Chapter Four #3
“Of course.”
“Will you lead us there?”
“No,” I said. “We have work. There are plenty in the stronghold who could take you, including every soldier in the garrison.”
“And how many of them can track Aether, if there’s some trail of it left behind?”
No one else, as far as I knew.
“How much are you offering to pay?”
Galen sniffed disdainfully. “You should be willing to assist the Western Prince without payment.”
“Why?” I asked. “Do you work for free?”
“I’m paid because I risk my life.”
“You’re paid because it’s your job. I have a job, and it’s not risking my life for a prince again. Not for free.”
“It wouldn’t be for free,” Nik interrupted. He pulled a small leather pouch from his tunic and held it up. “You’ll lead us to the communal garden and, while there, look for traces of Aether or Anima. In exchange, you get this.”
I held out a hand, and he dropped the bag into it, his fingers just grazing my palm.
I could feel Wren’s hard stare, and I knew there were a thousand reasons to say no, including the fact that I’d be purposefully jumping into royal trouble.
Again. But Luna—and every human in the stronghold—was at risk as long as the practitioner was free.
If I was the only one who had the skill to find him, shouldn’t I try?
“One moment,” I said, taking Wren’s arm and leading her several strides away.
“No,” she said.
“I only have to take them up the road to the garden. That’s it.” And then I handed her the bag.
Wren weighed it in her palm, and I saw the consideration in her eyes. “This is more than we make in a month.”
“For a stroll through the garden. It’s an easy job, and it might help us find the practitioner. That helps keep Luna safe. Take the coins to the Lady and explain where I am—and who I’ll be working for.”
Her gaze narrowed. “You can’t go alone.”
“I have to go alone. There’s a job, and we’re supposed to return to the manor by midday. If one of us doesn’t show up, she’ll send the garrison. It’s better this way.”
Better meant safer. Better meant not being pushed around by garrison soldiers, or getting slapped on the palm with a reed, or spending the night locked in the shed. It was cold and dirty in there, and things scurried around in the dark.
Wren watched me for a moment. “He works for the prince and he’s looking for a killer. He’ll use you if he has to.”
“I know. And I know when to run and when to hide. And when to leave royal arseholes alone in the woods.”
“Good. Remember that.” She pulled a coin for each of us from the pouch, and we tucked them away and rejoined Nik and Galen.
“The Lady will probably be pleased to assist the crown,” I said.
“The Lady?” Nik asked.
“Our master. We’re bonded.” I didn’t meet his eyes, as I didn’t want to see the pity that usually followed that announcement.
“In that case, the prince appreciates her cooperation.”
“Remember that you aren’t just protecting the prince,” Wren said. “It’s now your job to keep Fox alive.” The words were matter-of-fact, but her tone was dangerous. Only Wren would think nothing of threatening imperial guards.
“We’ll return her to you in the same condition as we’re taking her,” Nik said. “On my honor.”
Wren sniffed, communicating very clearly how little she thought his honor was worth. Then she reached out her hand, and we pressed our thumbs together. It was our goodbye and good-luck charm. After one leering look at Nik and Galen, she started back toward the gatehouse.
“Can you ride?” Nik asked.
I shifted my gaze to the waiting horses, which were very large and looked very unhappy about working today. They both wore black leather saddles with lots of fancy embroidery. One of them was probably worth more than my bond.
“I don’t know. I’ve never been on a horse before. Do they bite?”
“Yes, but only if you bite them first. How have you never ridden?”
I gave him a flat look. “They don’t tend to give expensive means of escape to bond servants.”
“Right. You can ride with me. This is Grim.” The horse bobbed its head in acknowledgment, and Nik took the reins from the soldier.
Nik pointed to a lumpy knob at the front of the saddle.
“That’s the pommel. You’re going to take that with your right hand.
” Then he pointed at the loop of leather that hung at the bottom of the saddle.
“That’s the stirrup. Put your right foot there.
Push yourself up on your right leg, then swing your left leg over. ”
“You make it sound easy.”
“It is easy.” He leaned forward. “And if you refuse to try, Galen will mock you mercilessly.”
“I’m not a coward,” I murmured, and before my bravery could slip away, I followed Nik’s instructions. It took two tries to find my balance and swing my body over. But I managed it, and held the pommel like a lifeline as Grim shifted impatiently beneath me.
And then Nik climbed up behind me, his body pushed against mine, his arm around my waist. He’d said we’d ride together, but I hadn’t really considered that “together” would mean a physical connection. And being physically connected to this man was a danger of an entirely different kind.
“Stay on this road,” I told him. He clicked his tongue and Grim began to move, easing his way through people and carts and horses.
It took a moment to get accustomed to the height and the rocking motion, and to release my death grip on the pommel. And then there was the warm wall of Nik behind me, arm about my waist. Which I was going to have to work to ignore.
“Tell me when,” he said. And before I could ask what he meant, he called out a sound that had Grim bolting forward. I swallowed a squeal of surprise and, for the first few heartbeats, hunched over the saddle while the wind blew in my face. Nik’s laughter boomed behind me.
When I accepted the fact that I wasn’t going to fall off—and that he and Grim knew what they were doing—I sat up again.
Trees flew past as the district gave way to the gentle foothills.
The sun was bright, the air cool, and the speed exhilarating.
I was quick on my feet, but I’d never run like this before.
Like the entire world was a possibility.
Like freedom. And I was a little disappointed when we topped the last hill before we reached the garden proper.
“There!” I called out, pointing to the clearing ahead on the right.
Nik slowed Grim to a walk. “You didn’t mention the garden was straight down the road.”
“You didn’t pay for directions but a guide.”
When he reached it, he stopped Grim and then dismounted and ran a hand through his windblown hair like a roguish bandit from a storybook. He tied Grim to a hitching post, then began to walk away.
“A little help?” I asked.
“I didn’t pay for that,” he said with a bland smile. “Get down the same way you went up.”
I looked at the ground, which seemed very far away.
I cursed him and considered just staying on the horse until he came back.
But he wanted me to look for Aether, and I wasn’t giving up that bag of coins, so I gathered my courage, swung my leg over…
and nearly stumbled out of the stirrup. I managed to hold on to the pommel and steady myself, and lowered my foot, toes searching for the ground.
“That dismount was embarrassing,” Galen said when I managed to get my other boot out of the stirrup.
My legs were a little wobbly, and my hips a little sore, and tendrils of hair had sprung out of my braid from the wild ride. I was sure I looked a mess. But the ride had been worth it.
“I can get better at dismounting,” I told him. “You’ll probably be an arsehole forever. Let’s go see the garden.”