Page 74 of Noble Charms

Hampenstead chuckled, the sound breathy and short. “Aria, you’re a good man. A fine elf. And I’m sure—a talented bard. Of course, I forgive you.”

Aria exhaled and sank against Hampenstead’s couch, boneless with relief. “By Elys. I was worried.”

Aria confessed his near-affair with Noble, and told Hampenstead the truth about how he and Noble weren’t really adame-patron, and Hampenstead had to immediately leave for business in the countryside without giving his response. It was only now that they were able to discuss the problem in full. Hampenstead placed a hand upon Aria’s knee and said, “You really were, weren’t you?”

“I’ve never done anything like that in my life.”

“Truly? I thought perhaps you and Noble were…” He gestured. “On and off, or something like that. The way you two looked at parties together… Well. It wasn’t difficult to make an assumption.”

Aria’s face flushed red. He placed a hand atop Hampenstead’s and said, “We’re just friends. Really. That night… I was upset by Ellor.”

Hampenstead hissed in sympathy. “I know. It was a rough go, wasn’t it? He’s not the kindest man.”

“I was upset, and Noble simply comforted me.” Aria groaned and used his other hand to wipe at his face. “I will never do such a thing again.”

“Then, as I said, I forgive you.” He smiled, thick lips thinning against his large, orcish teeth. “We hadn’t reached such a point in our courtship, anyway.”

“Thank you, Eric.”

“C-can I ki-kiss you?” he asked.

Aria smiled, leaned in, and whispered, “Any time you’d like.”

Later that same afternoon, they walked hand-in-hand in the cold but sunny day, down the avenue where Hampenstead’s hotel towered over other older brownstone homes. Hampenstead said, “I wish you would join me on Winterend instead of working like you say.”

Aria squeezed Hampenstead’s fingers within his and looked up to take in his gray-streaked brown hair and small round glasses. “I know. It would be lovely to spend the night with you. But I’ve not played a gig in far too long. And this one pays handsomely. It may be a chance for me to start fresh as a bard among nobility.”

“I was invited to it, you know. This party you’re working at the Cordelia Ballroom.”

Aria’s stomach flipped. “Oh?”

“I’ve been given a number of invites, actually. One of them is even at the Agolde estate, with the royal family.”

Aria looked out across the lane, at the nearly-bare trees clinging to their last few leaves. “Noble will be at that one.”

“Will he?”

Aria said, “That’s where he is now. I presume yes.”

“I see. Well, it’s the party of the season—I’d make quite a few connections there.”

Aria leaned against Hampenstead’s shoulder and said, “You should go. Meet with them. It may help business. The Agoldes probably always need new ships.”

Hampenstead snickered and said, “It moves at a slower pace these days without war, shipbuilding. But the royal family does always love shiny new t-toys.”

Aria snorted in agreement. Noble asking him to be an adame—like Aria, himself, was a shiny new toy he could procure and place upon a shelf.

“Come with me. F-forget the g-gig.”

Aria looked up and smiled. “I cannot.”

Hampenstead sighed. “It’s a shame I’m at-attracted to stubborn types. I love hearing no.”

Aria laughed aloud, throwing his head back. “I’ll do my best to continue to please you, my lord.”

Hampenstead smiled, and they continued their walk down to the river. There, Hampenstead spoke again. “I would like to invite you to join me in Nightveil when I travel there in the spring. I’ll be there for two, maybe three, years. I know it’s a lot, but—” He reached out to stroke Aria’s hair, and he frowned. “I just wanted you to know now. To think about it.”

No, his soul cried. Don’t.