Page 79 of The Seeker

“You say that now, but I warn you, it’s boring and lonely, being on the road all the time. I often wish I’d done something else with my life.” The corners of his lips fell. It wasn’t quite a frown, but it wasn’t a smile either.

I didn’t know what to say to that, so I said nothing, the only sound the horses’ hooves on the dirt road.

“What about you? Are you going home to family?” he prodded.

I debated how much to tell him. How much would be safe to reveal to a stranger. “How much do you know about Heimland?” I asked, figuring that was a harmless starting point.

“Not a lot,” he admitted. “There’s not a lot of trade routes going there, and the few that there are . . . well, those merchants have worked the same routes for years. So you gotta wait for one of them to die if you want to take over one.”

“So, the routes are owned by certain merchants?” I’d never learned much about the trade going in and out of Heimland, and now I regretted it.

“No,” he corrected me. “But merchants grow very territorial of their routes. You can typically try any route you like, but if you choose one that is already traveled frequently by another merchant, you’ll find that bad things happen to you on the road.” He sighed at his admission. “I try my best to stay on everyone’s good graces, so that doesn’t happen to me. That’s why I was with those men in Shianp, even though I know they aren’t the type of men I would trust around my sister.” He shook his head then changed the subject. “Why do you ask if I know Heimland?”

I kept my gaze on the sandy road. “Well, Heimland was at war until recently.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” he apologized. “Was it bad?”

“All wars are bad,” I snapped before realizing he was probably asking because he truly didn’t know. I shrugged sheepishly. “Sorry, I guess I shouldn’t assume you’ve seen war.”

“It’s okay.”

“But yes, it was terrible, brutal. Many people were lost. I actually came to Shianp to ask the king to interfere, to stop the viscounts from continuing their war.”

“And did he?” I could feel his genuine curiosity.

Anger burned in my chest at the mere reminder of Otho’s deception. “No. The war ended before I arrived in Shianp.”

“Oh. Well, that’s good, right?” he pressed.

“Yeah.” I sighed. “It is. I just don’t really know what I’m going home to.”

“I understand,” he replied, a frown on his lips. “I don’t always know what I’m going home to either. The fear is very real.”

He didn’t ask any more questions after that.

CHAPTER 26

As promised, once the sun sank behind the mountains, Sullie directed me to gallop my horse, and he followed. I squinted at the horizon in the fading light, hoping there would be signs of other travelers on the road ahead of us, but there was nothing besides the empty hard-packed dirt.

Our punishing pace continued until there wasn’t enough light to proceed safely, then Sullie gestured for me to slow my horse, and dismounted in the shadow of the trees. I followed suit, scouring the underbrush for whatever I could forage for dinner.

Sullie must’ve noticed my scrutiny, “Sorry we didn’t meet the person you are searching for, but if we rise early tomorrow and gallop before the heat of the day, you should be able to catch them.”

I nodded, knowing I probably shouldn’t reveal any more details of my life to this man, but something in my gut told me I could trust him. “I’m not even sure he’s with a group. I didn’t want those men to know I was only meeting a single man—my brother.”

“Ah.” A smile flickered to his lips. “That was smart. Though you’re probably right. Most men who travel this way do so in a group, it’s safer.”

That caused my eyebrows to arch. He’d danced around the topic earlier, but I’d thought it was because I was a woman. “It’s dangerous for everyone?” I peered back toward the road.

“Not inherently, but if you are traveling with a lot of possessions, theft is the biggest concern. It’s the same when I travel as a merchant. I’ve learned to sleep on top of my goods.” He used a rope to loop his horse’s bridle to a tree. “Though in my case, it’s usually other merchants wanting to cause me trouble.”

Sullie pulled a bedroll from his horse, rolling it out on the ground. I grimaced as I took in the few items I had with me. I really hadn’t planned to spend the night on my own.

“No bedroll?” He arched one of his red eyebrows.

I shook my head. “This journey was spur of the moment. But I can sleep against a tree; I’ve done it before.” I left out the part where I’d leaned against Ena for warmth then. My heart clenched at the reminder that I’d left my friend behind. But in the same breath, I knew she would be okay.

Ena carried a strength I didn’t possess.