“Ididn’tbecause it was clear I was sitting with traitors and—”
“I’m done talking to you, Rian.” I have to take a deep breath to steady myself. “All I’ve ever wanted to do is help people, and that’s all I’m doing now.”
“Truly.” His eyes search mine, and I can tell he suspects me of lying.
But I’m not.
“Truly,” I say. “So give me my silver, and I’ll be on my way.”
He hesitates, and for a breath of time, I think he’s going to refuse. We’ll have gained nothing at all.
But then Rian nods. “Consider it done.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Tessa
We prepare to leave the palace with more supplies than I expected. Rian provides a wagon loaded with rolls of muslin, sacks of grain, and bales of hay. There are two crates filled with jars of everything I can imagine, from dried herbs to pickled vegetables to cooking supplies. Not one butthreerolls of sailcloth, as well as two new fishing nets and another set of oars. A leather folio has been tucked along the front seat of the wagon with a set of maps, too. Two small hatches near the front of the wagon will do for chickens once we pass back through town, along with a larger pen tied to the back for goats or even a calf, if we get that lucky. Rian gives me a small sack of silver once we’re done inspecting everything, telling me to thread it through my dagger belt.
“This is it?” I say to him with a raised eyebrow, even though I can feel the weight of it, and I’m sure it’s more than enough.
“No,” he says, regardless. “The wagon has a false bottom underthe hay bales, in case you encounter thieves. In it, you’ll find a small chest with more.”
Oh. Well, that’s surprising. I’m still angry at him, so I don’t want to offer him one single speck of gratitude—but if I’m an absolute shrew, there’s a chance he’ll never give me anything again. “I’ll be sure to put it to good use,” I say instead.
He’s given us four horses as well: two in harness to pull the wagon, and two tethered behind. “All four are broke for riding,” he tells me. “So you’ll have spares in case any go lame.”
I’d onlyjustbegun to learn to ride in Kandala with Corrick, but now doesn’t seem the time to tell him that. I nod and refuse to look at him. “These are more than enough.”
Then I climb into the wagon beside Rocco, and the guardsman takes up the reins.
Rian steps close to the wagon. “I’m not your enemy, Tessa.”
That finally gets my attention, and I meet his eyes. “Your entire country is now my prison, Your Majesty. If I’m not your enemy, then find a way to send me home.”
I turn my head to tell Rocco to go, but his career as the king’s guard must have given him a talent for reading between the lines, because he snaps the whip and the horses trot forward, leaving the palace behind.
It’s dusk, and I expect Rocco to talk about how horribly that went, but he says nothing—soIsay nothing. My stomach is curling with guilt, because I feel like I’ve failed, and I’m worried he’s thinking the same thing. The longer the silence continues, the more sure I am. So the wagon rattles along in silence for a while, until a few stars appear overhead and the citadel disappears behind us.
Eventually, we reach the villages at the top of the hill, and I’mglad we have the wagon, because it’s steeper than it looked going down. The streets are still crowded, and food vendors are everywhere now, the scents making my mouth water at every turn. When we stop to buy chickens, there’s a young man at a stall across the road selling small pockets of dough stuffed with meat and corn and cheese. He also has stoppered jugs of sugared tea.
“My sister hung the jugs down the well all day, miss,” he tells me. Dark hair hangs in his eyes, but it’s been chopped off at the neck. “So they’re still cold.”
I touch one of the glass jugs, and to my surprise, theyarecold, speckled with condensation. “I’ll take two,” I say. “And four of the dough pockets.”
He smiles and begins to wrap the food in wax paper. “Hungry, hmm?”
“It’s not all for me.” I gesture over my shoulder at where Rocco is latching several hens into the small hutches in the wagon.
The young man’s eyes widen when he takes in Rocco’s size, and then he grins. “Well, I should give you afifthone for him, or I’ll worry the chickens won’t make it back to wherever you’re going.” He slips the food into a cloth satchel for me, then waves off my hand full of coins. “Keep your silver. No charge.”
“Oh! That’s very kind, but you don’t have to do that. I can pay—”
“You’re from Kandala. Rumor says your king has finally seen fit to helpus, so I can help you.”
I freeze in place, because I’m not sure what to say. I don’t know if Kandala will be able to help these people at all.
But I also don’t want to smack away his generosity. I give him a nod. “That’s very kind. Thank you.” I hesitate. “I’m Tessa Cade. The guardsman is Erik Rocco. We came on the ship from Kandala.”
