Daughter of Azeroth

53 | THE TOUCH OF AN ARCHMAGE

Two weeks later, after a long absence and several more episodes of Elly tormenting Idira and Ryback intervening, Logan turned up on the morning of Idira's free day wearing a well-cut pair of brown leather breeches, knee-high boots and a fitted white shirt over his muscled torso, its sleeves rolled up to his elbows and the laces at the neck left open at his throat. He'd tied his hair back into a messy ponytail and sported a day's worth of stubble, but instead of detracting from his looks, his roguish appearance only added to his appeal.

As she finished pinning her hair up, Idira caught him leaning against the kitchen's fireplace, his arms crossed over his chest, catching up with Ryback while he waited for her to finish getting ready. She wondered for the hundredth time why she couldn't be with him, especially when he looked so terribly handsome. She went out, feeling a little shy and more than a little attracted to him. He made his farewells to Ryback and held out his arm to her, leading her up the stairs and out from the deserted inn, apparently oblivious to Elly's scathing, jealous glare as she polished wine glasses behind the bar.

'I thought I could show you around the city a little before going to see Lady Nin's memorial. Would you like that?' he asked as they stepped out into brilliant sunshine. Idira felt a little thrill at the thought of having so much time with him and said yes, but he didn't seem to hear. He glanced around the busy street, preoccupied and distant. Despite her own delight at the chance to explore, she sensed something was troubling him. She hoped it wasn't because of the tension with Elly. She knew Ryback had sent a message to him, warning him about what was going on, saying he had it in hand and was watching out for her, though she wished he hadn't said anything. She didn't want Logan to think she was causing problems after all he'd done for her.

He led her on, taking her through the narrow, winding, cobbled streets of the mostly residential Old Town. Shabby chic, very trendy, Logan explained as they walked, bemoaning the fact the apartment prices in the Old Town were the most expensive in all of Stormwind, which annoyed him since its location was convenient to the barracks. But, he'd sighed, resigned, it seemed everyone who was anyone wanted to live in the suddenly popular district because Prince Anduin had taken a fancy to drinking at one of the little coffee houses nestled in one of the Old Town's many hidden courtyards. Logan rolled his eyes at that, shaking his head, muttering about the vapidity of the city's residents.

They pressed on, wending their way through the jangle of people hurrying about their affairs into a narrow lane, the gables of the towering three-story houses overhanging so much they left the lane's cobbles in perpetual shadow. Logan took her hand and shouldered his way through a tight knot of shoppers gathered around a bakery, the delicious smell of cinnamon buns wafting from its open door making Idira's mouth water. He pulled her free of the crowd and headed towards a stone-arched gateway and into a tunnel. They came out onto a pretty, tree-lined walkway alongside a canal. In the distance several stone bridges crossed to other parts of the city.

For a while, Idira was content just to follow along and take in the wonders surrounding her. Since she'd arrived at the inn, she hadn't been any further than the lanes adjacent to it, and even then only briefly since she'd been sent out to run errands and told to hurry back. She pointed at a group of children fishing from a little dock in the canal, commenting on how charming everything seemed. Logan didn't say anything. She glanced up at his profile. He stared into the distance, preoccupied, far gone in his thoughts.

She touched his arm. 'Is something wrong?' she asked.

He didn't answer. She tried again. He turned, his eyes still unfocussed as he looked at her. 'Hmm?'

'I asked if something is troubling you,' she repeated for the third time.

She knew he'd heard her that time, because his eyes cleared and for a beat his expression betrayed him; dread, worry, and tension etched their way across his features before he smoothed his look and smiled at her.