"Did you not find anything useful?"
She shook her head. "I fear the chamber closes in on me in an unwholesome way."
"Tor Neroche," he advised. "A body can likely find just about anything there."
"You hesitate," she noted. "Why?"
He shook his head. " 'Tis nothing." He smiled gravely. "The journey north is perilous, but you are not afraid."
"Are you?"
"Quite," he said frankly.
"Then stay nearby," she advised. "I imagine I can see to you and Fletcher both."
He smiled, more sincerely this time. "I appreciate that."
They ate without haste, but without lingering. Morgan helped Miach put the chamber to rights, then made certain the fire was completely out. She turned away from the hearth to find Miach standing near the door, a ball of werelight floating gently above his head. Morgan gaped at him.
"How did you do that?"
"A spell," he said easily.
"How do you know so many spells?"
He only hesitated slightly. "I know many things. Knowing how to light things and hide them is very useful."
Morgan shouldered her pack and walked toward him. "Aye, I suppose so. It would be a poor thing indeed to stomp through the mire in the dark."
He snorted and shut the door behind her. "Indeed." He shifted his pack and led her up the stairs, the little ball of light bouncing up high to light the stairs as they ascended them.
"Have you ever been in Tor Neroche?" she asked as she followed him out into the hallway of the palace.
"Aye," he said simply.
But he didn't seem inclined to say more, so she didn't ask. Perhaps it was a poor memory for him. Perhaps it was so glorious that he couldn't bear to think on it for it compared poorly with his own life.
Perhaps she had spent far too much of the past fortnight dreaming and it had wrought a foul work upon her own poor thoughts.
She paused with him as he peeked out into the hallway. The light above his head vanished without him having to say anything. She did, however, hear him murmur a spell of un-noticing before he turned and looked at her.
"Shall we?"
"How did you make the light go without saying anything?" she asked.
"Years of practice. You know, not wanting to stomp through the pigsty in the dark."
"Hmmm," she said, following him out into the passageway.
He looked at her. "Would you care to learn a few? "
"Learn a few whats?"
"Spells."
She knew what he'd been going to say and had wished to avoid hearing it. It was quite some time before she could say anything. She took a cautious breath. "Spells?"
He nodded.
