The entire time he hadn't appeared other than mildly interested in the proceedings. But now as we passed, his eyes tracked our movements. I suppressed a shiver of fear and disgust and moved closer to her, blocking her from his view as much as I could. When I glanced over my shoulder as we entered, I was surprised to see Will take up a position just behind us, his hand resting loosely on the hilt of his sword. The crowd was gone, but the slaver continued to watch us until we were inside.
As I looked around the room, some of my tension eased. The smell of fresh bread filled the air and belied the bar in the center of the room. We’d entered a comfortable square main room, with tables and chairs clustered around the center bar. Quiet conversation could be heard, but most of the patrons seemed to be focused on the plates or bowls in front of them and were eating instead of speaking.
The people closest to me were eating a stew of some sort, with thick doorstopper sized pieces of bread. The smell of the meat and cooked vegetables overpowered the bread’s smell now, tickling my nostrils and causing me to salivate. I looked at Sel, catching a look of longing on his face I was sure matched the one on mine.
Gwen smirked. "Don't worry, meals are included with our lodgings. I just need to let the proprietor know the rest of my group has arrived."
She pointed her chin toward the bar, where a stout, matronly looking woman vigorously wiped a glass. She wore a plain green dress with a white apron, and her hair was pinned up in a no-nonsense bun. It was more grey than red, and she had lines beside her eyes and mouth that suggested she wasn’t someone to be trifled with, but when she caught sight Gwen, she smiled and put the glass down, pointing to an empty table. Gwen inclined her head in response.
"Come on. Marthe knows you're here now. She'll bring us each a plate of food. But a word of warning: she's quite motherly and her cooking is good, but if you insult her, I wager she's also a woman capable of making your life a living hell."
"Good to know," I said, looking at the hostess in a different light. I didn't know nearly as much about people as Gwen did. She seemed to have a knack I lacked. Or perhaps it was because she’d had more bad experiences than I’d had. She’d told me multiple times she was horrible at reading people, but I was finding the opposite was true.
Either way, when Marthe came over and plunked three glasses of water down, I made sure to give her the brightest smile I could.
"Hello there." She gave both Sel and me a thorough once-over. "My name is Marthe, and this is my establishment. What can I bring you to eat?"
I smiled again, feeling my composure tremble a little now that we were safe. "Hi, Marthe, my name is Rhin. And if there's enough to go around, I’d love a bowl of whatever they are eating, and some of the bread, of course." I smiled again, adding, "It smells amazing and I'm starving."
Marthe nodded briskly. "What about you, Miss Gwen? And you, boy—what would you like?"
"I'll have the same," he responded.
Marthe tilted her head at Gwen, who agreed. "Me three. She's right, it smells amazing."
Marthe looked at the wolves. "Did you need something for your animals?"
Gwen looked at the wolves waiting patiently by her feet. They followed Marthe with large, hopeful eyes, tongues lolling out as they watched her every move. Gwen smiled, and I couldn’t help but be amused at the pleading on their furry faces.
"If you have some meat I could purchase for them, it would be appreciated. But they'll be fine if you don't."
Marthe brushed away her respectful answer with a sniff. "The butcher gave me a bad cut of meat yesterday. It's not fit for people and I’ve already complained and had it replaced. He left me the extra for the fact it wasn't worth him taking back. I just threw it out in the alley an hour ago. It’s yours if you want to take your wolves around back to eat it, and they can stay in your room as long as they’re trained not to leave messes."
"Thank you."
I could tell by the shy smile she gave the tavern keeper that she was surprised and touched by the woman's generosity. I was a little surprised myself, after the way everyone else had been acting when it came to her wolves. So far, Sunglen was different than I had expected. Not sure if I should be disappointed or intrigued, my thoughts quickly turned to food when Marthe returned hardly five minutes later with three steaming hot bowls of the same stew the other patrons were enjoying.
As I ate the stew, my senses were overwhelmed by its fragrant rich meatiness. It was simple but filling, the gravy perfectly complementing the carrots and potatoes accompanying the venison.
After my stomach stopped complaining, I leaned back in my chair and sighed, perusing the room with a lazy satisfaction. I almost missed Will’s lanky form, tucked into the far corner. With his hat tipped over his eyes, he gave off the impression of being asleep until I spotted one dark blue eye surveying the room from underneath the brim.
His uniform was disheveled, as though he’d slept in it already, or was deliberately trying to look unthreatening. His hair curled in dark waves that were tousled, hiding a firm jaw which made him look dashing and stubborn.
I sat up and glared, but his only response was to tilt his hat lower and put his boots up on a nearby chair.
Shaking off the feeling Will was guarding us, I looked at my friends.
Sel was already scraping the bottom of the bowl with his bread, which was every bit as delicious as it had smelled, and Gwen, eating at a more sedate pace, also appeared to be enjoying the cooking Marthe had brought us.
Sighing inwardly, not wanting to bother them with my suspicions, I tried to focus on my food. Yet no matter how hard I tried, my gaze kept returning to the strange man who’d warned me about the slaver and followed us in. Was it possible he was there to make sure he didn't come after us? I didn't know, but his continued presence kept my nerves on alert.
Chapter 11
The next morning, I rolled over to see four sets of eyes regarding me calmly. I blinked, sitting up abruptly in the bed. It groaned under my weight and I responded by gasping. There was something so unnerving about waking up and being the focus of other living creatures’ attention. I cast a glance at Gwen but found her still sleeping in the other narrow bed in the room. Sel was on the pallet on the floor near where the wolves had bedded down, and it was their intent gazes, which had woken me.
Marthe was more lenient than other places would have been. Not only were the wolves allowed in the eating area, but she had no problem allowing them to stay in the large family room we'd rented.
"Even if they piddle on the floor, they'll still be tidier than other guests I've had," she’d laughed, before leaving us to our lodgings.
"Have you been awake long?" I turned to Sel.
"Just a few minutes. When I woke up, these guys were all sitting by the door and their hackles were up. I cracked the door to see if anyone was in the hallway, but there was nothing there." He kept his voice low, which I imagined was due to the fact that Gwen was still sleeping, but his words bothered me.
"You think someone was watching us?"
He looked awkward as he unfolded from the floor, his long legs sticking out at right angles as he pushed himself up. "It’s hard to say. The wolves might be on alert because we’re in a strange place and they're protecting her, but either way, I think it's important to stay on guard. It's a large city." A hint of unease crept into his eyes.
A yawn caught me by surprise and I covered my mouth. "I didn't say anything yesterday, but I think the soldier I spoke with outside the hotel may have followed us."
His eyes narrowed. "Do you think he’s who the wolves were watching?"
"I'm not sure. He didn't seem dangerous, but I think he's the reason the large creepy slaver didn't follow us inside. He sat in the corner the entire time we ate and didn't leave until we came upstairs."
"Interesting. You may be on to something. Well, once she wakes up, we can head down and get breakfast. I imagine you’ll want to head back to the Library right away?"
"Yes, we should f
ind Jarid again. I'm hoping he can take me back to where we left everything yesterday. His reference book was highly convenient. It will certainly cut down on my search time if I can continue to use it."
"I'll join you for breakfast, but I'll leave you two to your own devices in the Library." Gwen's sleepy voice cut through our conversation.
Surprised she was awake, I turned to see her leaning on her elbow in bed, watching us talk with half-closed eyes.
"Are you sure?" I wasn't comfortable with the idea of her being left alone after what we'd returned to the day before.
“I’m sure. Besides, there’re things I need to do while we’re here.” She swung her legs over the side of the bed, brushing the wrinkles out of the clothes she’d slept in as she moved.
We'd all traveled so light, the clothes we’d been wearing when we arrived in the city were the cleanest things we owned. The sight of her wrinkled and travel-stained clothing reminded me of the condition of my own, and I looked down and sniffed. Yup, I needed to either get new clothes or find out where I could clean my change of clothing, which was currently bloodstained, torn, and crumpled in my travel bag.
A chuckle from her brought my attention back from my current clothing situation, and she said the one thing guaranteed to keep me from arguing with her about joining us at Abrecem Secer.
"Why don't I find somewhere to clean our clothing?"
Gwen included Sel in her question and his eyes widened before he looked at me. He waited silently for me to decide. Finally, I rolled my eyes, knowing she had me beat.
"Fine, but I want you to be careful. That soldier I talked to yesterday, Will, told me that large guy watching your wolves was a slaver. It sounded like he was interested in taking them from you somehow and selling them."
She got up, snorting as she pulled her other set of clothing out of her bag. She sniffed the shirt and made a face. "I'd like to see him try. The connection I have with my wolves isn't easily broken."
"I know. That's why I'm worried. He didn't seem like the kind of man to be stopped by a little bit of difficulty. He also looked like the kind of person who wouldn’t mind killing to get his way." I sat on the side of my bed, looking at her seriously. Relief rushed through me when her lips tightened.
"I'll be careful," she promised, all her earlier bravado replaced. "I'll stick to the hotel or other populated areas and main thoroughfares. Will that help you feel better?"
Getting out of bed, I considered her question. I had no idea what would help. I'd only just realized how much I had to learn about people and civilization. More and more, it was clear to me that none of the books I'd read over the years could capture the true nature of creatures—human, elves, and others—and they continued to surprise me. I just wasn't sure if it was good or bad so far. I did know the idea of her being injured filled me with dread.
I turned to the door, deciding not to dwell on the what ifs or change into my dirtier items. I could wash up later. Maybe Marthe had laundry facilities in the building. "We may as well get food now, since we’re all awake. Soonest begun, soonest done," I quipped.
The others joined me without changing and we didn’t speak on the way to the common area. I was trapped in my own thoughts, and they seemed equally stuck in theirs, or maybe we weren’t yet fully awake. The wolves took point, with Swift in front and the other two behind us without a word from her. I had the feeling they were guarding us, but from who or what? The memory of the slaver’s scarred, evil face flashed through my mind and I shivered.
When we arrived where we’d eaten the night before, it was empty apart from a familiar figure. I narrowed my eyes. To the casual eye, he looked like he’d been there all night, and then I noticed the pants he was wearing. If it hadn't been for the fact I'd seen his boots on the table the evening before, I probably wouldn't have seen it. Yesterday, they had been patched near the ankle, but today they were not.
I strode over to the table where he was pretending to be asleep, slamming my hand down hard enough the mug in front of him rocked, spilling some amber fluid. He jumped to his feet, hand falling to the pommel of his sword so fast I flinched and stepped back. But I was determined to get answers and stopped when I remembered my irritation.
"Why are you following us?" I glared, crossing my arms as I waited for a believable answer.
He took his hat off, placing it on the table before he stretched lazily and stood to face me. I realized for the first time he was quite a bit larger than I was. In the confusion and noise of the crowd yesterday, somehow his size had escaped me. I glared harder, willing him to see my anger.
He continued to watch me with an impassive expression. Now that he was up and saw who’d confronted him, his hand had fallen away from his sword and he’d crossed his arms behind his back.
"I'm not." He pressed his lips together, offering nothing else.
I exhaled, frustrated at his non-answer. Something in my expression must have made him reconsider his response.
He rolled his eyes and elaborated. "Fine, maybe I was. But it was just to make sure you and your friends were safe. The slaver you saw last night is bad news, and I didn't want you or your friends to be another victim of his mercenary greed.”
Some of the tension from my shoulders eased, but not all of it. I believed his words, but there was more to it than that. Something in his eyes told me more was going on here than he had divulged.
“Everything okay here?”
An arm draped over my shoulder as Gwen joined me, staring distrustfully at Will. I patted her hand, shooting her a brief smile as Sel and the wolves joined us. By the look on Will’s face, any chance of exploring why he’d followed us was lost for now.
He arched an eyebrow, turning his attention to my friends. "Good morning. I trust you all slept well? Marthe has a lovely facility here. Reasonably priced, clean," he emphasized, raising both eyebrows briefly, "and best of all, the food is filling and delicious."
To my surprise, she smiled at him easily, offering him her other hand in greeting.
"Hi, thanks for worrying about us last night."
I looked at her and blinked. Surely I’d somehow misheard her easy thanks? But the corner of her lips turned up when she caught my expression.
"Come on, surely you realize he was who the wolves sensed outside our door last night?"
"Now I know you’re all alive and well, I must be about my duties." He took his hat off the table and placed it back on his head, tipped the corner, walking out the door without a backward glance.
I watched him go, shaking my head at the entire interaction. "You can't tell me that wasn’t strange."
Sel was more focused on the kitchen than my words. Based on the way his eyes kept darting toward the kitchen, I gave him up as a lost cause until he'd eaten. When I looked at her, she watched me with narrowed eyes, as if she was assessing my reaction and I’d surprised her.
“Do you think I’m overreacting?” I didn’t like thinking I’d disappointed her and was becoming uncomfortable under her steady gaze.
"I don't know why he felt the need to protect us, but if he was worried about the slaver, I'm glad he stayed. As we didn’t come to harm while we slept, you have nothing to be upset about.” Gwen's voice was mild and her words were reasonable.
I wasn't sure what bothered me the most. The fact that he’d stayed, or that I was upset and didn’t know why. I wrinkled my nose.
"Something about him just strikes me as off. You know? Like he's doing one thing with the right hand while slipping something behind his back with the other."
Gwen sighed. "Things in Sunglen are different than what we’re used to in the Low Forest. If he was worried enough to watch us, without causing us harm, I think saying 'thank you' is a safe enough gesture."
I was still suspicious, but conceded her point. "For last night, of course. But I'm not sure if he’s someone we can trust to watch our backs, or if we need to worry about having him behind us."
"Anything is possible," she agreed. "B
ut for now, let's eat so you can return to the Library and find whatever it is you're looking for."
I pressed my lips together, giving a grudging nod.
We sat down at the nearest long table and waited less than a minute for Marthe to appear. She wore a dark red dress with a clean apron, which she used to wipe her hands before greeting us.
“Good sleep?” She waited for our agreement, then briskly announced, “the house breakfast is included. It’ll be extra if you want something off the menu.”
“Sounds fine, Marthe. Thank you,” I smiled. “Do you by chance have facilities for washing?”
The corner of her lips tugged up as she looked at my face, hair, and clothing. She smiled wider at my discomfort before taking pity. “Aye, that we do. Second floor has the baths, laundry in the basement.”
Before I could begin to express my gratitude, she’d whirled away in a dark red swirl of skirt, returning immediately with three piping hot bowls of greens and berries which we fell into with hungry anticipation.
We parted ways with Gwen after breakfast. After promising me she’d stay near the safety of the hotel as much as possible, we headed back to the Library. We’d taken the same route as the night before, through narrow cobblestone streets with shuttered houses. It was still early, and tradespeople were just beginning to go about their duties as the street sweepers worked furiously to clear away the garbage of the day before.
We rounded the corner and the mundane was wiped away and replaced by the indescribable beauty which appeared in front of us. The sun shone down on the golden spires, trumpeting to the world the Library was a glorious marvel of creation. It seemed larger in the early morning air, the marble steps veined in gold appearing to ascend to the place where the gods themselves lived.
At that moment, I was in the presence of a living, breathing work of art. The whimsical thought brought me back to my mission. To find how Onen Suun had trapped Dag’draath and see if there was a way to recreate the spell.
Upon entry, once I’d finally climbed the beautiful but intense staircase, I stopped to catch my breath and allowed myself time to absorb the details of the main entrance. It was a large oval, with creamy yellow walls interrupted by cherrywood beams that went all the way around. There must have been at least twenty-four, likely more, but I couldn’t see them in the corner, as they were blocked by the room Jarid had pointed out yesterday.
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