"It doesn't sound as if this archmage does either," Morgan said.
"Oh, enough," Adhémar said crossly. He glared at them both, got to his feet with a curse, and walked out of the inn.
Morgan looked at Miach. "What ails him?"
"Envy," Miach said promptly. "No doubt you bested him once too often. Are you finished?"
"Not by half," she said, and applied herself to her meal.
Miach caught Glines still looking at him. Glines winked, then continued on with ingesting a substantial repast. Miach supposed he should probably do the same thing. Who knew when he next would have a decent meal?
He corrected himself. He might have a decent meal once he reached the castle, but would he manage to eat it?
He suspected not.
"How much farther?" Morgan asked, pushing her plate away finally. "Miach? Glines?"
"Three days, on the outside," Glines said, "If we ride hard."
Morgan leaned forward. "Will we get inside the gates, do you think?"
Fletcher leaned in as well. "Why wouldn't we?" he whispered.
"They're guarded by magic," Morgan said seriously. "Didn't you know?"
"But, Morgan, you don't believe in magic," Fletcher breathed.
Miach found himself on the receiving end of a very pointed look from Morgan before she turned back to Fletcher.
"I don'tlikemagic," she said, "but I must concede that it exists. Don't rely on it, though. It is fickle."
Fletcher nodded seriously. Miach counted that as one of Weger's rules that the boy would now emblazon upon his memory and carry with him for the rest of his days.
Miach sat back and looked at his companions sitting around that table. He was a little surprised by how much affection he'd grown to feel toward them in such a short time. They were good souls. Honest. Trustworthy.
And, in Morgan's case, too dear for his peace of mind.
He was tempted, almost beyond his ability to resist, to remain at the table and bask in the warmth of the fire and in the radiance that was Morgan of Melksham, but he knew he couldn't. He had to put his plan in action.
He had no choice.
"I think," he said suddenly, as if it had just occurred to him, "that we should stay the night."
Morgan looked at him in surprise. "Think you. "
"I do," he said firmly. "Rest the horses, and all that."
"But Miach," she said slowly, "what of those creatures? What of the rumors of them?"
He would see to them after she was safely away, but he didn't dare say as much. "I think we have lost them. After all, we will be safely ensconced in the inn. I imagine we won't have any trouble with them."
"If you say so," she said doubtfully.
Miach watched her exchange a look with Glines, who shrugged, then she nodded.
"Very well," she said. "Let us go guard the horses while the others eat, then we'll come back and inquire about chambers."
Miach rose when the rest of his dinner companions did, paid the serving girl extra, then left the common room. He waited with Morgan, Glines, and Fletcher as Paien and Camid had their turn. Of Adhémar, there was nothing to be seen. Miach didn't worry. He couldn't have been so fortunate as to have had his brother go ahead without them.
