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Dragonlands(57)

By:Megg Jensen


Tressa reached up and touched his goatee. “How did you make it disappear? I’m quite sure you can’t grow hair that fast.”

He strode around the area in back Ira kept for garbage. They’d cleared it out the day before when he promised to teach her. The only stipulation was that her schooling would be done in private. No one knew his identity. He was known far and wide as The Entertainer. Some places he was The Swordsman. Others, The Man of Stealth and Romance. Tressa had giggled at that one.

She hadn’t felt so safe around a man since Adam. It was the way she wanted to feel around her father.

For only a moment her heart twinged. She hadn’t just left Bastian behind. She’d also abandoned the man who’d abandoned her. She just hadn’t counted on missing her father so much.

“Perhaps you noticed my face was darker inside the hood?”

Tressa nodded.

“Makeup. Mostly soot. I ground it into my goatee, making it blend in with the rest of my face. Look closely.” He gestured toward his chin.

Tressa squinted, not sure what she was supposed to be seeing.

“I keep it short. So short that it’s easy to hide. If I were to grow a long one like my brother, I wouldn’t be able to transform so easily. Not only does it provide me the protection of anonymity when I’m not in costume, it also makes it quite easy for me to shave if I need to escape a town quickly.

“Why would you need to escape? You’re an entertainer.”

“And you’re a barmaid. I think there are secrets neither of us are willing to divulge.”

“Fair enough.” Tressa stroked her own chin.

“Are you prepared to learn to be a man?” He bowed, holding out one arm in front of him, palm up.

She fought the urge to place her hand on his, like she would have done otherwise. She’d been grilled in proper behavior her whole life. Granna was a lady and she swore Tressa would be one too. She always said that just because they were trapped in the fog it didn’t mean they had to devolve into heathens. Hutton’s Bridge was once a shining bastion of beauty. Granna hoped to the end that someday it would be that again. She never gave up the dream.

That was all about to change.

In The Rooster’s Wattle she’d overheard a conversation about an upcoming tournament. The twelve winners would become the new elite guard for Stacia. Tressa was determined to learn to fight in time and Leo could teach her.

“I’m not sure I could pass for a man.” Tressa glanced down at her chest. She wasn’t too large, but not too small either. A perfect handful, Bastian always told her.

Leo waved a hand in the air. “If I can pass for a woman, you can pass for a man. You think I have a few extra pounds on me because I’m unhealthy? Wrong. All a man needs is a little belly fat. Push it up with the right girdles, and viola, boobs!” He grabbed his chest in his hands, squeezed tight, and pushed them up.

Tressa had to laugh. His boobs were now bigger than hers. “Fair enough! And all I need to become a man is to stick a codpiece in my breeches. I understand.”

Leo came closer, dropping his hands from his chest and his face becoming far more serious. He snaked an arm around her waist, pulling Tressa close. “Do you really think that’s all it takes to be a man?” His lips were only inches from hers. Her heart fluttered. Even though she wasn’t attracted to him, Leo took her breath away.

The back door from the inn opened. Ira peeked out and sighed. “I don’t even want to know.” He slammed the door shut.

Leo stuck his tongue out and winked at Tressa. “Not for you, my dear. You’re young enough to be my daughter. I prefer my lovers a bit more mature.” He let go and took a few steps away. “And poor Ira. I always got the girls when we were young. It’s just as well he thinks that again. It’ll give us a good reason to meet up and he’ll stay away from you.”

“I’m pretty sure he’s harmless.” Tressa practiced walking like a man, following Leo around their little, self-styled arena.

“Ira’s not even aware that I’m the man who entertained his inn the other night. I spend more time here than the other inns, in an effort to help business. I don’t think he knows, though. He doesn’t pay as much attention to business as he should.” Leo motioned to Tressa to continue practicing her swagger. “That’s why I was glad to see you here. At first glance I could tell you cared. During our chat, I realized there was far more going on. You may have fooled Ira, but you won’t fool anyone who is looking for ulterior motives.”

Tressa dropped her posture. Would she ever be able to trick anyone? If she couldn’t do it as herself, how could she disguised as a man?