Page 19 of When the Merchant Met the Orc

He leaves the room while I use a cloth from the washstand to clean up the spilled water. The broken door bumps around in its frame as Halvard sets it back where it belongs. The door doesn’t want to fit neatly into its spot, though.

“Want me to push from this side?” I ask through the carved wood.

“Please.”

I set my palms on the door and shove while the doorknob turns and the whole thing shifts suddenly back into place.

“That’s good for now, I think,” Halvard says, his low voice muffled. “I’ll get the innkeeper and have them bar it from out here. Is that all right? Knock on the wall we share when you’re up tomorrow, and I’ll remove it right away.”

“Sounds good. Thanks.”

“The least I can do. I truly am sorry for being rash.”

“After the thieves on the road, I don’t blame you,” I say. “I appreciate it.”

I truly do. It feels warm and lovely to have someone here to keep an eye on things. Something makes a soft thump against the other side of the door, and I imagine it’s Halvard’s hand.

“Do you need to talk about that? Have you been attacked before today?” he asks, his tone gentle.

My stomach turns. “I haven’t.”

Part of me longs to give in. Talking with him by the fire would be comforting. But it would give him the wrong idea. I’d be leading him on, wouldn’t I? If it weren’t so late and I was still dressed, I would say yes, but as it is, I have to say no and deal with this fear myself.

“But I’m all right,” I say finally. “I’ll knock if I need a friend.”

There is a silence that weighs on the air. “Good night, Rychell.”

I can’t figure out what his tone reveals—sadness? Disappointment? Simple fatigue? “Sleep well, Halvard.”

His footsteps bump along the outside walkway, moving toward his room. His door creaks and then knocks like he’s closed it.

Crawling into bed, I force my thoughts away from Halvard, away from thieves, and back to my son, Nate. I hope he is having fun at Kaya’s. I’m sure he is. They probably baked a sample cake for his birthday. Kaya might have even let him carve another dusk hollow for the Nocturne Festival competition.

I fall asleep, comforted by the fact that Nate is in good hands and that there’s a very strong orc on my side just a wall away.

Chapter 10

Rychell

The spice market tugs at my nose and pulls me in like a witch’s spell. Warm and bright scents of turmeric and cinnamon, biting notes of mint, the alluring aroma of sun-heated honey, and many more surprises. It’s also a feast for the eyes. Deep red paprika, pink peppercorns, yellow ground mustard seeds, and vibrant saffron have me looking this way and that like I’m no older than my son. I am practically running from stand to stand.

“You’re going to wear out your bodyguard if you keep on like this,” Halvard says beside me. He smiles, and his gaze takes in my eyes, chin, and mouth.

I lick my lips and turn toward a stand of preserves and dried meats. “I’ve been coming here for years, and it never gets old.”

He chuckles and gently nudges me to the left. A gaggle of geese rumble past, their herder griping as she hurries along behind them.

“Thanks.”

“Of course,” he says. “If you want me to carry your items, I’m happy to do that. Don’t be afraid to ask.”

I smile at him, glad I hired him despite the tangle of attraction between us. He seems fully capable of setting thattrouble aside to do his duty professionally, and I am quite glad to see it.

I eye the array of carts, tables, striped canopies, and brightly colored goods. “I want to find the purple turmeric that Kaya wants. If you see any, let me know, all right?”

“No problem.”

We move through the market slowly, chatting about our favorite meals and what we used to enjoy when we were younglings. At one stand, I haggle for some saffron, then we move on to a long table of varied peppercorns. I purchase a portion of pepper as well as some good southern coast salt. Next up, we buy a very expensive bag of far eastern cinnamon.