25. Cato #2
My head shakes as I try to find some kind of response, but Aryn turns our way and starts weaving back through the crowd. We instinctively huddle closer as he approaches. When his hand lands on my lower back, everything else fades and I can barely focus on whatever he’s saying.
“Thulga gave us way too much coin,” he says with a frown.
“Enough that we won’t have to worry about supplies for the rest of this trip, and we’ll still have some left over.
How would you feel about staying in the inn tonight?
It would give us a chance to shower and restock in private, plus some time to collect information from the locals. ”
“You had me at shower,” I groan.
“We can afford it?” Taryn asks skeptically.
Aryn shoots her a dry glance. “We definitely can.”
We head for the inn, which Aryn tells me is called River’s Rest. Inside, an enormous stone hearth crackles in the main room.
Stale, spilled ale mixes with whatever meat they’re roasting in the back, but I take a deep breath and soak in the signs of life.
Aryn and Ronan handle the conversation with the innkeeper while the rest of us hang back.
A few minutes later, they return with three keys.
Ronan pockets one before passing another to Taryn, and my eyes lock onto the last one in Aryn’s hand. His fingers tense around it. “We, uh, thought it was safer to double up.”
My stomach does a stupid, stupid little flip. “That’s fine,” I say, maybe a little too quickly. Cameron snickers, but Aryn only glances at me with a quiet question in his eyes. I shrug, trying to sound casual. “As long as you don’t mind.”
A small, soft smile pulls at his mouth. “I don’t mind, Cato.”
My heart kicks harder as we head upstairs, agreeing to meet back up in an hour once everyone’s settled.
The room is simple but clean, with wooden floors, a big bed piled with furs, and a two-person table.
There’s a fireplace already burning bright with extra wood stacked nearby, and a private washroom off to the side.
The moment the door closes behind us, the silence becomes stifling. Aryn clears his throat. “I didn’t mean to assume anything.”
I meet his eyes. “I wouldn’t have said I’m comfortable if I wasn’t.”
He studies me for a second, then nods. “Alright.”
We take turns in the shower—me first, then him.
The water isn’t as hot as it would be back in the cities, but it’s warm enough to feel like absolute heaven after days on the road.
I change into my last set of clean clothes and make a mental note to wash everything tonight so it can dry by the fire.
When Aryn steps out with damp hair and fresh clothes, I have to force myself not to stare too long.
The hour passes quickly, and we head back out with the group to replenish supplies. Cameron’s face looks suspiciously relaxed, and I’m pretty sure Lillith’s lips are chapped. I smirk to myself but keep my mouth shut.
Merchant row is buzzing as evening creeps in.
We load up on salted meat and dried fruits for the packs.
Ronan grabs some hard flatbreads that make Cameron cheer quietly to himself.
Aryn picks up an extra blanket and what looks like a grooming kit, glancing my way as he does it.
Taryn gets him to help her choose healing salve and replacement bandages.
Just before we leave, Aryn jogs over to the stall with those glowing blue oils and comes back with a few vials, saying they help with muscle aches.
We drop our new supplies off at the inn and agree to meet up at sunset for dinner.
Aryn and I don’t have much time to dwell on the fact that we’re alone in a private room again.
After we finish washing our clothes in the tub, we load the fire with more wood and lay everything out to dry.
We empty our packs, reload the fresh supplies, and shake out our sleeping bags so they can air out in the warm room.
The light outside shifts into that deeper blood-orange glow of sunset, so we head down the stairs to the pub.
Conversation buzzes loud between the locals and travelers packed into the room, but we luck out and claim a big table near the back.
Lillith and Taryn join us after a few minutes, and eventually Cameron and Ronan come down too.
The food is incredible, placed on the table in large platters for us to serve ourselves.
There’s smoked, meaty fish, fresh bread, roasted root vegetables, and mugs of dark ale that go down way too easily.
We’re halfway through the meal when the group at the next table strikes up a conversation.
The two Nu’vak are the chattiest, joined by a Lindae, a Ramves, and a type of teal-skinned monster I've never seen. Ronan and Aryn translate as they explain they’re from a larger village northeast of here with a small human community.
Aryn tells them we’re headed back to his home, and they nod encouragingly, mentioning they’ve met travelers from Maelithryne in the last few months.
They ask something that makes Aryn and Ronan exchange a quick glance. I kick Aryn’s foot under the table. “Well, don’t start keeping secrets now.”
He chuffs a laugh and nods toward the darkening window. “They say there’s a bonfire in the field behind the inn tonight. They’ve invited us to join them.”
“Even the humans?” I ask skeptically.
He nods. “They insist you’re welcome.”
“That sounds like fun!” Lillith says with a wide smile.
Ronan isn’t so easily convinced, but when he looks around at the rest of our faces, he caves. “Alright. We could use a night to unwind.”