Ch. 17
“Ice”
I don’t even have time to duck behind a group of rowdy males eyeing another barmaid leaning over their table. She is definitely looking for a suitor for the night, and the blonde-haired busty barmaid has me in her sights. Shit. By the time she starts stomping to me, Devlyn, Iamys and Zanir are through the door. My mind is swirling. If she remembers me, she will probably remember my counter parts as well, and I am so hungry, plus a drink would be nice. So I don’t want to be thrown out…already…I glance back at them, and I can feel her getting closer. The wooden planks of the floor below giving her steps away. Devlyn’s eyes flick from the barmaid then to me, and she knows and scowls. Iamys is too distracted by the other barmaid with the rowdy males at the table next to us, typical male. My eyes finally move to Zanir, who surprisingly, well not really, his eyes are already on me. Our eyes meet, and... Well, shit.
I quickly move to his side, his eyes never breaking from me, and I can feel them. The flames dancing around his cerulean irises. My skin shutters. I reach for his hand, and I lace my fingers through his.
His skin is warm against my frigid own, why is my skin so cold? I turn to face the blonde barmaid who is now just a few feet away from us. Her eyes flash between me, Zanir, and our now joined hands. I feel my breath skip. Gross. No.
“Did you steal someone else’s man?” The blonde-haired barmaid says with a nasty look on her face.
I scoff at the idea. First off, the barb, who is making his way through the tables singing about a hero who slays a creature that was trying to steal children, Ha, sounds familiar, is decent to look at and that is all, even if that.
I am a tightly woven knot that could snap at any moment unleashing all this power shoved into this tiny body. Not to mention, I am a lot to handle for any mere mortal man. I would eat him and spit him out like he was nothing more than the blood of my last meal. Nyx, I am hungry. I have yet to find someone who can handle me, and I like it that way. I have had my fair share of suitors and distractions, but as a powerful shifter, with fire in her core, ice in her veins, wind at her disposal, a hard edge on her face, on her soul, not many get further than that. My skin is getting colder the longer my fingers are intertwined with Zanir’s, against his warmth. No. I’m losing my train of thought. Hungry, I’m hungry.
“Hmm…” Zanir’s eyes glance down to me next to his side. He is much taller than I am. I realize fully now as we stand next to each other. I would have to fully tilt my head back to look him in the face. I am about even with his ribs. I feel my lip raise in annoyance. “No…” Zanir starts, “I would say I stole her…” I feel my lip quiver. Is there a draft in here somewhere? “Now it seems we are stuck together.” He raises our joined hands.
The blonde barmaid looks at Zanir, from the top of his dark hickory shoulder length hair that is brushed back, but still covering his ears. A single small braid I hadn’t noticed earlier lays against his temples. The bruise from the rock I threw at him now a yellow ugly color.
“Careful with that one.” Her eyes glance to the wound that still sits on his neck and the healing scratches that peak over the collar of his shirt. “She’s a snake along with those claws.” I feel my face wrinkle...
“I only claim that one…” I point toward his bruise and jump slightly to make sure everyone knows which one I am talking about, and then plaster a stupid smirk on my face.
But the ones she mentioning are from Iamys and Halfy, well correction, the trees. Not for my hands, touching him. A shiver runs down my spine. No. Gross. There has to be a breeze coming in somewhere. Do they have the windows open? I look around…no windows…
“Yes.” Zanir’s mouth curls. “She is among many other things, too. I have found out…” His thumb runs along the top of my hand. “Good thing, I prefer a challenge…” My lungs stop moving. My body is ice cold, I could breathe frost. The only warmth in me is coming from his hand, in mine. Still stuck in his hand. A small squeeze against my fingers, a reminder. A claw down my mental door. No. NO. Calm. Remain. What the fuck is happening?
“Can we get a table?” I burst out as my lungs start to work again. Food, I need food. I’m feeling delirious.
The blonde barmaid frowns at me, like I am what fills the horse stalls with the stench. I give her one of my cute innocent smiles that wrinkles my nose, pushes my cheeks into my eyes, and faint dimples to appear. Just get us a fucking table before I explode with ice shards that’ll go through your fucking eyes.
My smile pushing my cheeks further as if that is going to help. Why am I so cold? I have spent many years trying to figure out how my powers work and here they are changing the script once again.
Fire is easy to wield and control, now. Only after a few burnt down sheds, and after Mother started building everything out of stone. Controlling the wind was actually learned and comes so effortlessly now. Mother had some powerful wizards visit the castle when I was younger, went my powers shifted the first time. The wizards, who Oana and I believed to work in close relation to Solomaonri. But ice… is different. Ice is something that comes from within, my beast, Kiza. It’s hard to explain. It is hard to control unless Kiza is allowed through. But I thought I was getting a better control over it, before recently. When I felt my powers shift now, much like when I was younger, if I am feeling a strong emotion or feeling, it can explode, outward. This is even different from that. The last few days must just be catching up to me. A shiver runs through me, from my fingertips in Zanir’s, down to my toes. Another small squeeze to my hand. Remain.
The blonde barmaid finally turns and starts leading us to a table that just so happens to be far, far, away from the stage where the barb has gone back to. Thank fucking Nyx.
Zanir moves in front of me and raises our hands above my head dragging me behind him. Like I am on display, he is showing me off, like his prize. Letting everyone, every male, even every female, in here know that I am taken and not to be messed with.
I grimace at his cunning thought. I don’t want to be the center of attention more than I already was. I know my power is filling the noses of everyone we pass. My counter parts’ power is doing the same.
How better to show them not to mess with me than to display me as a caught valued kill to all the hungry dogs. I am not HIS prize though. I feel the coldness filling every space in me. Hungry. I’m starving.
We continue to pass more rowdy tables full of men and women. I bet Zanir probably has a big stupid smirk on his face. Prick. Knowing how smart his idea is and how I will refuse to struggle in front of all these people. How far is the table for fuck sake?
Once we reach the table, Zanir lets go of my hand and the warmth of him slowly fades, and the cold starts to retreat within. I hiss through clenched teeth as I pass him, nearly brushing my shoulder against his chest as I slide into the booth.
I hiss again as Zanir slides in next to me. My shoulder is touching his arm now, and I glance at his face. He is looking straight ahead with the smallest smirk on his face. Prick. Coldness creeps up at me, again.
“Watch out, that snake bites, too.” Iamys says while shooting a sideways glance to Zanir.
Zanir eyes narrow slightly and he says, “That is what I am hoping for.” Ice shoots through my veins. No. Calm. I need food, now.
Thankfully Devlyn cuts through, her eyes on me, on my clenched fists that I shove under the table.
She clears her throat and says, “Please remember the task at hand.” Her eyes shift between Iamys to Zanir now, who has switched back into that nonchalant character he likes to play. I’m literally leaning into the wall and my other shoulder is cutting into the wood. We are NOT touching.
I will not give him that satisfaction. Plus, his warmth was different. Different than any fire I could manifest with my fingertips. It channels something within me and ice flows down my veins. Like the ice my beast wields. Pure and raw, uncontrollable. No. A claw drags down my mental door, again. No. We, I, am not exploring this any further., for now, or ever. At least not when I feel like I will create an entire ice storm from it. He threaten to eat you and could of possibly killed you before you took his powers. Leave it at that. The claw drags and then drops. Silence is coming from my mental door now.
Devlyn continues, “We will get a nice meal, a single drink…” Her gaze finally lands back on me. I need five drinks. FIVE. She continues, “And we will wait for Sadar to meet us here. That way we know…” Her eyes move toward the rest of the tavern. Laughing, yelling, and talking voices fill the room. No normal person would be able to hear our conversation, but that doesn’t mean that everyone in here is normal. She glances back at us again, “Everything is set up. Iamys and Zanir…” She motions to both with her face. “Will go with Sadar. Mihaela and I will stay at the Inn.” She claps her hands together before either has a chance to oppose. Perfect.
I need some distance from vampire mortal man. He shifts his weight, and his arm is now touching my shoulder again. I can feel his warmth through my ragged shirt. Devlyn’s eyes flick to me. “I’ll go grab us some food, and some ale.” She smiles and I watch as she turns back to the busy Tavern. I hope she is quick. I lean toward the wall, but there is no space. He is leaning into me. Asshole. Ice is slicing through me.
The blond hair barmaid finishes talking to a booth in front of ours and as she turns to walk by us, our eyes meet.
My eyes widen, not from her, I could rip into her and still have leftovers, but no, to Zanir’s hand that has moved to the top of my thigh. Even though I know the blond barmaid can’t see his hand past the table, his arm movement and my face say enough. I force a smile on my face as she passes.
He leans close to me. I can feel his breath against my ear and ice pricks at it. Mint, why does he always smell like mint? “Need to make it believable.” His warmth, his hand, I swear, has burned a handprint through my pants down through my freezing skin. Iamys shuffles and there is a swift kick to my shin.
I snarl and I can feel coldness crawling up my wrists. Ice at the tip of my fingers as they are clenched into fists at my side still now, turning a shade of purple. My beast form purple. Shit. My eyes expand.
“I understand the game you are playing and think we all deserve a nice meal.” Iamys leans toward the table closing the distance between us and his gaze moves to Zanir with a hard stare. “Some more than others… If you get her too worked up, at this rate she’ll either start a blizzard or shift into something that’ll leave us nothing, but a pile of bones and bricks…” His eyes move up to Devlyn who is dropping plates and a pitcher of ale onto the table.
Zanir’s eyes narrow and darken, like he still has shadows dancing around them. But that is not possible. Zanir gently taps his hand against my thigh, once, twice. He smiles back to Iamys, his fangless teeth shining before changing back into that nonchalant character.
He leans back into the booth and raises the mug of ale that Devlyn has poured for everyone to his lips. His throat moving with each sip.
I shudder. No. Gross. No. That claw drags again. I snarl through my skull, and it bounces off the edges. Food. A drink. I need a fucking drink.
I reach for the mug Devlyn placed in front of me. As my hand reaches for it, I noticed redness around my fingers mixing with ranges of purple. The fingers that were laced with Zanir’s. I quickly glance at my thigh. There is no burning handprint on my pants, but I can still feel the lingering of warmth on my skin. I switch hands and shove the other to my side.
Finally, the mug reaches my lips. I feel my eyes narrow as I move the mug away from my face. The liquid is clear and has no smell. Bitch. Water. Fucking water. My eyes quickly move to Devlyn, who has a fork with a steaming piece of beef attached to it. She moves it to her mouth and shakes her head.
I deserve ten, TEN, glasses of wine or ale I don’t even care when I get back to the castle. TEN.
The smell of the beef roast on the plate before me snaps the need for alcohol to drown myself out of my mind, the coldness still in me, the warmth lingering on my thigh and fingers, the Samca, blood, everything, at least for now.
The rest of the meal was mostly quiet. Zanir picked at his food for a bit before devouring through his plate. I guess beef roast with veggies is better than a lake caught fish. Sadar eventually meets up with us and takes the leftovers from Devlyn’s plate. I wrap a good chunk of my roast in a cloth napkin and tell Iamys to give it to Halfy. The boys soon leave out of the Tavern, and I make a point not to watch them leave. I have had enough for one night, day, well few days.
Devlyn and I make our way through the Tavern to the door that connects to the Viridian Vale Inn. Even though Zanir is no longer here, and no longer parading me around, it would seem the point was made. Even without his powers, none of the males, females, even the barb gave me no more than one quick glance.
Once through the connecting door, the noise of the Tavern is muted. At the far end of the main room of the Inn is a large counter with a booklet, a pen and what looks like signatures. Devlyn walks over to it and I’m quick on her heels. There is a small room off to the side of the counter and the door is open. Not sure if they could smell us or if they could hear us since this room is quiet compared to the rowdy and loudness of the Tavern next door.
Devlyn grabs the pen and writes a name, not hers, but a fake one.
“One room, one night.” Is all she says as a figure appears from out of the room. It is an older man, wrinkles and a white beard covering his face. He says nothing, but motions to the sign behind him. It says the different prices for rooms and lengths of stays. Devlyn rustles through her tunic and retrieves a small dark bag. She pulls out five pieces of golden coins. She drops them on the counter and the older man reaches for a wall of keys. He hands her one and then motions to the staircase we passed.
We moved up the stairs and down a hall. The array of noises going on up here, I can assume that some of the rowdy people from the Tavern have moved into the Inn for the night. We reach the end of the hall and the room to the left. Devlyn moves the key to the doorknob, and it clicks. She motions for me to go first, and I gladly do.
It is a rather small room, but it has all the goods. A bed that is barely big enough for two people. A divider and a small tub filled with water passed it. A bed and a bath. I fall on to the bed face first. Even though I land with a thud, it is better than tree branches, the hard earth, and even Halfy’s head.
I hear Devlyn add water from a bucket that sat next to the small tub. I then hear her feet shuffle, and my leg is lifted as she tugs off my boot.
“So, are you going to tell me now, what the hell you got yourself into?”
Ch. 17
“Ice”
I don’t even have time to duck behind a group of rowdy males eyeing another barmaid leaning over their table. She is definitely looking for a suitor for the night, and the blonde-haired busty barmaid has me in her sights. Shit. By the time she starts stomping to me, Devlyn, Iamys and Zanir are through the door. My mind is swirling. If she remembers me, she will probably remember my counter parts as well, and I am so hungry, plus a drink would be nice. So I don’t want to be thrown out…already…I glance back at them, and I can feel her getting closer. The wooden planks of the floor below giving her steps away. Devlyn’s eyes flick from the barmaid then to me, and she knows and scowls. Iamys is too distracted by the other barmaid with the rowdy males at the table next to us, typical male. My eyes finally move to Zanir, who surprisingly, well not really, his eyes are already on me. Our eyes meet, and... Well, shit.
I quickly move to his side, his eyes never breaking from me, and I can feel them. The flames dancing around his cerulean irises. My skin shutters. I reach for his hand, and I lace my fingers through his.
His skin is warm against my frigid own, why is my skin so cold? I turn to face the blonde barmaid who is now just a few feet away from us. Her eyes flash between me, Zanir, and our now joined hands. I feel my breath skip. Gross. No.
“Did you steal someone else’s man?” The blonde-haired barmaid says with a nasty look on her face.
I scoff at the idea. First off, the barb, who is making his way through the tables singing about a hero who slays a creature that was trying to steal children, Ha, sounds familiar, is decent to look at and that is all, even if that.
I am a tightly woven knot that could snap at any moment unleashing all this power shoved into this tiny body. Not to mention, I am a lot to handle for any mere mortal man. I would eat him and spit him out like he was nothing more than the blood of my last meal. Nyx, I am hungry. I have yet to find someone who can handle me, and I like it that way. I have had my fair share of suitors and distractions, but as a powerful shifter, with fire in her core, ice in her veins, wind at her disposal, a hard edge on her face, on her soul, not many get further than that. My skin is getting colder the longer my fingers are intertwined with Zanir’s, against his warmth. No. I’m losing my train of thought. Hungry, I’m hungry.
“Hmm…” Zanir’s eyes glance down to me next to his side. He is much taller than I am. I realize fully now as we stand next to each other. I would have to fully tilt my head back to look him in the face. I am about even with his ribs. I feel my lip raise in annoyance. “No…” Zanir starts, “I would say I stole her…” I feel my lip quiver. Is there a draft in here somewhere? “Now it seems we are stuck together.” He raises our joined hands.
The blonde barmaid looks at Zanir, from the top of his dark hickory shoulder length hair that is brushed back, but still covering his ears. A single small braid I hadn’t noticed earlier lays against his temples. The bruise from the rock I threw at him now a yellow ugly color.
“Careful with that one.” Her eyes glance to the wound that still sits on his neck and the healing scratches that peak over the collar of his shirt. “She’s a snake along with those claws.” I feel my face wrinkle...
“I only claim that one…” I point toward his bruise and jump slightly to make sure everyone knows which one I am talking about, and then plaster a stupid smirk on my face.
But the ones she mentioning are from Iamys and Halfy, well correction, the trees. Not for my hands, touching him. A shiver runs down my spine. No. Gross. There has to be a breeze coming in somewhere. Do they have the windows open? I look around…no windows…
“Yes.” Zanir’s mouth curls. “She is among many other things, too. I have found out…” His thumb runs along the top of my hand. “Good thing, I prefer a challenge…” My lungs stop moving. My body is ice cold, I could breathe frost. The only warmth in me is coming from his hand, in mine. Still stuck in his hand. A small squeeze against my fingers, a reminder. A claw down my mental door. No. NO. Calm. Remain. What the fuck is happening?
“Can we get a table?” I burst out as my lungs start to work again. Food, I need food. I’m feeling delirious.
The blonde barmaid frowns at me, like I am what fills the horse stalls with the stench. I give her one of my cute innocent smiles that wrinkles my nose, pushes my cheeks into my eyes, and faint dimples to appear. Just get us a fucking table before I explode with ice shards that’ll go through your fucking eyes.
My smile pushing my cheeks further as if that is going to help. Why am I so cold? I have spent many years trying to figure out how my powers work and here they are changing the script once again.
Fire is easy to wield and control, now. Only after a few burnt down sheds, and after Mother started building everything out of stone. Controlling the wind was actually learned and comes so effortlessly now. Mother had some powerful wizards visit the castle when I was younger, went my powers shifted the first time. The wizards, who Oana and I believed to work in close relation to Solomaonri. But ice… is different. Ice is something that comes from within, my beast, Kiza. It’s hard to explain. It is hard to control unless Kiza is allowed through. But I thought I was getting a better control over it, before recently. When I felt my powers shift now, much like when I was younger, if I am feeling a strong emotion or feeling, it can explode, outward. This is even different from that. The last few days must just be catching up to me. A shiver runs through me, from my fingertips in Zanir’s, down to my toes. Another small squeeze to my hand. Remain.
The blonde barmaid finally turns and starts leading us to a table that just so happens to be far, far, away from the stage where the barb has gone back to. Thank fucking Nyx.
Zanir moves in front of me and raises our hands above my head dragging me behind him. Like I am on display, he is showing me off, like his prize. Letting everyone, every male, even every female, in here know that I am taken and not to be messed with.
I grimace at his cunning thought. I don’t want to be the center of attention more than I already was. I know my power is filling the noses of everyone we pass. My counter parts’ power is doing the same.
How better to show them not to mess with me than to display me as a caught valued kill to all the hungry dogs. I am not HIS prize though. I feel the coldness filling every space in me. Hungry. I’m starving.
We continue to pass more rowdy tables full of men and women. I bet Zanir probably has a big stupid smirk on his face. Prick. Knowing how smart his idea is and how I will refuse to struggle in front of all these people. How far is the table for fuck sake?
Once we reach the table, Zanir lets go of my hand and the warmth of him slowly fades, and the cold starts to retreat within. I hiss through clenched teeth as I pass him, nearly brushing my shoulder against his chest as I slide into the booth.
I hiss again as Zanir slides in next to me. My shoulder is touching his arm now, and I glance at his face. He is looking straight ahead with the smallest smirk on his face. Prick. Coldness creeps up at me, again.
“Watch out, that snake bites, too.” Iamys says while shooting a sideways glance to Zanir.
Zanir eyes narrow slightly and he says, “That is what I am hoping for.” Ice shoots through my veins. No. Calm. I need food, now.
Thankfully Devlyn cuts through, her eyes on me, on my clenched fists that I shove under the table.
She clears her throat and says, “Please remember the task at hand.” Her eyes shift between Iamys to Zanir now, who has switched back into that nonchalant character he likes to play. I’m literally leaning into the wall and my other shoulder is cutting into the wood. We are NOT touching.
I will not give him that satisfaction. Plus, his warmth was different. Different than any fire I could manifest with my fingertips. It channels something within me and ice flows down my veins. Like the ice my beast wields. Pure and raw, uncontrollable. No. A claw drags down my mental door, again. No. We, I, am not exploring this any further., for now, or ever. At least not when I feel like I will create an entire ice storm from it. He threaten to eat you and could of possibly killed you before you took his powers. Leave it at that. The claw drags and then drops. Silence is coming from my mental door now.
Devlyn continues, “We will get a nice meal, a single drink…” Her gaze finally lands back on me. I need five drinks. FIVE. She continues, “And we will wait for Sadar to meet us here. That way we know…” Her eyes move toward the rest of the tavern. Laughing, yelling, and talking voices fill the room. No normal person would be able to hear our conversation, but that doesn’t mean that everyone in here is normal. She glances back at us again, “Everything is set up. Iamys and Zanir…” She motions to both with her face. “Will go with Sadar. Mihaela and I will stay at the Inn.” She claps her hands together before either has a chance to oppose. Perfect.
I need some distance from vampire mortal man. He shifts his weight, and his arm is now touching my shoulder again. I can feel his warmth through my ragged shirt. Devlyn’s eyes flick to me. “I’ll go grab us some food, and some ale.” She smiles and I watch as she turns back to the busy Tavern. I hope she is quick. I lean toward the wall, but there is no space. He is leaning into me. Asshole. Ice is slicing through me.
The blond hair barmaid finishes talking to a booth in front of ours and as she turns to walk by us, our eyes meet.
My eyes widen, not from her, I could rip into her and still have leftovers, but no, to Zanir’s hand that has moved to the top of my thigh. Even though I know the blond barmaid can’t see his hand past the table, his arm movement and my face say enough. I force a smile on my face as she passes.
He leans close to me. I can feel his breath against my ear and ice pricks at it. Mint, why does he always smell like mint? “Need to make it believable.” His warmth, his hand, I swear, has burned a handprint through my pants down through my freezing skin. Iamys shuffles and there is a swift kick to my shin.
I snarl and I can feel coldness crawling up my wrists. Ice at the tip of my fingers as they are clenched into fists at my side still now, turning a shade of purple. My beast form purple. Shit. My eyes expand.
“I understand the game you are playing and think we all deserve a nice meal.” Iamys leans toward the table closing the distance between us and his gaze moves to Zanir with a hard stare. “Some more than others… If you get her too worked up, at this rate she’ll either start a blizzard or shift into something that’ll leave us nothing, but a pile of bones and bricks…” His eyes move up to Devlyn who is dropping plates and a pitcher of ale onto the table.
Zanir’s eyes narrow and darken, like he still has shadows dancing around them. But that is not possible. Zanir gently taps his hand against my thigh, once, twice. He smiles back to Iamys, his fangless teeth shining before changing back into that nonchalant character.
He leans back into the booth and raises the mug of ale that Devlyn has poured for everyone to his lips. His throat moving with each sip.
I shudder. No. Gross. No. That claw drags again. I snarl through my skull, and it bounces off the edges. Food. A drink. I need a fucking drink.
I reach for the mug Devlyn placed in front of me. As my hand reaches for it, I noticed redness around my fingers mixing with ranges of purple. The fingers that were laced with Zanir’s. I quickly glance at my thigh. There is no burning handprint on my pants, but I can still feel the lingering of warmth on my skin. I switch hands and shove the other to my side.
Finally, the mug reaches my lips. I feel my eyes narrow as I move the mug away from my face. The liquid is clear and has no smell. Bitch. Water. Fucking water. My eyes quickly move to Devlyn, who has a fork with a steaming piece of beef attached to it. She moves it to her mouth and shakes her head.
I deserve ten, TEN, glasses of wine or ale I don’t even care when I get back to the castle. TEN.
The smell of the beef roast on the plate before me snaps the need for alcohol to drown myself out of my mind, the coldness still in me, the warmth lingering on my thigh and fingers, the Samca, blood, everything, at least for now.
The rest of the meal was mostly quiet. Zanir picked at his food for a bit before devouring through his plate. I guess beef roast with veggies is better than a lake caught fish. Sadar eventually meets up with us and takes the leftovers from Devlyn’s plate. I wrap a good chunk of my roast in a cloth napkin and tell Iamys to give it to Halfy. The boys soon leave out of the Tavern, and I make a point not to watch them leave. I have had enough for one night, day, well few days.
Devlyn and I make our way through the Tavern to the door that connects to the Viridian Vale Inn. Even though Zanir is no longer here, and no longer parading me around, it would seem the point was made. Even without his powers, none of the males, females, even the barb gave me no more than one quick glance.
Once through the connecting door, the noise of the Tavern is muted. At the far end of the main room of the Inn is a large counter with a booklet, a pen and what looks like signatures. Devlyn walks over to it and I’m quick on her heels. There is a small room off to the side of the counter and the door is open. Not sure if they could smell us or if they could hear us since this room is quiet compared to the rowdy and loudness of the Tavern next door.
Devlyn grabs the pen and writes a name, not hers, but a fake one.
“One room, one night.” Is all she says as a figure appears from out of the room. It is an older man, wrinkles and a white beard covering his face. He says nothing, but motions to the sign behind him. It says the different prices for rooms and lengths of stays. Devlyn rustles through her tunic and retrieves a small dark bag. She pulls out five pieces of golden coins. She drops them on the counter and the older man reaches for a wall of keys. He hands her one and then motions to the staircase we passed.
We moved up the stairs and down a hall. The array of noises going on up here, I can assume that some of the rowdy people from the Tavern have moved into the Inn for the night. We reach the end of the hall and the room to the left. Devlyn moves the key to the doorknob, and it clicks. She motions for me to go first, and I gladly do.
It is a rather small room, but it has all the goods. A bed that is barely big enough for two people. A divider and a small tub filled with water passed it. A bed and a bath. I fall on to the bed face first. Even though I land with a thud, it is better than tree branches, the hard earth, and even Halfy’s head.
I hear Devlyn add water from a bucket that sat next to the small tub. I then hear her feet shuffle, and my leg is lifted as she tugs off my boot.
“So, are you going to tell me now, what the hell you got yourself into?”
