Chapter Two

"I really hate doing this," Nieve murmured as she trudged through the mud, holding a lantern in one hand while she clasped Layla's in the other. She didn't like leaving home, she didn't like meeting people and she definitely didn't like talking to them. Yet, she'd have to do all that, and with a smile on her face, if she wanted to get someone to pay for dinner. It always left her feeling dirty, having to flirt with men, promising them things with her eyes she'd never do. Layla didn't seem to have that problem, as all she had to do was be herself and men would get in line to help her.

"Just act like you're talking with me," Layla answered, squeezing her friend's hand encouragingly. She had no idea why the brunette had so much trouble talking to men; she was gorgeous and, if she'd only smile, any man would fall for her. But she never smiled, not really, no smiles that reached her eyes. The grey eyes that were so in contrast with her brown skin, they left anyone mesmerised, if only she hadn't perfected her constant icy glare.

"But I won't be talking with you," she got back in a groan.

Nieve bit her lip when they finally reached the tavern, the only place with reasonable food and men drunk enough to pay. She let go of her blonde friend's hand, blowing the lantern out before she pushed the heavy door open with her shoulder. The smell of hot food had her mouth watering instantly. Layla elbowed her, nudging to two guys sat at the bar, both dark-haired and blue-eyed. The shorter, more muscular one, leaned back and laughed while the taller, slimmer one turned his gaze to the girls in the door opening, strands of his half long hair falling over his eyes as he leaned forward. One look at them and the girls knew they weren't from around the Marsh. Nieve was pretty sure they weren't half as poor as their clothes would have them look; they looked too clean compared to everyone else. An easy target if there ever was one.

"Dibs on the shorter one," Layla whispered, finding the gaze the other man had rested on them a little unnerving. Especially when he seemed to smile, as if he'd heard what she'd said.

"Yeah, okay," her friend shrugged, smiling at the tall man as they headed their way. She almost faltered in her step when his smile turned into a frown, his eyes never leaving hers. If she wasn't so hungry, she would have told Layla to go home. Instead, they picked bar stools close enough to the two men to catch their attention, without it being too obvious. Layla shrugged off her cloak, kicking Nieve's shin in a silent command to do the same. The blonde leaned her elbows on the bar in a sigh, propping her head on the palms of her hands as she crossed her legs. The pants she wore would have protested had she not lost so much weight that even pants she'd worn as a starving teenager fit her again. Next to her, Nieve crossed her legs by the ankles, straightening her dress as she tried to keep a pleasant expression on her face, even mustering a smile for Trent, the bartender, when he knowingly winked at them. Nieve silently counted in her head, wondering how far she'd get before one of the guys would start talking to Layla; they always did. She'd reached fourteen when the shorter one turned to her blonde friend.

"Hello there," he smiled, and the brunette had to literally bite her tongue to stop herself from groaning.

"Hello," Layla answered sweetly, giving both men a smile she truly meant, saving the bigger smile for the one she'd set her eyes on. It took the blonde a mere five minutes before she told them about her lovely garden, and two more before she had them buying the starving girls dinner. Nieve had no idea how her friend had done it; she herself had barely spoken two words, and yet the guys hadn't thought twice about spending their money on her. They eventually moved to a booth in the back as they waited for their plates.

"What are your names, anyway?" the muscular one asked the second their food arrived, his eyes mostly on Layla while Nieve didn't wait and dug in.

"I'm Layla Valentine, and this is my friend Nieve Giordano," the blonde said, making the brunette look up at her slightly alarmed. She'd never told anyone their last names before, they promised they never would. All she got from Layla was a reassuring smile; somehow, she seemed to trust these two strangers when Nieve did anything but.

"I'm Ryan, and this here is my mate Riven," the man sat across the table from Layla answered. Nieve noticed how he'd somehow forgotten to mention their last names. It did nothing to relieve her suspicion, but she knew there wasn't much she could complain about since they had bought her dinner.

"Are you from around here?" the one sat across the table from her, whose name supposedly was Riven, asked her. Nieve turned her gaze to her blonde friend but realised she and Ryan were still talking to each other.

"Yeah, not too far from here," she gave in as much as she would, turning her steely gaze back to the blue-eyed man. "You?" she asked even though she knew the answer, trying to read his face as much as he seemed to do to her.

"No, we're just passing through," he answered slowly, a slight frown remaining on his face as he took her in. "Did you always live here?" he now asked, his frown deepening as if he was trying to figure out whether he knew her from somewhere else.

"My entire life," she lied, getting a slow nod from him before he shook his head as if trying to dislodge a thought and gave her a smile. She returned the smile half-heartedly before she returned her attention to her meal, feeling his eyes on her even as he joined Ryan and Layla in their conversation.

Layla turned out to have more fun than even she'd expected, finding Ryan easy to talk to. He seemed to be interested in the smallest details of her life, genuinely surprised by the way she'd described their small house. It made her wonder where he lived if he'd never seen homes like hers. Wherever it was, it must be a wonderful place to have everyone live in proper, stone houses.

The two men walked the girls back to the borders of the Marsh, until Riven said they really had to go, giving Ryan a meaningful look the girls didn't miss. Layla and Nieve walked the rest of the way home, elbows linked, while the blonde chattered on about the nice guys they'd met tonight, nothing like the ones they usually found at the tavern. Nieve quietly nodded, for some reason feeling Riven's eyes on her until they reached their home and she finally curled under the covers.