Terena pushed away from the table to stand and stretch. She turned to leave. “I’ll try to be back at week’s end.”
“Aww, will ‘is high and mighty lordlin’ be done wi’ ya that quick? Shame.”
Croak barked out a laugh that turned to a yowl when Terena punched his shoulder as she passed.
“If they’re rounding up the mercs, how are you getting them their orders?” Croak asked.
“Been using the temple as the drop.”
Croak snorted. “You serious?”
Benson shrugged. “Seemed like a good ‘nuff spot theys wouldn’t bewatchin’. So worried bout gods but they’s not lookin’ in theys own house.”
“Take care, Benson,” Terena said. “If they’re locking up mercs, they might have eyes on you.”
“What for?”
“For supplying them.”
Benson grunted and went back to work. “No one’s been ‘round yet and Mello’s keepin’ an eye out.”
She nodded and turned to leave. Croak fell in behind her.
On the way out, Benson’s giant of an apprentice came through the doorway. He held out a black pouch and Croak took it with a muttered thanks. The man turned back the way he’d come. Terena followed, calling out a goodbye as she passed, but Mello only lifted his head and stared at her dully before going back to his work.
As they exited Benson’s shop, Terena pulled up her hood and paused under the awning to watch the rain. It had lessened its fury in the time she’d been inside.
The earlier crowd had dispersed, now slinking under awnings or in doorways, anywhere away from the soldiers still patrolling the main street. No signs of the young girl and old man.
Croak came up beside her. Terena walked to where they’d tethered their horses and rummaged in her saddlebags.
“See if you can find Orry,” she said as she pulled out a small bundle wrapped in oilcloth. Croak looked down at her, brown eyes narrowed and arms crossed at his chest. “Give him the shroud and tell him to keep it somewhere safe. I’ll get it from him when we head north.” She handed the bundle to Croak, who took it and shoved it inside his jerkin.
“What about the mercs Benson mentioned?”
Terena sighed and rubbed at an ache on the back of her neck. “If you can manage, find out what they know of the northern king or why they’re looking for trackers. And why they asked for me.”
“Anything else, Your Majesty?”
Terena twisted her lips. “I’ll try to be back at week’s end.”
“And then what?”
Terena shrugged. “Then we head north.”
Croak watchedTerena disappear in the rain. Pulling up his collar, he ran out into the street to the buildings on the other side, cursing the rain as it seeped down his neck and into his tunic to soak him. He kept to the sidewalks and cursed whenever he hit a puddle.
Even in the rain and the gloom of dusk, he knew this town inside and out.
At the end of the street, he saw a group of soldiers huddled near the entrance to Atton’s Bathhouse and recalled their conversation with the blacksmith. Quickly doubling back, Croak took the back alley.
He was close to his destination when the rain turned to a drizzle. He sighed and slowed his pace.
“Awww look at the raggedy rat the cat done drug in, eh?”
Croak lifted his head to frown at the slag leaning against the door to the back entrance of the brothel. Melissa had the worn and haggard look of many of her profession and she was only twenty, if that.
He grimaced and stopped, one boot on the step leading up to the house of pleasure. “And yet still a sight better than the rats calling on you, right Mel?”
