Chapter 6
ELOWIN
Iwoke to the sound of gentle snoring and the end of a braid dangling across my face.
I glanced down to find Sparrow curled up against my side facing me, his mouth hanging open as he let out snuffling noises I was sure would have horrified him if he’d been awake to hear them.
He had one arm draped across my chest, and he looked so peaceful I felt bad waking him.
But our new friends were busy packing up the camp all around us, and dawn had faded into a bright morning, with the heat of the day making itself felt already.
I shook Sparrow’s shoulder gently. He let out a sigh and mumbled into my armpit, then went still again. I smiled despite myself and nudged him again, and when that didn’t work, I tugged gently on his braid. “Sparrow?”
He opened his eyes that time, and recognition dawned. “Oh! Is it morning already?”
“I’m afraid so. Did you sleep well?”
For some reason his cheeks turned pink. “Yes, thank you. You?”
I’d barely slept—having Sparrow in my bed was more distracting than I’d expected—but I didn’t tell him that. Instead I pulled back the blankets and said, “Well enough.”
“You’re awake!” A cheerful voice rang out and Silrisar approached us.
He was still wearing nothing but his braies.
When I looked around, most of the other elves were also in their underwear, which made more sense when he said, “We’re going for a swim to freshen up before we head to Everend.
Care to join us?” He nodded in the direction of the stream.
“Oh, can we please?” Sparrow asked with far more enthusiasm than I’d been expecting. “I know it will slow down our journey, but I’m so sticky and sweaty and I’m sure I smell like the bottom of someone’s shoe.”
I laughed. “Of course we can.”
“And you’re welcome to ride the rest of the way to Everend with us,” Silrisar added. “It might be a squeeze, but we can make it work.” He gave us a wide, easy grin.
“We’d like that,” I said. If we could ride instead of walking, we’d save most of a day. And if Sparrow had to sit on my knee to make room, I wouldn’t object.
“I’ll tell the others,” Silrisar said and clapped me on the shoulder before heading in the direction of the stream where the rest of the group was now waiting. They were all in the process of shedding their underwear.
I’d peeled my shirt off and was halfway out of my leggings before Sparrow let out a long, slow breath and started to undress, his cheeks pinker than a sunrise.
Nakedness was something that came naturally to me, as it did to most elves, and I wondered if Sparrow’s shyness was because of his upbringing or if he was just naturally bashful.
Either way, I had to admire the way he didn’t let it stop him from joining in.
Instead he peeled out of his underwear before turning to face me, his nervousness only betrayed by the way his hands hovered in front of his cock and balls.
He was pretty all over, but I didn’t let my gaze linger. I had no wish to embarrass him. Instead I shot him a reassuring smile and stripped off the last of my own clothing, then strode over to join the rest of the group, who were all laughing and chattering and dipping their toes into the shallows.
Sparrow followed me, and I thought he might linger on the shore, but he surprised me.
He took several long strides—well, long for him—and waded out to his knees before surging forward, letting out a shout as he sank into the deeper part of the stream.
I wasn’t sure if it was bravery or a desire to hide his nakedness underwater that had him entering the water so recklessly.
Either way, watching him gasp and splutter was entertaining.
I followed him in and gave a shout of my own, inhaling sharply as the water hit my body. It was like being stabbed with a thousand icy knives. “Goddess fuck, that’s freezing!”
The water parted in front of me, and Sparrow’s head popped up. His eyes were bright and he was grinning as he gasped out, “It’s so cold! I can’t feel my toes!”
“I can’t feel my balls!” I gave a breathless laugh and tried to suck some air back into my lungs.
There was a flurry of splashing and a chorus of shrieks and laughter as everyone else piled in behind us, and before long the stream was filled with wet, naked elves, all letting out various curses of their own at the cold water.
Sparrow floated away to the side of the group, and I noticed him sneaking surreptitious looks at some of the piercings on display, his gaze continually straying back to the gleaming metal adornments and the bodies they were decorating.
Hmm. Maybe Sparrow wasn’t as traditional at heart as I’d thought.
I swam over toward him. “Quite the view, isn’t it?”
Spots of color bloomed high on his pale cheeks. “I wasn’t looking! I mean, not deliberately looking. I mean, I wasn’t ogling,” he said. His gaze traced over my torso, making a liar out of himself.
He was definitely ogling. But I didn’t mind. If anything, it was flattering to have someone admiring my body the way he was. “Nobody would mind even if you were looking at them, Sparrow.” I flashed him an easy smile.
He bit his bottom lip. “It’s just so interesting, that’s all.
I’ve never seen piercings before.” His gaze flitted over to the group again, where Alariel’s and Silrisar’s nipple piercings were on display, the gold rings glistening against their chests, catching the sunlight as they splashed each other and moved through the water.
“My ex had a nipple piercing,” I said. “They can be a lot of fun.”
“But don’t they hurt?” he asked, his shyness giving way to curiosity.
“Not if your piercer is proficient in the right magic,” I said, splashing water on my face in a cursory effort at washing.
“When we get to the markets you can see for yourself. There are lots of piercers and tattoo artists.” A shiver ran through me.
“That’s if we don’t freeze in this damned stream,” I added.
“Wait,” Sparrow said. “I can help.”
A moment later a warmth began to spread through the water around me and I raised an eyebrow. “Do I want to know how you’re doing that, or is it better not to ask? Because I only know of one way to warm up a patch of river,” I teased.
His brow creased, and then he let out a shocked laugh. “No! It’s my magic, I promise!” he said, still laughing.
Even with Sparrow’s magic taking some of the chill from the water, it was still too cool to stay in for long, so we washed ourselves rapidly and scrambled up the bank along with the rest of our new friends and shook ourselves dry.
Once again a small patch of sunshine appeared where Sparrow and I were standing, warming my skin as I dried myself.
I gave him a grateful smile, and in return I showed him how to wring the water out of his braid.
Once everyone was dressed, we shared a breakfast of bread and cheese before packing up the carts.
We all clambered aboard and set out on the road to Everend, with both Sparrow and me squeezing into the second cart.
It was a tight fit, with squished elbows and pulled-in knees, and Sparrow did end up sitting in my lap.
I kept an arm wrapped around his waist to make sure he didn’t bounce off the cart and into the dirt as we rumbled along rough, narrow roads with more than their fair share of potholes.
Even with Sparrow balanced on my knee, riding was a welcome break from walking, and it seemed like no time at all had passed before the rutted track gave way to a wider, paved road, and we were no longer the only travelers.
There were elves on horseback, walking elves, and one memorable group that seemed to consist of nothing but jugglers—and of course, more carts, all headed to one destination.
By the time we approached Glaesflod, the road was a mass of elves, and the carts were axle to axle.
“Oh my,” Sparrow said, his eyes as wide as saucers.
“It’s busier than I expected.” We passed through the outskirts of the area, and I caught Sparrow casting doubtful looks about as we drove down a road with two dogs humping beside it—which was a fair indicator of what Glaesflod was about, if I was honest. “I thought Everend would be… more reputable,” he said carefully.
“It is!” Alariel said cheerfully. “But this is Glaesflod, which is proudly disreputable. It’s where you come for a different kind of fun.”
Sparrow’s brow creased.
“It’s where the brothels are,” Silrisar chimed in. He hesitated. “You do know what a brothel is, right?”
“Of course!” Sparrow said, his face flushing pink, but I wasn’t so sure. Never mind. I’d explain it to him later. He kept his gaze fixed on his boots until we passed out of Glaesflod and over the bridge into Everend.
Everend.
It was impossible to remain unaffected by the place.
It was the birthplace of the first elves in all the land and sacred to every one of us.
Also, after passing through Glaesflod, it appeared pristine in comparison, like taking a breath of fresh, clean air after stepping away from a smoky fire.
Indeed, the central pavilions—the Ceremonial Pavilion and the Marketplace Pavillion—were breathtakingly elegant and intricate structures, with pointed arches, pillars like living trees, and elegant fretwork that let in the light.
I couldn’t wait for Sparrow to see them.
“We’re here,” I said quietly.
Sparrow raised his head. His face lit up as we passed under the colorful banner that welcomed visitors, and the carts rattled past the various signs that directed them to the campgrounds, the main pavilions, and the food stalls.
A cacophony of voices rang out as competing stallholders loudly hawked their wares—all at a one-time-only-blink-and-you’ll-miss-it special price—and the smell of roasted meats wafted through the air, along with traces of perfume from the apothecary and the unmistakable aromas of the animal pavilion. It was a heady mix.
The cart made its way along the road, making slow progress against the press of shoulder-to-shoulder elves, but Sparrow didn’t seem to mind the leisurely pace, busy turning this way and that and trying to take in everything at once, his eyes like saucers.
Then a large shadow passed overhead, and I tapped Sparrow’s elbow, remembering what he’d said earlier. “Look up.”
He did, and let out a loud gasp. “An balloon! Elowin, it’s a hot air balloon!
” His earlier excitement returned and he squirmed in my lap, craning his neck and tilting his head back, which had the effect of pressing his back against my chest. I was far too aware of his closeness, the heat of his body, and the still-damp length of his braid, but I did my best to ignore all those things, reminding myself that Sparrow wasn’t interested in me like that. He was only interested in the prince.
“How does it stay in the air?” he asked, dragging me out of my thoughts.
“I don’t exactly know,” I confessed. “Maybe magic, maybe mechanics. Maybe both. But I’m sure we can talk to the Gearwick elves and they’ll be happy to tell you.”
“Well, it’s amazing,” Sparrow said reverently, still staring as the balloon went gliding past overhead, propellers turning.
“Gearwick elves will talk about the mechanics of flight for hours if you give them a chance,” Silrisar said before shooting Sparrow a lazy grin. “Mind you, some of their other inventions are a lot of fun too. I met an elf once that had a self-powered dildo that could—”
“Here’s the turnoff!” I interrupted loudly, and Silrisar took in Sparrow’s bright red face and took the hint.
Sparrow shot me a grateful smile, and I wrapped my arm more firmly around his waist. We followed the road that curved to the left and made our way to the campground, and Sparrow climbed out of the cart as soon as we pulled to a stop.
I grabbed the pack he’d forgotten in his excitement and followed him so I wouldn’t lose him in the crowd, lest he come back with green hair, piercings, and a mechanical dildo—not that I thought there was anything wrong with any of those things.
I was a fan of all of them. It was more that Sparrow was so obviously unprepared for the marketplace that I didn't want him to get robbed blind by the more unscrupulous dildo-makers.
I needn’t have worried. As soon as my feet hit the ground, Sparrow was at my side, eyes wide. “When will I meet the prince?”
“We can go and find him now,” I said.
I’d thought Sparrow would be excited, but he looked more thoughtful than anything.
His brows pulled together and then his gaze darted over to the carts where our new friends were busily claiming their space, setting up their canopy with the expertise that came from ample practice.
Sparrow bit his lip and said hesitantly, “Oh, yes. That would be the proper thing to do.”
For the first time since I met him, he didn’t sound very keen at all on the proper thing to do.
“Only, do you think… would it be all right if we looked around first?” he asked, eyes wide and hopeful. “I’ve never been to a market.”
I smiled at his enthusiasm as I slung his pack over one shoulder and my own over the other and held out a hand. “That sounds like an excellent idea. Let’s go and find the food stalls first and see whatever else catches our eye on the way.”
Sparrow beamed and took my hand. His fingers tangled with mine, making butterflies appear in my stomach that had no right being there, and we set off to explore the markets.