An inn named the Rusty Wheel had their lights glowing from the windows, and music streamed through the open door, a beckoning sight and sound. The sign creaked as the wind dragged it back and forth.
The pagwai chirped as we got closer.
“I know, they better let you guys in with us,” I said, giving their ears scritches.
Kali lifted a brow and scanned them over. “Dice roll depending on the owners. I’ll be turning in the box here though. It’s a common drop site.”
“Innocent inn by day, derelict den by night,” I intoned.
She shook her head, a smirk lingering on her lips. “Don’t suppose you’d want to share a room, I’m assuming you’re not continuing a walk through the night to head home.”
My pulse sped. I’d take any more time I could get. “I’m not moving another foot. You already dragged me through the entire forest today. I’m exhausted.”
“This inn is also where one of the places I keep my storage,” she said.
“Did you need to retrieve something from there?”
She passed me a look, arched brow and all.
I shrugged, which lifted the two pagwais on my shoulders. “What? I don’t know the mysteries of your storage containers.”
“I had something mechanical you were interested in riding,” she commented.
The realization slammed in, and heat roared through me. “Where is it? We need to stop there right now.”
“At the Rusty Wheel,” she said. “So once we get a room…” Her gaze turned molten as she skimmed me over.
I swallowed hard. Yes, yes, yes.
Kali tilted her head toward the open door, and I followed her inside. The second we stepped in, an older woman by the bar raised a fist. She had wiry gray hair in a mist above her head, and she hunched over with a rag and scowl aimed our way.
“Out with the vermin,” she called.
I glanced around me. “Where?”
“No pagwais in this inn,” she said with a glower. “Don’t want them eating my customers’ food.”
Disappointment filtered through me. There went the hot night I had planned with Kali.
“Come on, Lynwell,” Kali said in a wheedling tone. “Can’t they at least sleep in the stable?”
Lynwell let out a grumbly noise, her skin forming new wrinkles in the process. Then she stared at Socks and her newfriend on my shoulder one more time. “Fine, they can stay in the stable, but no spooking the horses.”
Truthfully, Socks and her friend would be better in the stable as there were ample places to shit rather than on the floor or in our bedding. I was satisfied with this solution.
“Let me go get them settled,” I said, striding toward the door.
“I’ll handle business,” Kali said, a twinkle in her eye that made me shiver.
I stepped back outside, taking a few minutes to scout out where the stable was—conveniently located behind the inn. A few horses were already put up there, who tilted their heads out of curiosity, so I stepped in to an empty side area stacked with hay bales. I tugged Socks off my shoulder, and her friend hopped right off onto the bale. I stared at my little critter, who watched back with a sassy expression.
“I need you to sleep here tonight, not run off,” I said. “I can’t be racing all over creation for you again. If you’re a good girl, I’ll give you a feast of berries in the morning.”
Her ears perked up at the word berries, and I placed her on the hay bale to emphasize my point.
“Berries.” I patted the bale. “Stay here.”
She let out a snuffling sound and curled up on top of the bale. Her friend cuddled up with her, and within a few minutes, both of them started to look dozy, their eyes narrowing to slits as sleep tried to claim them.
