Anger, white-hot, sprang to life in Zollin’s chest. He knew that his father’s apprentice was glad that Brianna had come with them. He probably hoped to win her affections, but Zollin would die before he saw Todrek’s bride with that overgrown ox.
“Did he?” Zollin asked a little too angrily.
“That’s right. He said he was going to give me a present soon. He even offered to give me some pointers if I wanted.”
“I’ll bet he did,” Zollin said.
Just then, Quinn came into the inn. He stomped his feet on the floor, knocking the snow off his boots. He looked up and saw them, then made his way over.
“Town elders should be here soon. You two want to join the conversation?” he asked.
“No,” Zollin said.
“Yes,” Brianna said.
Neither one looked at the other as Quinn looked first at Zollin, then at Brianna.
“What’s going on with you two?” he asked.
“Zollin was just telling me how he thought it a bad idea that I learn archery.”
“That’s not what I said,” the young wizard argued.
“No, it’s what you didn’t say,” Brianna snapped.
“What’s that supposed to mean? How can you be mad for something I didn’t say?”
“If you’re too thick to figure it out, just forget it.”
“Is this making any sense to you?” Zollin asked his father.
Quinn had taken a step back, and he looked startled to be dragged back into the conversation.
“I’ll need ale to understand either one of you,” he said. “A lot of ale.”
“See, your father knows how to keep his mouth shut.”
“You asked me a question. All I tried to do was answer it.”
“Well, your answer was as selfish and insensitive as you,” she said.
“Give me a break, I said I was happy for you.”
“You suppose you’re happy, that’s what you said.”
“I know what I said,” he snarled, his voice rising.
“You’re such an idiot,” she said, as tears sprang to her eyes.
Zollin didn’t reply, and she turned away. He started to walk back to his room, but then he noticed that everyone was watching him. He wasn’t sure what to do, but his pride got hold of his tongue before he could think of what he was saying.
“I wish I’d never had a sister,” he said quietly.
Brianna gave him a look like he had just slapped her, then she ran down the hallway toward her room. He could hear her crying and then heard the door slam shut. He felt terrible. He hadn’t really meant it, but he couldn’t take it back now. He settled onto the nearest bench and stared at the table top. He was angry at himself for letting his surprise show, but that’s all it was, surprise. He didn’t want her in danger, that’s all. Wasn’t that noble? Didn’t that show how much he cared about her? But then he had gone and let himself speak without thinking. How often had his father warned him about that? Now he understood, but she had pushed him into it. She just kept biting and snarling when she knew he didn’t mean what she was accusing him of.
“Looks like you and your sister are getting along just as people would expect,” Quinn said, handing Zollin a mug of ale.
Zollin didn’t really like ale—it was strong and pungent. He preferred sweeter drinks like cider or watered wine. But he didn’t complain, just took a long drink of the frothy liquid and then wiped his mouth on his sleeve.
“She’s overreacting,” Zollin said.
“You act surprised,” Quinn said.
“I am surprised. She announces that she’s learning archery, and I didn’t know what to say. Is that so wrong? I mean, give a guy a chance to think about something before you throw him to the wolves.”
Quinn laughed and clapped his son on the shoulder.
“You’ve got to have a quick wit to please a girl like that,” his father said.
Zollin looked stunned, but then he noticed that the group of young girls was still sitting near the fire. They were glancing his way and then talking quietly, their conversation laced with giggles.
“I wouldn’t worry about it too much,” Quinn said. “Looks like your show last night caught the attention of some of the young maidens hereabout.”
Quinn stood and walked over to a group of men who had just come in the door. Zollin guessed that they were the town council or town elders or whoever was going to work through the plan of defense with his father. Zollin thought of going back to his room, but he’d been cooped up in the tiny, windowless space all day and he had a longing for fresh air. He turned and was about to stand up when Ellie appeared with a plate of food. She hadn’t spoken more than a few words to him since the miners had accosted her, but now she looked in the mood for conversation.
“I brought your supper,” she said sweetly.
“Thanks,” Zollin said, taking the plate of steaming food.
“It’s braised lamb with stewed vegetables and fresh barley bread. There’s some soft cheese and fresh-churned butter. I can get you some mustard, too, if you like that on your lamb.”
“Wow,” he said, surprised. “It looks fantastic. Thank you.”
“It’s no problem. Mother likes to cook something fancy for the city elders, but I made the bread.”
“It’s wonderful,” Zollin said, pinching off a bite.
Ellie seemed pleased, and as she walked away, Zollin glanced back at the group of girls by the fire. They were watching Ellie with looks of loathing that they didn’t try to conceal. Zollin wasn’t all that hungry, but the food looked wonderful and he started to eat. After only a few bites, one of the girls from the fireside group came over and spoke.
“Hello, Zollin,” she said, her cheeks pink with embarrassment.
“Hi,” he said around a mouthful of food.
“Would you mind if we joined you?” the girl asked.
She looked so hopeful that Zollin didn’t have the heart to say no. All he wanted was to get out of the common room and perhaps stretch his legs. But now he would have to finish his supper and probably make conversation with the group of girls.
“Sure, that would be great,” he said, trying to smile and not look distressed.
The girls flocked over, all chatting and giggling. Luckily Zollin didn’t have to say much. The girls seemed satisfied to do all the talking. He listened, eating his dinner, and when the time was right, excused himself. The girls seemed a little disappointed that he was leaving, but he steeled his resolve and beat a hasty retreat to the kitchens. He intended to escape out the rear door, but as he entered the labyrinth of rooms, he came face to face with an excited Ellie.
“Oh, I was just coming to rescue you from that bunch of gossips out there,” she said.
She took his plate and set it aside and then grabbed his hand and led him back toward a dark room that was full of barrels, some filled with wine and others with ale. There was a large barrel to one side with a white cloth draped over it. On the barrel were a candle, a pie, two plates, and two cups of wine. Zollin felt ambushed. He had gone from one uncomfortable situation right into another. It looked like Ellie had something planned, and while he didn’t want to hurt her feelings, all he really wanted was to get out of the inn.
“I thought you might like some dessert,” she said, stepping close to him. She moved her hand until her fingers were entwined with his. Despite his desire to leave, he felt his heart beating faster and his breath coming in shallow gasps. “Or we could do something else.”
She was looking up into his eyes, and Zollin noticed how the light danced in her large, dark eyes. She had a pleasant face and her lips seemed to shimmer in the light of the candle.
“I, uh, already ate,” he managed to say.
“That’s okay,” she said. “I’m not really hungry, either.”
Then she was standing on her tiptoes, her face only inches from his own. Zollin smelled apples and cinnamon on her breath. Then she kissed him. Her lips were soft and warm on his
, and he felt his whole body trembling and the magic inside of him tingling.
When he pulled away, she was smiling. There was a look of satisfaction on her face, almost like triumph. He felt a flicker of warning, like things were not all they seemed to be, but he pushed the thought aside. He was about to lean down to kiss her again when Brianna’s face appeared in his mind. He suddenly felt guilty.
“I have to go,” he said. He didn’t wait for a reply but pulled his hand free from hers. He practically ran through the maze of laundry and storage rooms until he found the rear door. He burst out into the snow-filled yard, the cold night air stinging his exposed skin. He wasn’t dressed for the weather and knew that he couldn’t stay out long, but he needed to get free of the inn and all the confusing people inside. He moved along the shoveled path toward the stable when he heard voices.
“It’s not finished yet,” said one voice that Zollin immediately recognized as Mansel.
“I can’t wait,” said Brianna.
Zollin could see them now, walking slowly toward the front of the inn. They were close together, but both had their hands shoved into deep pockets. Zollin couldn’t tell if they were standing close because they wanted to, or if it was just because the trail through the waist-deep snow was narrow.
“It’s not much, really,” Mansel was saying. “It should be done in a few more days.”
“I can’t imagine what it could be.”
“Well, you’ll just have to wait to find out,” Mansel said.
Zollin thought the older boy sounded goofy. Brianna didn’t seem to notice. She was leaning toward Mansel now.
“It’s so cold,” she said.
“Would you like to go in?” Mansel offered.
“No,” Brianna said rather suddenly. “I just want to enjoy the moonlight a little longer. It’s so beautiful reflecting off the snow. Do you mind?”
“No, of course not,” Mansel said.
They stood quietly for a minute, and Zollin knew what she was doing. She was just like the girls in the common room, just like Ellie. She was letting Mansel know that she liked him, and an icy shard of disappointment lanced through Zollin’s heart. His eyes watered as he watched them.
“Do you miss Tranaugh Shire?” she asked.
“No,” Mansel replied. “I was only ever happy there when I was working with Quinn.”
“Do you miss your parents?”
“Well, I guess I should, but they were always so busy. I rarely saw them. I had chores in the mornings and evenings, too. I saw them at breakfast and sometimes at supper time, but usually we ate when we could and fell asleep exhausted every night. So, no, I don’t really miss them. Do you?”
“I miss my father,” she said. “He always saw things the way they were. You know, without the emotional clutter of your feelings mixing things up in your mind. I could always talk to him and feel better afterward. My mother, on the other hand, I don’t miss at all. She’s a good person I suppose, but I outgrew her. It’s strange to realize your parents aren’t perfect.”
Mansel nodded but didn’t say anything. Zollin was shivering but didn’t even think of moving away. He was too engrossed in their conversation.
“I miss my sisters some,” Brianna continued, “but I doubt they miss me, except for the chores I would have done had I been there. I miss the house that you all built—it was so quaint. I wonder who is living there now.”
“Yeah, that’s a wild thought, huh? I wonder which one of my brothers took my stuff the moment they realized I was gone.”
“Do you think you’ll ever go back?” she asked.
“Maybe,” he said, slowly putting his arm around her.
At first she seemed surprised, but then she didn’t move away from him. Zollin bit his lip to hold in the wail of pain at seeing them together. Part of him was outraged for Todrek. How could Mansel care so little for the vows Brianna had made? She had hardly grieved, and now here was the overgrown apprentice selfishly moving in to steal her affections. But another part, a lonely part that was buried deep inside of him, a part of himself that until now had been reserved solely for his mother, now longed also for the pretty tailor’s daughter. He did not consider the possibility that Brianna didn’t like Mansel. He was strong and tall, his smile contagious, his easygoing manner pleasant to be around. He was everything Zollin was not. The young wizard was thin and his movements awkward, he stumbled over his words, and he was constantly second-guessing every decision he made. Now, he felt truly alone.
“I think I’m ready to go in now,” Brianna said.
They turned and walked away, and Zollin stumbled into the barn. It was warmer inside the little shelter. The floor was dry, and the body heat of the animals kept the space above from freezing. Zollin dropped into a pile of hay and shivered. He needed to go back inside the inn, but all the excitement of his first kiss with Ellie had evaporated and he was left with bitter despair over Brianna. He told himself again that he could never have loved her, as it was an affront to his best friend’s memory. But the excuse was too thin to be of any comfort. He had wanted Brianna’s affection, and he had secretly hoped that she would love him, but now that thought was like bile in this throat.
He tried to tell himself he was better off. He was a wizard, after all, and being pursued by other wizards. That was no life for a man in love. His father’s words floated into his mind. He thought back to the harvest festival, when Todrek had won Brianna’s hand in marriage. Zollin had asked his father why he had left home and joined the King’s Army. It was over a girl, his father had told him. And so perhaps it was time he left, too. He had planned to leave anyway, planned to leave his father in Tranaugh Shire. Now he could leave, and his father could make a home here in Brighton’s Gate. Brianna could marry Mansel, but he didn’t have to stick around and watch.
The miners would come and he would need to help his father defeat them, but after that, once the winter snows were thawing and he had learned enough from Kelvich, he would leave. Perhaps the wizards pursing him would leave his father and friends alone. It was no more dangerous for them than traveling with him. He made up his mind and then quietly made his way back to the inn. He moved like a shadow through the winding set of rooms in the back, then moved swiftly down the hallway to his room. He would spend as much time as he could in the hermit’s cottage, he thought to himself. Then he dropped onto his bed, wrapped the blankets around his shivering body, and fell asleep.
Chapter 27
The next three weeks passed in a blur of work and routine. Zollin spent most of his time at the little cottage at the edge of the woods. He studied and practiced, exercised and meditated. He occasionally returned to the inn and met with his father. A plan of defense was devised for the town, and the morale of the townsfolk improved. Many of the women had taken up archery and spent time every day on the practice range. Mansel had crafted for Brianna a beautiful bow with a snake-like curve. Although the bow was small and the draw weight relatively light, it shot with amazing power and accuracy.
Zollin often saw the two of them together, but he did his best to avoid them both. Mansel didn’t seem to notice, but Brianna often watched him when he came into town, her face set into a mask that revealed nothing of how she felt. Zollin didn’t know whether she cared for him or hated him. And although he tried not to let it bother him, the loss of her friendship was like an open wound that refused to heal. He could bind the fabric of his body, transform objects into almost anything he desired, but he could not cure the constant ache that he felt for her.
Ellie continued to work for Zollin’s affection, but he had lost all interest in the innkeeper’s daughter. He was polite and often ate his meals in the storeroom with her, but he never kissed her again, always keeping her at arm’s length.
Quinn and Mansel trained the men with swords each day, drilling over and over in the empty common room of the Gateway Inn. Mansel was showing excellent skill with the blade, his strength and quickness making him a dangerous opponent. And although
he was still learning his trade, it was obvious that the sword was his true passion. He often stayed at the Gateway Inn practicing after a full day of work.
The snows came and went, but no more storms. The sun was now making regular appearances in the dull, gray sky. The river that ran through the Great Valley continued to run under several feet of thick ice. The trails through the town remained mostly clear, and the people moved freely through the short winter days. The nights were spent around crackling fires with mugs of mulled wine that warmed them from the inside out.
Scouts had been posted at several outposts beyond the river to watch for the miners. Everyone knew it was only a matter of time before the rough men led by Trollic would arrive. Zollin happened to be at the inn when a scout came running into town. It was quickly growing dark outside, but the man charged into the inn calling for Quinn and the city elders.
“What’s happened?” asked Buck.
“I’ve seen the miners,” said the man, his clothes wet with snow. He was shaking, but Zollin couldn’t tell if it was from fear or from the cold.
“I’ll get Quinn,” Zollin said.
“I’ll see about the elders,” said Ellie, who had been showing Zollin a gown she was sewing.
She was industrious, much like her mother. And although their relationship had settled into a solid friendship, Zollin was constantly aware of the deep feelings the girl had for him. She kept them hidden just beneath the surface, but they were there. Zollin wasn’t sure if he was being fair to her, but he didn’t have the heart to tell her he would never feel the same way. Her parents were not pleased that their daughter was giving the wizard so much of her attention, and Zollin was counting on their disapproval to help keep the girl from forcing his hand.
Zollin moved quickly to the Gateway Inn, where his father and Mansel were busy rebuilding the storerooms. He found them and relayed the information the scout had given. Mansel and Zollin stayed to put away the tools and ensure that everything was squared away before they returned to the Valley Inn. When they arrived, they found the common room full of people waiting to hear the report from the scout and the city elders. Zollin and Mansel found Quinn still speaking with the elders. Soon Brianna joined them, but no one was talking. The consensus was that the miners would arrive by noon tomorrow, but scouts were posted to ensure that the miners didn’t attack that night. Winter battles were rare, as were night raids, but they occasionally did happen, and the elders were taking no chances.
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