dropping my arms and stepping back. I offer a small smile. “Don’t worry, Ani. We will be alright.”

Heat flickers in his gaze. He reaches forward.

I take a quick step back.

“I need to go inside to check on Father,” I blurt, then clear my throat. “Can we wait to tell him about the lost buyers? He’s had a rough day. I don’t want to worry him tonight.”

Ani opens his mouth but promptly closes it tight. Eyes dazed, but jaw tight, he manages a small nod in reply.

It’s enough.

I slip inside the house, pulse thudding at my throat.

I glance back once, just once.

Ani walks down the path, back to his horse tied to the post in the distance, head bowed, feet dragging in the dirt. He doesn’t look back.

Still… I swear I feel eyes on me, even after I close the door behind me.