Chapter 14 Iann
IANN
“You’re a selfish soul that deserves to be left behind in this frozen, pathetic little town.” Marcel grips the collar of Deean’s shirt and pushes him against the carriage door. “If you think you’re actually going to make it to Haymel with us, you have lost all sense.”
Deean sucks in a sharp breath as his head slams into a glass window that I’m surprised doesn’t shatter.
Deean was meant to stay hidden a little longer, but no one suspected Marcel would come over to our carriage. Once he opened the door, he saw Deean first and went red before pulling him outside.
Like the rest of us, he knows Deean being here is dangerous, but beyond that fact, he knows his presence comes with a level of managing.
In many ways, Marcel has always been Deean’s protector.
Their antagonistic behavior towards each other might not always suggest it, but there was once a time when they had a relationship stronger than any one of us.
This bond, of course, intensified the more I found myself away from home, but one day I came back, and it was different.
Their care for one another became tolerance.
They never speak about it, and I do my best to never ask.
“I’m selfish? Ha. Shall we list the things you’ve taken just because you can?” Deean squirms under Marcel’s weight. “I’ll stay out of your way and you out of mine,” he pleads, as Marcel places his hands near his neck, pushing his fists into his collarbones.
The crew traveling with us watches the interaction and begins whispering among each other.
Marcel’s muscles are hard as boulders when I reach for his arm. “Maybe we should discuss this privately.”
Marcel takes in the staring faces and releases Deean. “He is to go back to Saden as soon as we depart for our lodgings in Haymel.” He leaves us and walks into the inn.
Deean doesn’t need an I told you so, so I don’t give it to him. He stands there, seemingly a bit distressed, as he fixes his coat. He takes a lot of crap from people, which would make me feel bad, but I know he also gives a lot.
“You, okay?” Benny steals the words from me.
Deean smirks. “Always.”
We follow the rest inside and get out of the cold.
Harpen, Marcel’s courtier, a no-nonsense, middle-aged man whom I’ve never seen smile, comes over to where we wait with Marcel.
“They are fully booked, Your Highness. With the exception of one room.” He looks back at the innkeeper and then leans in closer.
“He is willing to force a few out of their rooms to free up space. That’s if Your Royal Highness would like to do that? ”
Marcel thinks it over, taking too long to respond.
“Absolutely not,” I interject.
“And where do you suggest our men sleep?” Marcel whispers through his teeth.
“You want to remove commoners, some probably children, so that we have a place to sleep?” I’m astonished that he even considers it.
“That’s what it sounds like to me,” Deean adds unhelpfully. “I’m not surprised.”
“I saw a barn next door,” Esha interrupts before Marcel can kill Deean. “The princes can take the room and the rest of us can stay out there. There will be complaints, but it’s either in there or in the snow.”
Thank you, I mouth to Esha.
We are assured that our crew will be given food and spare bedding material to keep comfortable through the night.
A few of them grumble, but Marcel offers them the carriages or outside to sleep if they want to complain.
It shuts them up. At least the inn has a tavern on the lower level.
I’m sure some will even sleep in there after a few rounds.
The innkeeper gives us our key and Esha and Harpen help us carry a few bags to the room. We climb up creaking stairs with loose planks—each could use another nail or two. Up two flights and down a long, dust-plagued hall, we come to room fourteen.
Harpen opens the door for us. A single window allows in dim light that is enough for me to make out the ten-feet by ten-feet room.
The ceilings are short, and another two feet and my own six-feet, two-inch self would be scraping the top.
There isn’t much inside but a bookshelf with torn and worn-down books that I don’t recognize.
There is a small mantle with some nille stones for lighting a fire and next to that is a wardrobe that can only fit a few outfits.
On the far wall, sitting in the center, the main focal point of it all is a large bed, the only one in the room.
Esha and Harpen take their leave and head back downstairs to the others.
“Dibs on the bed,” Deean says, tossing his stuff in a corner.
“You should be in the barn with the others.” Marcel moves over to a chair in the opposite corner. “There isn’t a hell’s chance that you are getting anywhere near that bed unless it’s on the floor next to it. If you want a warm bed to sleep in, go find a wench you can share with.”
Deean’s eyes turn to slits. “That’s not the worst idea you’ve had, albeit demeaning to those hard-working folks. Bet they wouldn’t have an issue sharing.”
“A prince and a sack of moinlings.” I pick up the books on the shelf.
“I think it would be hard for them to turn down.” With not much to do in the room, I rummage through my bag and retrieve a few books along with notes I’ve been making.
I know Benny is doing his part, but there is one person I have yet to have a conversation with.
“I’ll be downstairs if anyone needs me.”
“Drinking already?” Deean perks up. “I’ll come with you.”
“Not drinking. Some of us actually came on this trip to work.”
“Perfect, we can do both.”
“Wait!” Marcel stops us before we can reach the door. “You two are working together?”
I look at Deean, and his eyes scream at me with desperation. He knows once the weather clears, Marcel will send him right back to Saden. He also knows that I might be the only one to save him.
Loosening the muscles in my jaw, I face Marcel who is still waiting for an answer. “Before Father ordered us to go to Haymel, I may have promised Deean he could go on my next voyage.”
“Why the hell would you do that?”
“He’s clever when he needs to be.” My defense isn’t so much in favor of Deean as it is in Marcel’s opinion of my decisions.
“It’s one trip Marcel. It’s not going to hurt anyone.
In Haymel he stays out of sight so the Queen isn’t suspicious, and once we are finished, he comes with me and is out of your way. ”
“You both know I’m not some underage brother you have to pass around and take care of,” Deean interjects.
Marcel nods. “Yeah…we’ll see.”
“Pain in the ass,” Deean whispers and leads the way out of the room. Down the hall, he grabs one of my books. “So, who do we have to speak to?”
“I need to speak to Rolley.”
“Ah, yes. The man who claims his conveniently kidnapped great-grandfather is immortal. And why do we need to speak to him?”
“Again, I need to, not you.” I snatch back the book.
“I have questions for him. Plus, he’s the only member of our crew who I don’t know very well, and thanks to your escapades he’s now aware all three Saden princes are about to cross into the land of our greatest rival. I need to be able to trust him.”
Downstairs, we make our way into a nearly empty tavern that will surely get busy within the next couple of hours. The innkeeper is kind enough to get Rolley for us as we take a seat at one of several tables in the tavern.
There are two servers near the bar. One fixated on counting his moinlings, and the other lost in a letter he’s reading. Every other second, I catch one corner of his mouth tugging upwards. I’ve seen, and been a victim of, those looks before. It’s a love letter, no doubt.
Someone from the kitchen brings out a tray with various meats, bread, cheeses, and fruit, along with two pints of ale.
Rolley enters as Deean shoves a few cold cuts in his mouth and guzzles it down with half the ale.
“Your Royal Highnesses.” Rolley bows and then sits when I gesture to the seat across from me.
“Thank you for joining me.”
“Us,” Deean corrects me.
Ignoring him, I continue on, “We didn’t have time to speak when we first met, and I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page. Plus, I have a few questions that my father may not have addressed with you.”
“Of course, sir. Ask away.” Deean slides the tray to him. Rolley reluctantly plucks a few grapes and a slice of cheese from the assortment. “Thank you, sir.”
I push the ale in his direction. “You may have that as well.” Flipping through my journal, I open it to a blank sheet and search for the pen that I keep on myself at all times.
“Now, I’m not sure if you’ve properly met him, but Benny may have found something quite valuable on this trip.
He is still trying to figure out how it works, but I have no doubt he’ll get there. ”
“We’ll get there,” Deean interrupts again, making me realize exactly why I prefer to work alone. “He and I already have some great leads, I’m sure we’ll know more once we set sail for Farella.”
“That’s great to hear.” Rolley folds his hands on the table. “May I know what it is you’ve found?”
“You may, once we learn more about it. Right now, there isn’t much to tell.”
“Very well, sir.”
I proceed with my questions. “Why was your great-grandfather on Farella in the first place? It’s not a common place to be and Haymel has always owned it. What was a Saden man doing there?”