ELLA WEAVED THROUGH THE CROWD in The Gilded Dragon. She pushed open the door of the inn and pressed onward into the brisk night air. As the door closed behind her, the cheers of merriment dimmed and turned to echoes. There was a still serenity in the night, occasionally broken by drunken chants of merchants, but only for seconds at a time.
Ella adored the Moon Market. The storytellers, jugglers, and merchants gave the village folk a feeling of excitement and adventure, a taste of what lay beyond their small circle. There was so much to see, so many places to go. She knew she could not stay in The Glade forever, and Rhett knew that too. She had never known anyone like him. Ever since Haem's death, he had always been there for her. He was her rock.
She said she would meet him by the outer edge of the town, by the large green tent with the golden trim and a snow-white cap. It skirted the low wall of the market square, where the merchants had pitched.
Ella heard the crunch of freeze-dried leaves beneath her feet as she made her way through the streets. She cursed herself for not bringing her long cloak as she rubbed her hands up and down her arms. As she turned the corner around Iwan Swett's butcher shop, the white cap of the tent came into sight, followed by its murky green canopy.
"I was worried you had decided to stay warm by the fire." Rhett smiled as he strode over to Ella, not waiting for her to come to him. He was tall compared to most in The Glade, with a strong chest, thick arms, and jet-black hair that was uncommon around the villages. Rhett Fjorn's parents had come from Berona when they were only teenagers, to build a new life for themselves.
He traced his fingers along her cheek. The callouses at their tips felt rough against her skin, but not in an unpleasant way. There was something uniquely comforting about the feeling.
She gazed up at him, taking a moment to admire how handsome he was, then placed a gentle kiss on his lips. "There are other ways to keep warm."
Ella gave him a wry smile before wrapping her arms around him.
"Really?" he said with a laugh. He pursed his lips and shrugged. "I can't think of any."
"Oh go away, you," Ella said, giving him a half-hearted shove.
Rhett laughed at her again. Small creases formed at the corner of his eyes as his smile grew wider. He always did that – smiled with his eyes. He bit the corner of his lip as he held her gaze, only for a moment, before taking her hand and leading her back towards the village streets. "Come on. A group of merchants at the southern edge of the village told me they will be playing music long into the night."
"Okay, okay." Ella tried to add a disapproving tone into her voice, but it was not an easy task.
"I'll miss this," Rhett said, gazing around. He laughed as his eyes rested on the comatose body of Marlo Egon, an empty tankard of mead in his left hand. "Every time," he chuckled.
"I know, but we still have plenty of time. We won't leave till after The Proving, and that's not for a few weeks." She nestled her head against his shoulder. "As soon as we are set up in Berona, we will come back to visit, and we can leave notes to make sure they won't worry."
Rhett's lips pulled to the corner of his mouth as he let out a sigh. He kissed the top of Ella's head and pulled her closer to him as they walked.
She knew that he wanted to start a life with her in Berona, but he was unsure about leaving this way. They didn't have a choice, though. Her father would never let them just leave. He would never forgive Rhett.
"Rhett, I—"
A deep growl came from down one of the side streets, followed by shouting.
"Get him off me!" came a shrill voice.
Rhett gave Ella a look that she knew meant for her to stay where she was.
He took off around the corner without a moment's hesitation.
"Ella!"
She hurried around the corner after him. Two young boys were strewn out on the floor. Rhett knelt beside one of them with his hand slipped under the back of his head. A greyish-white wolfpine sat curled up beside the boys, blood lining its mouth.
Ella's eyes narrowed as she stared at the wolfpine. "Is that Faenir?"
The wolfpine lifted his head at the mention of his name and padded over to Ella. He rubbed his back against her leg with a low whine.
"It's Calen and Dann," Rhett said with a hushed voice.
Ella dropped down beside him, worry coursing through her veins. "Rhett, is he okay? What happened to him?"
"They've been beaten pretty badly. I couldn't see who it was. Faenir must have chased them off." Rhett placed his hands on either side of Ella's cheeks. "Ella, look at me. He is okay. He's unconscious, but he's okay.
Ferrin is only around the corner. He told me he was going to The Gilded Dragon after his watch was done. Go, bring him back here so he can help me carry the boys home." She began to protest, but he immediately stood up to go check on Dann.
The wind nipped at Ella's face as she ran. The cold air burned in her chest. He's going to be okay.
Ferrin was exactly where Rhett had said he would be, standing outside the inn, mead in hand.
"Ferrin!" Ella dropped her hands to her knees, panting as she dragged air into her lungs. "You need to come – now!"
"Whoa, Ella, calm down. What's wrong?"
"It's Calen and Dann. They're hurt. Rhett told me to come and get you."
Ferrin's expression changed in an instant. He shoved his tankard of mead into the hands of the merchant he was talking to, who took it without hesitation. "Take me to them."
"Okay, we have this from here," Rhett said when Ella and Ferrin bounded into the side street. "You need to go now, ahead of us. I will come and see you tomorrow." Rhett placed a kiss on her forehead and turned back towards Calen.
"I'm not going anywhere. Calen is hurt—"
"Ella, what happens if he wakes up and sees the two of us here? Do you want to explain that? To him – to your father?"
Ella's shoulders dropped. She sighed. "Please get him home safe."
"I will. Don't worry. Now please hurry home. It's getting cold out."
Ella sighed, pinching her lips together. He was right. Calen would probably understand, but her father? No, that would not be a conversation so much as it would be a screaming match.
She reached up onto her tiptoes and planted a soft kiss on Rhett's cheek.
She didn't say anything as she turned around the corner, onto the main street. She slipped her hands in her pockets and tucked her chin down against the top of her chest.
The walk home didn't take long, but her heart pounded with every step.
She eased the front door of the house open, careful not to elicit the creak that always came when it was opened too slowly. The smell of lavender twisted around the smoky aroma of extinguished candles as she tiptoed through the kitchen, stepping deftly over the creaky floorboard beside the kitchen table. Her mother was a light sleeper.
With a hushed sigh, Ella slipped in between the crisp sheets of her bed.
She didn't toss or turn. She just lay there. She knew there would be no sleep for her until she heard Rhett and Calen at the door.