HerMatesEmbrace by Rebecca Airies Page B

street. People moved slowly down the street or perused the
wares available. A smile curved her lips as she moved into the bustling area.
Inhaling, she took in the exotic smells. The scent of spices and flowers filled
her senses. She moved from one stall to the other, mainly looking because she
really didn’t need anything. A stall of necklaces and bracelets did draw her
back more than once. She admired the beautiful jewelry on display.
    “There you are. You’re supposed to be back there in the
square. Colm and Linc have definitely noticed you’re missing.” Avan’s hand
turned her as he came up beside her.
    “So they’ve noticed I’m missing.” She shrugged and shot Avan
a look. She didn’t know why he was worried about it. “I technically don’t have
to follow their orders. They aren’t my Ardin.”
    Avan shook his head and she heard him groan. “This isn’t the
time for you to start getting your spirit back. And you know they consider you
more than some guest who’s free to come and go as she pleases. I’ve seen the
way they watch you.”
    “And when is the time for me to get my spirit back?” She
smiled because he was right. She was slowly returning to normal and that was
something that she hadn’t expected to happen, especially not while she was with
any sort of Thent .
    “Don’t try to ignore the rest of what I said. You’re just
lucky I heard them asking about you as I was coming around the corner. They
didn’t see me. Let’s go back to the square before someone else finds you.” Avan
took her arm and tugged gently.
    “Avan, I don’t need you protecting me from them,” she
sighed. Although it was nice of him to try, in a way, she needed to know what
they would do if she made them really angry.
    “I don’t think you mean it the way I want you to, do you?”
Avan smiled. “You’re a long way from trusting them enough to know that they’d
never hurt you as you fear. I know you don’t need me to protect you, but let me
make this time easier. You can test them later once you know more about them.”
    “Why shouldn’t I test them now? What’s going to change
between now and whenever I know more about them?” She began walking with him,
but wasn’t agreeing to let him help her. Whatever that entailed.
    “When you know more of them, you’ll know that you’re not in
the same kind of danger you lived through with Laed and Kynar. Colm and Linc
aren’t vicious. They can control their tempers.” Avan began leading her back
through the narrow streets to the square.
    “I’m supposed to learn all of that without ever seeing them
angry and making them that way myself. How will I truly know that they’re not
going to suddenly slap me across the room if I don’t push the control you say
they have?” She tilted her head and looked over at Avan. He didn’t understand
how bad it had been and how hard it was for her to give her trust to someone.
She needed proof, not just assurances. “And I’d rather find out what they’ll do
in public where I have a real chance of getting some help if I need it.”
    Avan sighed. “You won’t need it, but I’ll let you do it your
way.”
    “Thank you.” She kept her lips in straight line and didn’t
comment on his letting her do it her way.
    “Hey, if you’d rather feel the sharp edge of their tongue
and see just how they react when you test them instead of letting me take the
pressure off you, that’s your choice, although it’s not the smartest thing
you’ve done.” Avan shrugged. “Let’s get back so we can get this over with.”
    She laughed softly. “You’re acting as if it’s you who’s
going to be in trouble.”
    “I just think you should move more cautiously. You’re only
now getting to a point where you’re not cringing every time they come near you.
I know they won’t hit you as you fear, but they could get too close to you and
scare you with their intensity.” Avan didn’t look back at her as they
approached the