“Uh-huh, and we are going where?” I waited. He didn’t answer. I widened my eyes. “You need to tell me, so I can plan the trail.”
“North.”
I waited again. Nothing.
“North? Just north.”
“You’ll know more later.”
“Well, I can’t wait.” He ignored my sarcasm, and with one last look of disgust at the guy with the wooden figurine, I stomped back to the inn.
No one stopped me, but two soldiers followed. When Sayla saw me, and then who followed me, she gave me the coldest look of disappointment I’d ever seen.
I slipped onto a bench and held her stare. “I said no. Many times.”
Her harrumph was loud in the quiet of the inn.
“Yup, pretty much. I need ale for this,” I muttered.
I drank the ale she placed in front of me. “Any beds in the barn tonight?” I murmured, dropping my voice so only she could hear.
“Single bed in the attic for you.”
I didn’t argue, but once more, her generosity surprised me. Maybe she’d already heard my pay for this job.
Bad news always traveled fast.
The rest of the soldiers arrived, and soon, the inn was crowded. No one noticed me as I took my second mug of ale and slipped quietly up the stairs.
I wasn’t expecting to come face-to-face with the guy who sold me out.
“How are you already here?” I demanded.
“Back door.” He pushed his hood back, and I took the opportunity to study him closely.
His sharp, severe face was all hard angles and watchful eyes, and his gaze was steady as he watched me, watching him. His look was deliberate, assessing, and saw far too much, as though he already knew I’d be trouble.
I’d been wrong about his build. He wasn’t lean at all. In fact, he was anythingbutlean. Thick broad shoulders, wide chest, strength lay coiled under that cloak. A fact that I’d missed whenhe was hunched over. Tall, far taller than me, his blue eyes danced with humor as I cataloged every detail about him.
“Why did you tell them I had no bargain made?”
“Because you don’t.” He smiled at me, looking genuinely amused by my question.
“I don’t want to lead a bunch of snivelingsummersoldiers north,” I whisper-hissed at him.
He shrugged. “I don’t want to be whispering in the hall like lovers having a spat, but here we are.”
I drew back so quickly that I felt a muscle tense in protest at the sudden movement.
“What?”
He nodded. “Making my point, exactly.” He moved around me, forcing me back a step, careful not to touch me. “Sleep well, I think you’re going to need it.”
I watched him walk down the short hall to the stairs I’d just climbed, and it took a lot of self-control not to throw my ale at him.
Instead, I made a crude gesture at his back and hurried up the old staircase at the far corner of the hall that led to the attic.
With the door closed tight behind me, I set my mug down and stuck my fingers through the mug’s opening to fish inside. I hadn’t been sure, but when Sayla placed a fresh cup in front of me without asking, I’d had a feeling there was more than I expected to find at the bottom of my mug.
