Deep River Shifters 4 Book Box Set

by Lisa Daniels

  “Oh, it’s a Senones shop? Aren’t they a little… traditional?”

  Jaylon laughed, “I think if you want to be nice, we preferred to be called quaint. Or backward. We love to be called backward.”

  Noely simply looked at her friend and smiled at his cavalier attitude toward the way people saw his home country.

  “Mind you,” he said in a mock whisper, “we backward people are rather hardy. I mean, it’s been nearly 200 years since we had problems with plague and monsters, but you know it’s only because we barbarians just don’t know that we should be behind other countries, not ahead of them.”

  Noely gave him a playful slap. “I already know. There’s no point trying to make me feel bad. I just meant aren’t Senones shops still into doing things like bartering instead of taking money? You know, traditional shopping.”

  Jaylon gasped, “There it is! Come on!” With that, he grabbed Noely’s hand and began to run.

  “Hey! I'm not the one who runs all day. Remember, I'm in the kitchens!” Noely tried to shout over the crowded streets as Jaylon pushed his way through. She knew that he could no longer hear her in his excitement, so she accepted being dragged along behind him until they finally reached the shop.

  Standing out in front of the shop was a beautiful woman dressed in what could only be called high fashion. Her luscious, light brown hair was beautifully styled and gave her a regal look. The only thing that indicated her status and country of origin was the thick Senones accent as she spoke with her customers.

  Jaylon stepped right up to the woman, still pulling Noely behind him. “Wow, you have done a fantastic job. It looks so much like a real Senones shop, it almost makes me homesick.”

  The woman beamed at Jaylon, “Oh, a fellow Senonian, huh? I'm not the only one crazy enough to leave our cozy little home for the wild shores of the unknown.”

  Jaylon laughed and held out his hand. “Jaylon Valles.”

  “Saskia Holderfeld. As in the one the shop is named after.” She shook his hand and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “I hope your girlfriend doesn't mind the old familiar greeting of our people.”

  Jaylon laughed again, “She doesn't mind at all because she’s not my girlfriend.”

  “Oh ho! Your wife. Well, they do say the magic fades fast, but you don’t look like either of you is old enough to have been married long enough for that to happen.”

  Noely looked with horror between the pair. Such familiarity between strangers was completely out of the ordinary in the city. The pair were chatting like they were long lost friends instead of two people working on a business transaction.

  Jaylon was shaking his head, “No, no. That is even more wrong. She’s my little sister.”

  The beautiful woman grinned at them, “My mistake. You two look so dissimilar, you must hear that all the time. My apologies.”

  “Oh, we aren’t blood-related, but I’ve been raising her since she was just a wee thing. There are times I feel more like her father.”

  “Hey!” Noely finally found her voice and tried to get a word in as the two rambled. “Of the two of us, I am far more mature. If you had actually raised me, you would have married me off in the first year.”

  “Only to the right guy.”

  Saskia laughed, and her voice was like a calming wind chime. The gentle rhythm subsided and she looked at the two. “You certainly sound like siblings. Come with me. I have something special for a fellow Senonian in the back of the shop. If you want to feel real homesickness, this will do it.” There was so much excitement and feeling to her voice that Noely couldn't help but be in awe of the way Saskia could deal with people. It had taken Noely years, and she was nowhere near as comfortable as this woman clearly was when it came to speaking with strangers.

  The trio headed to the back of the shop and into a small area away from the crowd. Saskia pulled out a small bundle and held it out to Jaylon with a knowing grin on her face. “Fresh, homemade Juniper Jam Fritters.”

  Jaylon’s eyes went wide and he looked down at the bundle. “How much? I will pay anything you ask just for a taste.”

  Saskia gave him a wicked grin, “You had best be careful, boy. I may take you up on that.”

  “I don’t care. Take advantage of my stupidity as much as you like.”

  She laughed and opened the bundle. A small curl of steam rose from the middle of the fritters. Jaylon needed no other invitation. His hand shot out and took the one on top. He bit into it and immediately he groaned, “Oh gods! This is just as good as I remember. In fact, it tastes exactly like I remember.” His eyes went up and he looked at Saskia. Noely quietly reached out and took a pastry, her eyes following whoever was speaking, her thoughts completely baffled by how two complete strangers could be so comfortable in their verbal sparring. No one she knew in Antakya would have acted like this.

  “I was taught by the best in Senones.”

  “Nonsense,” he waved the fritter a little as he dismissed the claim, “I knew the best, so if you say anyone other than Naya Davon, I will be forced to call you a liar.”

  Suddenly the beautiful woman fell silent, her eyes now fixed on Jaylon, the smile frozen in place. After a pause, her mouth hitched up in a new kind of smile, one that Noely was certain meant trouble. “And if I were to say Naya Davon, what would you say, Jaylon Eliseo?”

  Jaylon stopped just as he was about to pop the rest of the fritter into his mouth. There was a momentary look of panic on his face as his eyes darted around. “Where did you learn that name?”

  “Oh my gods!” Saskia rolled her eyes and groaned, “My gods, she’s never going to let me hear the end of this. How many Senonians have I encountered all over the world? Countless Senonians, that’s how many. I was so sure that it was never going to happen.” Suddenly the beautiful woman’s face contorted into a stern look that was not natural on her features. “You’ll see. It will work. This may be just a business venture for you, but it’s a different kind of opportunity for me. And when we find him, you will owe me.” The woman groaned again, “Damn me and my affability. And my over kindness to my fellow Senonians.” The woman’s chocolate colored eyes shone as she pretended to bemoan her fortune.

  Jaylon grabbed her shoulder, the smile completely gone from his face. “You actually know Naya Davon?”

  “Of course. She’s my partner. Owns half of the entire business. She’s got a great head for this kind of stuff. Who would have guessed that when we were young, right?”

  Shaking his head, Jaylon tried to understand what he was hearing. “You mean little Naya, the defiant girl who was constantly arguing and bargain-” He immediately stopped. “Okay, yeah, I can see how that would happen.” Without another word, he pulled Saskia into a hug. She laughed, holding the fritters to the side. Without a word, Noely took them and placed them on a nearby shelf. Jaylon pulled back from Saskia.

  With a huge grin, the beautiful woman looked him up and down. “So you are the baron’s son who ran away with the two slave children, huh? Just couldn’t live in the lap of luxury anymore?”

  He scoffed, “Yeah, lap of luxury. I’ve been raped, beaten almost to death, and yet the guys who traded me as a slave were much kinder to me than my father. At least they never starved me, and I got more sleep than in my father’s house.”

  Saskia pulled him into another hug. “It’s okay. I’ve heard a lot about you, and if I had been in the same situation, I would probably have done much worse. Like kill the baron. After all of these years, she’s still so worried about what happened to you when you didn’t come back that night.”

  “Oh, I was abducted and sold off. Fortunately for me, they never realized who I was, otherwise I think it would have gone much worse for me.” He waved a hand, “Enough about me, though. How are Naya and Nyle? They must be doing really well to be running a shop that has moved across the ocean.”

  A pained look passed over her face. “Ah, um, sorry, I can’t talk about this right now. Could we meet up this evening? I will be cl
osing up the shop in a couple of hours. We can talk and see about reuniting you.”

  The look of cheer faded from Jaylon’s face. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

  “Later. Please.” Saskia’s face was incredibly pained and her eyes begged him not to ask any more.

  Noely reached out and touched her friend’s arm. “Come on, Jaylon. We can go finish shopping and get some food. By the time all of that is done, Saskia will be available.” The young man looked over at her. “It’s okay. We can talk some other time.”

  He bit his lip and looked back and forth between the women. “You still owe me an explanation. Until then I will continue to hound you about finally giving up this foolish intractable claim that you want to be alone the rest of your life.”

  “I never-”

  There was a muffled cough and the pair looked at Saskia. “As a single woman, I have to say that is her choice. However, I dare say if you give her time she may change her mind.”

  Noely frowned, unhappy with the turn of conversation to the one topic she really did not want to discuss. “I have no need to change my mind. It would be unwise for me to pretend that a relationship is possible.”

  Saskia raised an eyebrow and looked at her. “Oh, one of those. I know a couple of ladies who were very much of the same mindset.”

  “And they lived happily ever after,” Noely said a little testily.

  “Oh, yes, they sure are now that they have changed their minds. One of them is even getting married to the most beautiful man I have ever seen. Not that the other has a slouch for a companion, but well, guess he just doesn’t match my idea of a perfect man as much. Don’t worry, Jaylon, if my few years of experience demonstrate anything it is that even the coldest woman will eventually realize that when you find the right person you have to be a complete idiot to give it up.”

  Noely frowned, causing the woman’s smile to widen a little more. “For some of us it is best to do the right thing than the smart thing.”

  “Tell me, dear, what do you do for a living?”

  “I work in the kitchens at the palace. It’s a tough job, although I’m sure it doesn’t compare to sitting around and enjoying the company of your clients.”

  Saskia laughed, “You don’t need to be so defensive. And your assumption is about as far off the mark as it is possible to be. Do you think that the women I know are all merchants and socialites?”

  “If you are traveling so far, probably not.”

  “No, indeed not. Believe me, I know that working in the kitchens can be difficult. One of the women I mentioned did that for a while when she was a good bit younger than you. She is now a spy and an incredibly powerful witch. The other one has a slightly less stressful job.”

  Jaylon finally spoke, “Like a fortune teller?”

  Saskia laughed, “No. She’s a dragon hunter.”

  “What?” Jaylon and Noely asked in unison.

  “It’s a little less stressful than being a spy. She doesn't have to lie for a living. And she never pretends that things are alright when they aren’t. It’s just dodging flames, claws, and more obviously deadly creatures when she’s on the job. Anyway,” she patted Jaylon on the shoulder, “take hope in this. Even the most obstinate woman may change her mind given the right person. She just needs the right person.”

  Noely’s mind immediately went to Cyprian, and she blushed.

  Saskia noticed. “Oh my, my, but I think she may know what I’m talking about.”

  Jaylon looked over at his friend. “Is she right?”

  Noely sighed, “You know what, why don’t you just stay here and help Saskia. Maybe she can close up faster so that you can go talk.”

  “You are not getting rid of me that easy. I want to hear about this.”

  Noely reached up and patted his face. “I think that you need to be here, and you know it. I will be fine. We can always make it a date for tomorrow.”

  Jaylon looked at Saskia who had an attentive look on her face. “I guess… if that’s alright with you.” Saskia nodded. He grabbed Noely’s hand. “But I haven’t forgotten. You promised. This changes nothing other than to postpone it by a night. And I’m saying yes to the captain for you tomorrow.”

  Saskia placed her hand on his shoulder and spoke up, “Give her time and space. You can’t force her and expect good results.”

  Jaylon frowned. “Alright. But promise me you will consider it.”

  Noely simply nodded before pulling her hand out of his, turning, and leaving the shop.

  Chapter 6

  The Roar of a Crowd

  Noely wasn’t quite sure what to feel after the incredibly bizarre encounter with Saskia. She very much wanted to be angry at the woman, but found that it was incredibly difficult. In the short period of time since meeting her, Noely had seen nearly a full range of emotion, yet she felt that Saskia more than meant well. From the way Saskia had reacted to Jaylon’s friend’s name, the young woman already knew what news Saskia had to deliver. Perhaps she didn’t have the details or know what had happened, but clearly Jaylon was about to find out that he had lost one of the few friends he had as a child. One of the two people he had considered his family. He was going to be heartbroken because no matter how accurately he was able to guess what was going to happen to others, Jaylon never seemed able to guess his own future, even when all of the signs were there. He was such a positive person, Noely felt guilty about what he was about to experience. Regardless of what they had agreed to for the next evening, she knew that the next few nights were going to be filled with her consoling Jaylon.

  And it was Saskia’s burden to tell him.

  A part of Noely wanted to stay and comfort her friend, to let him know that she was there, but she also knew that he would not want to see him break down. He always tried to be strong in front of Noely, and she knew that was in large part because his friend had done that for him when they were young. Nyle was a year or two older, but he had repeatedly stood up for Jaylon against the duke. Jaylon had tried to be her protector because of the example that Nyle had set. She would be there for her friend after the initial shock. Saskia would be there for him through the difficult acceptance.

  A heavy sigh escaped her lips as she headed back toward her home. Her stomach growled, reminding the young woman that she had eaten very little that day. All she wanted was to go home and try to process the last 24 hours. It had been an incredibly long day and she was extremely tired, but trying to sleep with a growling stomach had little chance of being successful. There was a little place near the palace that served good food without it being too heavy. It was also on the way home.

  After ordering a larger than normal dinner, Noely tried to keep her mind focused on what she needed to do. At first this was difficult as her concern for Jaylon was strong, but even that soon gave way to images of the morning.

  Her heart began racing and she felt her face flush as she recalled what had nearly happened.

  “Hello, lovely. It looks like you need a little company.”

  Noely looked up into the face of one of the noblemen. She tried to give him a smile without it being inviting. Standing up, the young woman replied, “Actually, I was just finishing.”

  “But you have barely eaten any of your food. Come sit with me and my friends. We could use a lovely young thing like you to keep us company over dinner. I think I could probably be persuaded to keep you a little longer than just through a meal, too.”

  Stepping away from the table, Noely tried to think of one of her usual comebacks. It was so rare that anyone was able to take her by surprise like this, but being so distracted had left her vulnerable.

  “There you are. Why didn’t you tell me where you were going? And where is your companion?”

  Noely and the noblemen looked over as a tall man with short-cropped hair walked quickly toward them. The young woman was not sure whether she should be relieved or worried that Captain Hisa was walking toward her with a grim look on his face.

  “Excus
e me, but the girl and I are talking,” the nobleman stepped between the two. “I am going to be her companion tonight.”

  The captain reached them and looked down at the man. “There is no way she would agree to that. This lady has more substance and taste than a little crony like you could ever understand.” Noely wasn’t sure that she had heard the words correctly because there was no way a soldier would talk to a nobleman like that.

  The man who had been coming on to her seemed even more confused. When he responded, his words seemed more like a question than like he had just been insulted. “Excuse me?”

  “I said that we have official business. Please excuse us. You can always look for Natasha tomorrow. She is a serving lady for the Marquise Detone.”

  The man nodded vaguely and walked away without another look at Noely.

  Internally, the young woman was beginning to panic. She frowned as she looked at the man who had just saved her from a difficult situation, trying to figure out if what was about to come was actually worse.

  Leaning over so that his mouth was near her ear, the captain wrapped a hand around the young woman’s arm. “I’m sorry to do this to you, but I need you to accompany me.”

  Noely looked up at him. “Where are we going? Why do you need me?”

  The man’s eyes darted around and Noely could tell that he was assessing the situation to see who had noticed his arrival. “I have been waiting for you ever since you entered. Something about what you said earlier has been bothering me and I’m afraid I couldn’t wait until tomorrow. Please.” His words seemed polite, but the captain was already pulling the kitchen assistant toward the exit. Not wanting to make a scene and simultaneously wondering if she should, Noely went along with him.

  As soon as they were outside and a little ways from the palace, Noely stopped walking. “I’m sorry, but I need an explanation before I go any further.”

  Hisa’s black eyes shone in the dark, and for a moment she felt a twinge of fear as he looked around them. He took a step forward, and Noely felt like a small rodent trapped in the gaze of a snake. Fleeing would have been the right thing to do, but she found that her body would not move.