Zayden was the first to break the silence when he looked back at the map and pointed to a spot middle of the way and slightly lower than the border. “There’s a very discreet inn right here. No questions asked, as long as we have the coin. They also don’t talk to guards or bounty hunters. We should stay there for the night versus using the supplies we’re carrying. Saving them for the more… rugged part of this trip.”
My eyes softened as I waited for him to look me in the eye before I nodded. “That’s a good idea, Zayden.” For once, he was the one blushing and looking away first. It made me want to do it again. Pay him back for how he makes me feel.
I heard a throat clear to my right, and I swung my gaze over to Rykon. “So, this is the for sure trail we are going to take?”
I looked back at the map, “Mostly.” I pointed to the spot that Vance wanted us to take to get over the mountain chain that surrounded the badlands, making an almost impenetrable border.
“This spot that he wants us to go to is a well-known point of access, which would make it a hotbed for thugs and bandits to camp and rob or kill those that are trying to come in.” I point to the spot that is right in the center of the border. “I want to hit this spot and climb our way over. It will be unguarded and since it’s one of the taller points of the sawtooth chain of mountains, we can get a larger view of the badlands. Making a better and more informed decision on how to proceed once we are inside.”
“But we would have to climb the mountain cliffs to get up there.” Zayden gasped, practically choking the words out.
“Is that a problem?” I asked, lifting and eyebrows at him. He looked around at the two others with a plea in his eyes, arms wide open like he expected them to agree with him.
“I’m fine with climbing.” Ajax’s voice bleeds with smug sureness, looking Zayden up and down. “You can stay behind if you can’t hack it.” Rykon, still not saying anything, just watching the two of them.
Zayden straightened up, tipping his head back to look his nose down at Ajax. “I didn’t say that. Plus, if anyone could haul themselves over a mountain, it would be me and Emerald, being the ones with less…” He looked at Ajax with calculating eyes, “girth.” Did he just call Ajax fat?
Ajax growled out, preparing himself to launch at Zayden, hands going wide in preparation. Surprisingly, Rykon curses and stands between them. “I think that’s enough planning for the day. Let’s just think about all of this on our way to the inn Zayden pointed out.”
I folded up the map, thinking that was the best course of action with this group, but at least they all know the job now… and somewhat agreed with it.
For the first hour, we walked in silence. I was taking in my surroundings, listening to the forest and the sounds made, trying to make sure I could make out what each and every sound was so that if I heard something different, I could react to it quickly.
Apparently, Zayden didn’t feel the same way. After an hour, he hummed a song. When Ajax told him to be quiet, he started up conversations, or in his words “team builders.”
He asked us a bunch of hypothetical questions. Half the time we wouldn’t answer the questions and he would come up with ridiculous answers for us, which either made us scowl or laugh at him. Before we knew it, the daylight sank and we were in front of the tavern Zayden talked about.
He was not wrong when he said it was discreet. It was so off the road that you would think it was a private residence. It’s a two-story building that looked like it was in critical need of some updating. The wooden sign that hung over the top was weathered down and might as well be a blank sign. The wood looked like it had been chewed by wild animals. I noticed a large one story building off the back of the inn and I saw a couple of men coming out of one side with towels around their waist.
So that must be a bathhouse, a little old school when most inns now had private tubs in rooms, but I wouldn’t scoff at it. Hot water was hot water.
“How do you know about this place?” I moved to be next to Zayden, keeping my voice low.
He kept his eye on the inn as he answered, “One of the girls that came to work for us was beaten and bruised in the worst way. I was the one that volunteered to help with the healing since I had the dragon’s blood flower and didn’t want… others to know.” I knew he was talking about his father, so I put my hand lightly on his arm for support.
He looked down at my fingers curled around his forearm and smiled as he kept going. “While I was helping her, I got mad about what happened to her and she told me the story. How she was taken by bandits on the road. Raped and beat for their amusement while they killed her father and brother, who were traveling with her.” He patted my hand, and I let go, noticing that Ajax and Rykon had gotten closer to hear the story too.
“She waited for her opportunity to get free and when it came, she ran. She ran as fast as her legs could take her and she ended up here. When the bandits went searching for her, they hid her and said they saw a girl run in the opposite direction. She asked why they did that for her, and all the innkeeper said was that she could tell when a person was in need and that this inn was made just for that, for when people needed a place to stay. The next day she thanked them and came to Onisea city, where she was directed to our guild for work. It’s where most single women with no males able to take care of her go.”
He looked up at me, eyes holding hope but also the wisdom to know that sometimes stories are just that — stories. “I thought it would at least be worth checking out. If we don’t like it, we can just sleep in the woods like I know you were planning to do.”
“Sounds like the innkeeper has some fae blood and can tell when a person has malicious intent, so I don’t think it’ll be an issue, but… I think we should stay in one room and keep shifts. I don’t mind taking most of the night if you three need to sleep.” I wasn’t sleeping a lot anyway, so I might as well put that to good use.
“We are all on this quest together. We will all take turns.” Ajax’s voice rumbles out, making it known that this was not an option. I bit my lip to keep from smiling. I looked up and my eyes caught on Rykon who was nodding at his statement.
Zayden was the first to push open the old creaky door that looked like the hinges were a few doors opening away from coming off.
As soon as we all stepped into the foyer, a round plump brown-haired woman with orange streaks, face lines that spoke of years of pain and laughter, rubbed her hands on her apron and appeared before us. She looked intently at each of us before asking, “What can I help you with?”
Zayden took her other hand, gave it a light kiss, her cheeks suddenly turning rosy as he cooed, “Why, fine mistress of this establishment, we are only looking for a room with a bed and a hot meal for our bellies for the night. Is this something, someone as gracious as you, could help us with?”
Both Rykon and Ajax were fighting the urge to roll their eyes, but this was what I expected.
She blushed and stuttered, “Oh, I don’t need those fancy words for me to help you travelers out, but it’s still appreciated. I haven’t had a young man’s attention for a long time and I forget how flustered I could get.” She fanned herself as she looked away. “But I can do you one better… We have an outside bath over a natural hot spring, split down the middle for ladies and gentlemen.” She nodded to me and continued, “Why don’t you all get settled in your room,” she quickly grabbed a key off a hook and handed it to Zayden, “head down to the spring to loosen your muscles. A hot meal will be ready for you when you come back.” I didn’t detect any lies or manipulation in her smile so I nodded to Zayden.
Zayden smiled like a man who had sinful secrets as he kissed her hand again, telling her how thankful he was as he took the key. She told us it was the last door on the left and we immediately headed up there.
As soon as we got up the stairs, Rykon couldn’t hold himself back any longer. “Laying it on thick, aren’t you?” His accusing tone caught me off guard.
