"Then what will we do?"
Miach looked off into the distance and gave it thought for several minutes. He could, of course, walk into Hearn's keep and trade magic for all sorts of things. After all, Hearn was his cousin, several times removed.
Then another idea struck him. He smiled at Morgan.
"We will attempt a bargain," he said.
"We?"
"You and I."
Both of her eyebrows went up. "You and I?"
It was terribly selfish, but Miach didn't care. He would have a handful of days with a woman he couldn't look away from and in return she would perhaps win a useful horse or two. Perhaps it wasn't all that selfish after all.
He smiled. "You have sword skill. Hearn will value that. I know a charm or two. I'll see if he has a patch of nettles he wants gone, or an ugly serving maid made beautiful." He shrugged. "Something small."
Morgan looked north, then turned back to him. "I fear I have no choice."
Not a stunning endorsement of his company, but it would do for now. "We should leave before dawn," he said, "on the morrow. We'll catch the man before his morning stables. He'll have a full belly and be thinking of what all those oats cost him."
She pursed her lips. "Are you any less devious than Glines?"
"I will win the horses fairly, if that's what you're asking. If we manage to win them at all." He looked at her thoughtfully. "I daresay Glines has a bit of magecraft at his disposal, at least when it comes to cards."
"Has he bested you yet? "
"No, indeed," Miach said with a half laugh, "but I see very clearly."
"Aye, but you cast a spell very poorly, if it was a spell you cast over yourself," she added under her breath.
Miach let that pass. "I wouldn't think on it overmuch. "
She pursed her lips. "I will go fix our plans with Paien and discuss a meeting place. He won't want to remain in the area overlong."
"I imagine he won't," he agreed.
"Before first light, then," she said, then walked away.
Miach watched her go, then turned himself back to the north. Aye, his spells would do for another few days. He would aid Morgan in getting her horses from Hearn of Angesand and see if an opportunity to speak to her about Adhémar's sword arose. His spells would hold that long.
"Miach, supper! Morgan, where is that dratted boy? Go find him, will you, before this goes cold."
Miach smiled at Paien's bellows and turned away from his contemplation of the north before Morgan was forced to come and fetch him. Though he supposed if he'd had any sense, he would have waited for her.
Nay, that was a pleasure he would enjoy on the morrow. He went happily back to camp, setting aside the more serious matters of the realm for the less serious but more pressing matter of supper.
Chapter Ten
It was mid-morning when Morgan walked with Miach up to Hearn's keep. Aherin was an impressive stronghold and she supposed she could understand why. Hearn of Angesand obviously valued his horseflesh. Her heart sank a little within her. She wasn't one to give in to discouragement, but she suspected that twenty gold sovereigns would not buy her a ride on one of Angesand's horses, much less allow her to take even the worst nag away.
"Not to worry," Miach said cheerfully.
"I wasn't worrying. "
"You were muttering threats under your breath. "
"I was preparing."
