The horsemaster saw us coming and rushed out. After giving the price to feed, water, shelter, and groom our horses, we left the creatures in the horsemaster’s hands, and he pointed us to the best inn.
“I can’t wait for a mulled wine and a very hearty stew,” Neve said as we walked down the street. It was one of the few times she’d spoken in the last hours.
“Agreed.” Caelo sniffed the air. “And one of those cinnamon buns I’m smelling too.”
“We can bring some of those back to camp.” Neve smiled at that.
“Let’s see how muchlevaewe can carry first. Buns might take up too much space,” I said, thinking about space and practicalities.
Levaebread was often used by the army, the Royal Nava, and travelers, for it was lightweight and a small amount filled one up. The bread was rather expensive, but in our case, worth it. If we could continue to hunt, a saddle bag full oflevaecould last for weeks. The hope was for the humans to stretch the supply out for a couple of moons.
Neve’s face fell at my frugal comment, and Caelo shot me an annoyed look. Frustration at myself surged. My wife’s first smile in hours, and I dimmed it with practicality.
“Perhaps it would be best to find cinnamon biscuits,” I amended. “Smaller. More transportable.”
Bakers made them from scraps of dough and sold them cheaply. Normally, gold wouldn’t be an issue, but I had brought relatively little with me and needed to use much of it on thelevae. Thankfully, my compromise seemed to lift Neve’s spirits ever so slightly once more.
“There’s The Golden Crossroads, up ahead.” Caelo angled his head to the right.
The combination tavern and inn were obvious by the sign and the masses of people exiting, all rosy-cheeked and talkative. One faerie had stunted wings, a victim of the blight of magic in the land if I ever saw one.
The coinary stood out, just beyond the tavern. Even without the sculpted pot of gold on the building’s roof, one would know it was a place of wealth as it was made of white stone while most of the buildings were crafted from logs.
This coinary was the first I’d seen since the day we’d arrived in Guldtown to confront Roar. As tempted as I was to go inside right then and there and withdraw more gold from my account, I held back. Despite being low on gold, silver, copper, and anything of value to sell that wasn’t the use of my sword or the actual weapon itself, going into a coinary and dealing with the cunning leprechauns who ran the interconnected financial institutions through the kingdom meant exposing where I was in Winter’s Realm.
Disguise or not, to access my coin, I’d have to give my name and my magical imprint. Though my account was my own, I was sure the king had ordered anyone with information on me and Neve to share thatinformation.
Things of great value motivated leprechauns. What was the favor of the king if not value?
We wanted the king to know as little as possible of our whereabouts, for as long as possible.
“Golden Crossroads,” Caelo murmured. “Reckon one of the Lisika mines is nearby?”
I didn’t think the Lisika family had any mines this far south, but then again, I hadn’t believed they’d lure humans into Isila through their mines and sell them to the Vampire Kingdom, either.
“Anything is possible with that basket of snakes. We should question the barkeep.” Neve’s eyes narrowed.
“Carefulquestions,” I added. “If there is a mine in the area, and it’s anything like Gersemi, not many fae will work there anyway. Roar would not have entrusted that information to just anyone.”
The determined expression remained on Neve’s face made my chest swell with pride. Her fight, the way she stood up for what she believed in, was one of the things I admired most in my wife.
Wife . . .
I’d gotten used to referring to Neve in that way. First, because I’d had to. Then I’d wished to.
Now, knowing who she was, how much better she was than me, I considered myself foolish. How long would it take for her to decide that she wished to reclaim her family throne? After that, how much longer would it be before she realized being bound to me was a terrible idea? Our attraction and growing bond meant little when faced with the fact that marriage was one way for her to secure alliances, whichshe’d need to beat the king. I’d been taught that all my life, and for Neve, an alliance would be valuable. Far more valuable than a single sword. Or even a male she enjoyed in her bed.
A pang cut through my chest at the thought of losing her. Of one day not being able to call her mine when she was, very much so, the one thing I wanted in this world. But before that pain could take hold, I shoved it down deep. The time I feared would come, and I’d deal with it then, like a warrior and upstanding fae would.
Though barely midday, fae of all races bustled about the lower level of the tavern, below the inn. To the side of the main room, fires roared inside multiple hearths, keeping the ever-present cold at bay.
The barkeeps, two nymphs—one male, one female—noticed us the moment we walked in. The male pointed to three seats at the bar.
“Only spots left. Not near the fire, though.”
Not one of us complained as we claimed the stools, and the male nymph’s gaze found Neve. He looked her over appreciatively, and annoyance rose in me as I stood behind her to relieve her of her cloak.
“Wife,” I spoke the title a bit more loudly than normal, “I’ll put this by the fire for you.”
