Page 62 of Fierce Highland Magic

"An important distinction."

"Not for you."

His smile dimmed at the edges.

I took a breath.

The sound of rain on the shed roof was gone.

I knew that with the particular certainty of a missing tooth: my tongue kept finding the empty place. Rain still fell somewhere beyond the market, or perhaps it was only the fine silver mist that drifted between the tents, but I couldn't summon that old rhythm anymore. I could remember there had been a sound. I could remember that it had made me feel safe.

The safety itself was gone.

Rowan's attention stayed on my face.

I disliked that his attention stayed on my face.

"You spent standing," I said. "Whatever that is. You did it after I told you not to, and the market gave you a passage that was technically safe and practically useless."

"Yes."

"You knew it might happen."

"No."

"You knew something might happen."

His gaze held mine. "Yes."

"Why?"

A lantern bobbed above us. A pale moth beat itself against the glass from inside, its wings making a sound like paper tearing.

Rowan looked toward the path. "The market is not a place that rewards hesitation."

"That isn't an answer."

"It is an answer."

"It is a sentence near an answer."

He exhaled through his nose.

"You are very determined to make me speak plainly."

"I am determined to understand what you are doing."

"I'm trying to get you to dawn."

"That isn't what I asked."

"It is the only part of the answer I can give you."

I folded my arms. "You keep saying things like that."

"Do I?"

"Yes. You say there are rules, then explain them after I nearly break them. You make bargains for me and call them protection. You tell me something is dangerous, but not what it is dangerous for."