Chapter 220 — Nothing to Bargain For
Ren returned four days later with road dust on his boots and no gift in his hands.
Nia noticed both.
He came up the eastern path shortly after midday with his narrow travel bag across his chest. Two workers followed him into the trade shelter, one carrying a wrapped bundle while the other checked the marks on three sealed jars.
Ren stopped beside them.
“The jars stay under the east cover until Pella's household collects them.”
Tovin pointed toward the storage row. “That's what I told him.”
The worker looked between them. “You said they couldn't stay beside the grain.”
“They can't.”
“That is why there is an east cover,” Ren said.
The worker frowned at the jars.
Ren handed him a folded strip of writing bark. “Pella's mark is on the second line. If anyone else asks for them, the answer is no.”
The worker took it and returned to the jars.
Ren looked toward Nia.
His mouth curved.
“You came to inspect my unloading.”
“I came for salt.”
“That is much less flattering.”
Nia looked at his empty hands.
Ren followed her gaze. “I brought nothing for you today. I thought I should confirm my company still qualifies without supporting goods.”
“You came back.”
“I said I would.”
Tovin walked past them carrying one of the jars.
“You also said you'd be here before midday.”
Ren glanced toward the sun. “I was delayed.”
“By sleeping?”
“By commerce.”
Tovin continued without waiting for the defense.
Nia laughed.
Ren's workers had the rest of the unloading under control, so she bought her salt and started uphill. Ren took the heavier side of the basket before she settled it against her hip.
“I can carry that.”
“I know.”
He kept the basket.
Nia let him.
Spring had changed the climb since his earlier visits. Water still ran through the narrow drainage cuts, but the stones beside them had dried enough for people to use the full path again. Two men were replacing loose gravel near a turn while a woman above them shook dirt from a woven mat and complained that they were throwing half the road toward her doorway.
Ren moved closer to Nia when one worker carried a basket of broken stone past them.
The smell of smoke and roasting roots drifted down from somewhere higher in the household row. A pair of children ran across the next opening with strips of bark in their hands until an older woman called them away from a stack of drying cloth.
Ren watched them disappear around the passage.
“Hearthfang becomes louder every time I come here.”
“You usually stay near the market.”
“That may have protected me.”
Nia smiled and kept climbing.
When they reached the household, Shen was sorting several dried samples at the outer worktable.
He looked up as Ren entered.
“Back?”
“For the moment.”
Shen's gaze moved to the basket.
“Nia bought salt,” Ren said. “I have been assigned transport.”
“I didn't assign you anything.”
“You permitted it.”
“That is close enough.”
Ren put the basket beside the storage shelf. He slipped the travel bag over his head and set it near the end of the worktable, out of Shen's sorting space.
Nia leaned over Shen's shoulder to inspect the packets spread across the table. He moved one away from her hand before she touched it.
“I counted that one already.”
“You make everything difficult.”
“I make things stay counted.”
Nia bent and kissed his cheek.
Shen's expression softened, though his hands kept sorting.
The samples were not all alike. One packet held pale curled leaves, another thicker pieces with darker stems, and Shen had separated several spotted fragments onto a square of cloth beside his elbow. Every small pile had its own bit of marked bark.
Nia reached toward the cloth.
Shen shifted it farther away without looking up.
Nia gave him a look.
Ren glanced between them.
She ignored him.
Kael came from the rear passage carrying a short length of braided cord.
He handed it to Shen. “West cover.”
Shen checked the braid between his fingers. “Enough.”
Kael turned to Nia.
She stepped into him before he could say anything and kissed him.
His hand settled at her waist.
“I'll be back before the next meal,” he said when she released him.
“Upper marker?”
“Selvan sent word the binding shifted.”
Nia kissed him once more.
Kael's fingers pressed lightly at her hip before he let her go.
He glanced at Ren on his way toward the entrance.
“The lower eastern turn is dry.”
Ren lifted his brows. “Your continuing concern for my footing is touching.”
“I don't want to carry you.”
Kael left before Ren could answer.
Shen laughed under his breath.
Nia carried the salt toward the storage jars while Ren leaned against the wall beside the worktable.
Shen kept sorting.
For several minutes they talked around his work rather than stopping the household for Ren's arrival. Ren told Shen that a trader below had nearly put a cracked wheel back under a loaded cart. Shen asked whether it was the same trader from Ren's last visit.
Ren looked offended.
“There are several men in the world capable of poor judgment.”
“I know. You meet most of them.”
Nia laughed as she transferred the salt.
Outside, someone dragged a low wooden frame past the entrance. One end scraped stone until a second person told him to lift his side. Shen paused long enough to let the noise pass, then resumed tying one of the sample packets.
Ren put a hand over his chest. “I came here for affection.”
“You came here because you wanted to see Nia,” Shen said.
Ren glanced toward her.
Nia closed the salt jar.
“Yes.”
Nia looked at him.
Shen did too, though only briefly before returning to the dried stems in his hands.
A voice called from outside.
“Shen!”
Sera appeared at the entrance with an empty shallow tray tucked beneath one arm.
“You still have the samples?”
Shen looked at the packets spread across the worktable.
“I am finishing them.”
“I need the spotted batch before I go back down.”
Shen gathered two packets and pushed the remaining one farther onto the table.
Nia moved aside so he could pass.
As he did, she caught the front of his tunic and kissed him.
Shen returned it easily, one hand brushing her side before he took the packets again.
“I'll bring the last one later.”
Sera had already started back down the path.
“You'd better,” she called.
Shen followed her.
Ren watched them disappear.
Then he looked at Nia.
“You kiss people very efficiently in this household.”
“Jealous?”
“I am attempting to answer that in a dignified way.”
Nia carried the empty salt measure back to its shelf. “How is that going?”
“Poorly.”
She smiled.
The cave had become quieter, though sounds from the path still carried through the entrance. Someone farther uphill was calling for a missing water cup. Stone clicked against stone from one of the work areas.
Ren moved from the wall to the edge of the worktable.
“I arrived with work. I carried your salt. I have now been left standing here without a useful task.”
“You don't need one.”
“That continues to be a difficult concept.”
Nia turned toward him.
Ren spread one hand lightly over the table. “When there are goods between us, I know what to do with my hands. When there is a route, I know where I am going. When there is a price, someone can at least pretend the conversation has rules.”
“You came to see me.”
“I did.”
“That was the whole reason.”
Ren's eyes stayed on hers.
His familiar amusement remained at the corner of his mouth.
Nia crossed the space between them.
His dark-red hair had loosened during the road. Several strands had fallen near one temple, and dust marked the lower edge of his trousers. One fox ear turned briefly toward the sounds outside before settling toward her again.
Ren looked down at her.
“I should probably say something clever now.”
“You don't have to.”
“That has never stopped me before.”
Nia put one hand against his chest.
His heartbeat moved beneath her palm.
“I could still make a respectable argument for—”
“No.”
The word stopped him.
Nia stepped closer.
“There is nothing to bargain for.”
She rose onto her toes and kissed him.
His breath caught softly against her mouth. A moment later, one hand settled lightly at her waist.
Nia kissed him again.
His fingers tightened.
This time he answered her.
Ren tilted his head and caught her mouth more fully. Nia slid her hand from his chest to the back of his neck and drew him down until the difference in their height stopped mattering.
A quiet sound left him against her lips.
His other hand came to her waist.
Nia moved closer.
The edge of the worktable touched the back of her hip. Ren shifted with her.
The kiss deepened.
He tasted faintly of dried fruit from the road.
Nia smiled against his mouth.
Ren drew back enough to look at her.
“What?”
“You.”
“That is not an answer.”
“It is today.”
The words made him laugh softly, and Nia kissed him again before the sound completely left his mouth.
He held her securely at the waist and kissed her with enough confidence that Nia's fingers tightened behind his neck.
When they finally separated, neither moved far.
Ren kept both hands at her sides.
Nia left one arm around his neck.
Ren looked at her.
“I had something better to say.”
“What happened to it?”
Ren opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Nia's smile widened.
His eyes narrowed.
She laughed and kissed him once more.
It was shorter this time, warm and certain.
When she lowered her heels to the floor, Ren rested his forehead briefly against hers.
Outside, someone crossed the path at a run.
Ren breathed out slowly.
“My workers are taking the north branch before evening.”
Nia smoothed the wrinkle she had made in the front of his tunic.
“Then you should go before they decide Tovin is in charge of you.”
“That would be intolerable.”
“Especially for Tovin.”
Ren laughed.
He stayed close for another moment, then reached for his travel bag.
Nia caught the front of his tunic before he could lift it and pulled him down for another kiss.
Ren laughed when she let him go.
“That was unfair.”
“I didn't hear a complaint.”
“You didn't give me time to prepare one.”
Ren picked up his bag and settled the strap across his chest.
His eyes remained on her while he adjusted it.
“I really do have to go.”
“I know.”
He touched her waist once more before stepping toward the entrance.
Nia followed as far as the worktable.
Ren stopped in the opening and looked back at her.
He smiled.
Then he left.
Nia stood where she was until his footsteps blended into the other movement outside.
She turned back toward the storage shelf.
The salt jar was still sitting where she had left it, but the empty measure remained beside the worktable instead of hanging from its peg.
Nia picked it up.
Shen returned before she reached the shelf.
He came through the entrance carrying the empty sample tray and stopped when he saw her.
His gaze rested on her face for a moment.
Nia hung the salt measure on its peg.
Shen crossed to the worktable and reached for the last packet.
The corner of his mouth lifted.
Nia saw it.
She picked up the folded cleaning cloth and threw it at him.
Shen caught it against his chest.
“What was that for?”
“You know.”
His smile widened.
Nia pointed at the packet.
“Finish your counting.”
Shen laughed and sat down.
Ren and Nia https://imgur.com/a/KOKtQGd