Well into the afternoon, Lara had soldmost of her goods and was considering leaving when she lookedacross the square.Phillipe and Anglbert walked to each side ofTalon, herding him toward her stall like a recalcitrant bull into afield full of nettles.Bemused, she bit down on her grin as hestopped before her with his hands thrust deep into his pockets,despite Wolf’s attempts to nose them out.
“Good day, Captain.Anglbert… Phillipe.”
“It would’ve been a betterday,” Anglbert harumphed, “if a certain captain here hadn’t draggedhis feet so long and hard about coming in the first place.”Helooked over what was left of her goods.“You’re out ofpie.”
He sounded so forlorn Lara couldn’thelp but play it out a moment, splaying her hands and shrugging hershoulders.Then she stepped over to the front of the wagon, reachedunder the bench seat, and pulled out two apple pies.She handedAnglbert and Phillipe a pie each, grinning as their noses wereinstantly in the cheesecloth wraps.Then she pulled the strawberrypie out and handed it to Talon.He reached for his purse, and Laralaid her hand over his.“My gifts to the three of you.Free ofcharge.”
“Ahhh.”Anglbert inhaledanother whiff of his pie.“You’re an angel, Lara.I always said shewas an angel,” he repeated to Talon and Phillipe, both of whomlooked surprised at his declaration.
“She bakes like an angel.”Phillipe pulled the cheesecloth away from his pie and scooped afingerful of apple into his mouth.“Manna from heaven.”
They all looked to Talon, who manageda terse, “Thank you.”
“Don’t mind him.”Phillipethumbed at the captain.“He’s been a man of few words and numerousscowls lately.”
“He’s worse at night.”Anglbert earned one of those scowls from Talon.“He drinks too muchwine and bites your head off whilst playing Shah because the wrongperson is sitting across the board from him.Perhaps you have atincture or potion for what’s ailing him?”
“I might,” Lara said.Talon truly did look unwell.For such a normally robust man, hischeeks were hollowed and there were dark circles under his eyes, asif he hadn’t been sleeping well, and he was a man who couldnormally sleep anywhere, anytime he had a mind to.“If I knew whatails him.”
“There’s the rub,”Phillipe said as Talon glowered at him.“For he will not tell us,though I wager it’s the curse.”
“It’s the curse allright,” Anglbert said with a somber shake of his grayed head.“Thewildcat eludes him still.”
“Does she?”Lara feignedthe ignorance that had blinded her for so long.
“I told him he must wooher first.”Phillipe grinned.“Before he could ever hope to tameher.”
Lara met Talon’s brooding gaze.“I amsorry, Captain.I know of no potion for wooing wildcats.”Sheturned from the disappointment in his eyes and pulled a vial ofvalerian root from her store.“But if you drink a tea of this rootpowder before bed, it will help you sleep.I warn you though, it’sa bitter brew, you might want to sweeten it with honey.”
“It can be no more bitterthan what I swallow every night now,” he said, holding her handwith the vial.“I’ve tasted the sweetest of honey and it is forwant of more that I sicken and pine.”
He pressed a kiss to her hand, thentook the vial and turned on his heels before striding away as Larastood dumbstruck.When at last she could think again, she turned toAnglbert and Phillipe, who watched her with amused grins.Givingthem a scowl worthy of the captain’s, she turned her back to themand loaded her cart for the return trip home.
She hadn’t made it more than half aleague from the village when Wolf stopped to sniff the air andstare at the road behind them.Giving a wag of his tail, he tookoff running toward Talon and his Black.
“Captain,” she greeted himas he pulled the Black up beside her.
“Lara.”
They rode on in silence, glancing backand forth at each other.Lara snorted.This was ridiculous.They’dshared the same bedchamber for a month, and the same tent for amonth after that.She’d woken up from her nightmares cradled in hisarms more times than she could count.They’d made love.Surely,they could find something to talk about.She glanced at thetelltale bulge of the vial she’d given him in his tunicpocket.
“I hope the valerian helpsyou sleep,” she said.
He patted his tunic pocket.“And you?Have you been sleeping well?Or do your dreams still wakeyou?”
“No.”Lara gave a relievedsigh.“I’ve not had one since I returned to my home.”
“Good.I’m glad to hearit.”
“I, ah, I don’t rememberif I, ah, if I ever thanked you, for helping me when they, ah…”When she would awaken crying out and he would cradle her in hisarms and soothe her, whispering sweet and low in herhair.
He gave a crooked grin.“You’rewelcome.”
Lara cleared her throat and tried tothink of something, anything else to talk about.
“Patience and Wilric areboth doing well,” she said, though they’d both seen them only threedays ago.“If the babe’s appetite is any indication, he’ll be astrapping lad.”
Talon shifted on his saddle andnodded.“It’s a good thing Willem is getting so many orders forsaddles then, with two growing boys to feed.”
