Page 6 of Sanctuary

I doubted very much that he wanted anything from me. But he was playing the considerate, capable mate. "Thank you for being so thoughtful," I said, turning my smile up a bit before turning to the innkeeper.

They tucked a strand of stick-straight, chin-length gray hair behind one slightly rounded ear and rubbed their palms over their apron as they nodded to me. Knowing the way some highborns and nobles acted, the poor thing was probably afraid I was about to start a scene. But I made a show of tucking my own hair back behind my ear as well, showing them we both had the same human roundness to us. I couldn't be sure what mixture of fae and human ran through the innkeeper's blood, but that it was obviously mixed instantly gave us some common ground.

The innkeeper's shoulders relaxed a bit as they gave me a wry smile. "I'm sorry about the mix-up, my lady. As I was telling your mates, we have one room left, which I've sent staff to prepare for you. It's not the largest room, but it does have a large, comfortable bed."

I clenched my teeth, but kept my expression unconcerned. "Thank you. And the rest of our party?"

They glanced at the guards who had come inside and nodded. "I'm happy to close down the common room in an hour or so. We can push the tables to the side and make a place for your people to bed down. I know it's not ideal, but they'll be warm and dry in here out of the rain, with the fireplace and all. I've even got some cots they can use–or you can take a few of the cots for your own room, if you like," they added, eyeing Bach and Adder, probably concluding that they'd each take up half a bed by themselves.

I avoided looking at my silent mates. "If we take a couple of the cots for our room, will there be enough for the guards?"

The innkeeper glanced at the group of soldiers who were currently lounging by the fire, awaiting direction. "I'm afraid not, my lady. But I'm sure we can fetch extra blankets for the ones who have to sleep on the floor."

I sighed. "No. Give them the cots. Bring the extra blankets to our room, if you can spare them."

The innkeeper nodded and turned to go get things settled, but I stopped them with a hand on their arm. "Wait. Here." I unhooked the coin purse from my belt and handed it to them. "That should cover the room and food, with some extra for your trouble finding places for all of us."

They hesitantly took the purse, blinking wide brown eyes at me. "Are you sure, my lady? It was our mistake that caused all this inconvenience."

I pushed the purse into their hand and smiled a genuine smile. "I'm sure. As you said, it was a mistake. And you've gone out of your way to be accommodating. You and your staff deserve to be paid for your hard work."

"Thank you, my lady." They sketched a little bow and tucked the purse away before hurrying off to get things squared away.

"That was kind of you," Mirri told me quietly.

I glanced at him and shrugged. "It's basic decency. I doubt they meant for any of this to happen."

"Come on," Fife said tiredly, snatching the room key Bach held and turning toward the stairs. "I'm tired of this entire day."

He took a few steps, then wavered slightly. It was barely noticeable, but Adder put a hand to the smaller man's back and braced him, so I knew I wasn't imagining things.

"Are you okay?" I asked the beautiful, angry cleric.

Brilliant green eyes met mine, and that perfect nose went up in the air with so much haughty disdain he could have been royalty. "Don't worry, lady steward. Your new tool isn't broken. I just need to sleep, and I'll be ready to use again tomorrow." Then he headed up the stairs, Adder hovering behind him like a stoic mother hen.

I huffed a frustrated sigh. Bach took pity on me and filled me in on what I had apparently missed. "He's been powering a spell to keep the guards warm all day while they rode. And once we reached the inn, he used magic to dry them all and ease their aches and discomforts. He's feeling the strain of prolonged magic use."

I shook my head, glancing upward where Fife and Adder were disappearing down the hallway. "I had no idea."

"Of course you didn't," Bach said, his deep voice flat and emotionless. He turned and headed upstairs as well, leaving me with Mirri.

"Ass," I muttered under my breath. As if they could expect me to know anything when they weren't speaking with me most of the time.

Mirri sighed. "For what it's worth, it's not your fault. Fife never tells us when he's doing too much, either. Adder looks out for him, and when he's focused on Fife, he couldn't care less about anyone or anything else." He gave me a wry look as he inclined his head toward where their leader had disappeared. "And of course, Bach's protective instincts kick in. He thinks it should be obvious to everyone that his friends are upset. As if everyone in the world is as perceptive and protective of them as he is."

I shook my head, frustrated. Then I met his golden eyes. "And you?"

Mirri gave me a wry smile. "When they get like this, I usually end up playing peacekeeper when they all piss off everyone who comes into contact with them."

"Hmm," I snorted. Sounded like a thankless job to me. These new mates of mine were like a strange sovereign country of their own, filled with unknown political pitfalls and in need of constant management.

"Let's go see what we can do about sleep," I said, heading up the stairs to the prison that was our shared sleeping quarters for the night.

The room wasn't the largest one I'd ever seen, but it was fairly spacious. The bed was, indeed, quite good sized. But it wasn't large enough for five adults to sleep in it without piling together in uncomfortable ways. Especially when those five adults hated the thought of spending time together.

The innkeeper and a serving girl brought us extra blankets and a large tray of food–hearty stew, fresh fruit, and crusty bread rolls with butter and honey.

We quietly divvied up the food and ate in silence, too tired and hungry to care about much else until our bellies were full.

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