This time, I actually snorted. “Next thing you’ll say is that you’re some duke who can throw money around whenever he likes. Look, itsounds nice, but I need more than a few months’ worth of coin. If I walk away from Griffin now, he won’t take me back.”
“Odessa, I’m not a lord or noble,” Caz said, his voice more serious now. “I’m just a scholar at the Academy. We get a stipend to cover our travel and studies. We’re stewards of knowledge for the realm, and the Academy gets aid from the kingdom to support us.” He paused. “Just think it over. I could talk to Griffin and ask him to let you take a break from your shifts every day for the next three months, until I head off to my next assignment. After that, you can go back to working at the inn. Please?”
His expression was so sincere, so genuine, that it was hard to look away.
“Fine,” I said, stopping the broom mid-sweep. “If you can get Griffin to cover opening the inn, I’ll go with you. I’ll come back for lunch and supper to close. But just so you know, Griffin won’t do it unless there’s something in it for him. Most days, he’s either drunk at the tavern or at the gambling house, so don’t get your hopes up.”
“Really?” Caz beamed, that bright smile returning. “You might not know this about me yet, but I’ve got a knack for making things happen. And don’t think I’ll let you off the hook so easily with that reading thing, I’ll make that happen too.”
“Like I told you, we don’t do much reading out here,” I said with a shrug, waving him off. “There’s no real need for it. I’ll just stick to earning my coin.”
“No need for it?” Caz exclaimed. “There’s more to reading than you can imagine! It’s how you learn, how you understand the world around you. The knowledge alone makes it worth it. You can visit worlds you’ll never walk in, oceans full of creatures, ancient cities, lives that span centuries. Every page holds something new. And it’s not just words on paper. It’s a way to live a thousand different lives. Can’t you see how amazing that is?”
Caz’seyes were practically sparkling with excitement, and I couldn’t stop the smile tugging at my lips.
“That does sound pretty neat, I’ll give you that.”
“I’ll teach you a little bit every day to start. By the end of summer, who knows? Maybe in a few years, I’ll find you enrolled at the Academy yourself.”
I gave him a look, half playful, half pointed. “I’m more likely to become a scholar in three months than Griffin is to let me take mornings off at the inn. Let’s focus on one thing before you get too carried away.”
“Didn’t I tell you?” Caz grinned. “I make things happen.” He gave Bellona a final pat before leaving the stables. “Just wait and see.”
I shook my head, still smiling, and went back to sweeping.
“How did you pull it off?”I asked, disbelief written all over my face as I packed a waxed-cloth bundle of food into Caz’s rucksack. Griffin had given me plenty of grief this morning for taking the shift off, but the old grump didn’t say much else as he left for the stables to tidy up. I eyed Caz with suspicion.
“Griffin only speaks one language: coins, cards, and coppers. So you must’ve paid him off. And now I’m on your payroll too... That’s a lot.” I raised an eyebrow. “Exactly how much coin did the Academy give you for this assignment?”
“I did offer him a little coin,” Caz admitted with a shrug. He slung the rucksack over his shoulder and fastened his cloak. “And maybe a couple barrels of Rymaren’s finest rum. I ran into a merchant on one of my other assignments who owes me a favor. Lucky for me, he’s got ties to the best spirits along the trade routes.”
“Ah, yes. Griffin speaks with his tankard too. I suppose that was easy enough tofigure out.”
“I told you, I make things happen,” Caz said, flashing that grin again. “We’re all set. Let’s get moving before dawn breaks. I want to make the most of the daylight before I lose you back to the inn.”
We made our way to the stables, where Caz neatly laid a thin blanket over Bellona’s back. “The Academy’s coin stretches pretty far,” he said, “but not far enough for a saddle. Hope that’s not too much of a problem.”
I hesitated. “You expect me to ride with you?” I’d somehow convinced myself I’d be walking.
“How else are you going to keep up with me and Bell? Of course you’re riding with me.”
“Alright,” I laughed. “Well, I’ve never used a saddle before, so I’m sure I won’t miss it.”
He mounted Bellona with ease, his posture relaxed with the kind of confidence that only came from long chimes spent riding. Caz’s life, no doubt, was filled with comforts most in Brier Len would never know. He adjusted his rucksack, took the reins in his right hand, and extended his left toward me.
“My lady?”
I rolled my eyes, though a small smile tugged at my lips. “Very funny, but I’m no lady.”
I took his hand, and the warmth of his touch sent a spark racing through me, my pulse quickening. I bit my cheek, trying to hide the blush creeping up my neck. Caz guided me onto Bellona’s back, making sure I was steady. The feeling of his chest against my back made my cheeks burn.
Caz’s voice whispered in my ear, “Ready to draw the world with me, Odessa?” I felt his smile without needing to see it. “Let’s ride.”
His arms held me close as he took the reins with both hands, and we galloped toward the main route. I guided him to the spot he’d mentioned earlier, where he wanted to begin mapping, and we rode along in an easy, casual rhythm of conversation.
Still, I couldn’t ignore the feelings growing inside me. It was unrealistic, impossible even. He was a scholar from a far-off city, and I would always be a girl from the outskirts. But that stubborn, foolish part of me refused to listen to reason. My heart, in all its blind hope, would be the death of me.
When we reached the edge of the woods, Caz hopped down from Bellona first, then turned to help me down.
