Page 36 of Bloody Business

Artur gestured at one of the helpers.“Collect a bag full of the mushrooms, and several of the ferns with roots as well.We'll take it back to the pharmacist.”

“Good idea!I want some for my garden, too,” Julep said.She started cutting and stuffing ferns as quickly as she could.She didn't want to linger.The scene with the villagers had been horrible and confusing.She had a suspicion that the goblin who had come after her might have come back for revenge.If he had attacked the village, the people might blame her for it, especially if he had been asking about her.

It was the only thing she could think of to explain the hostility.She wanted to go back and explain, to fix things, but she doubted there was anything she could say to make it better.That bridge was burned.It made her sad.

They'd only been working for a couple of minutes before there was a rustle in the bushes.Julep froze, imagining wild beasts.

The guards sprang into action.There was a brief scuffle before they dragged a young woman out of the bushes.In her late teens, the girl's brown hair was messy, her face and clothes stained with streaks of blue.Some of the streaks were faded, products of days gone by.She'd clearly been harvesting all week.

She looked at Julep wild eyed.“I didn't do anything!I was just gathering blue fern.”

“I see that,” Julep said.“Are you selling it in the village?”

“I trade,” the girl said, a little wildly.“I-I don't have any money on me now.”

Julep smiled slightly.“We're not bandits.No one's going to rob you.”

Artur snorted.There were a few smothered laughs.

“Who are you?"Julep asked.“I don't recognize you from the village.I used to live there.”

“I'm not from there.At least, I didn't used to be.A goblin wrecked my village.I'm the only one left.”She stared at the forest floor.

Artur's eyes narrowed.“Would this be the same goblin that made this village put up walls?”

“Yes.He was looking for someone.”

Artur glanced at Julep's stricken expression.“And now I suppose you're just a poor lonely orphan looking for a scrap of compassion in this terrible world...and possibly a bit of revenge?”His tone was dry.

Julep stared at him.She’d never seen him be cruel.

He patted her arm.It was all right.She didn't yet understand goblin games.

The girl stared at him, bewildered.

That was fine.He knew how this story would go.He would play his part.It would be entertaining.

Of course, the girl conveniently had a fresh batch of blue fern juice ready.Julep was thrilled.Between that and the guilt Julep felt for things that weren’t her fault, the orphan came with them.

The girl was called Era, she was eighteen and she let herself be reluctantly persuaded to come along with Julep and her scary goblins.

“You know, I could arrange a convenient accident.Let her get settled at one of your shops.Let the madam forget about her.One day she decides there's greener pastures and doesn't come back,” Artur's chief of security said softly.They were making a pit stop and the ladies were occupied.Separately, of course.On opposite sides of the road.

“Maybe.We'll see how this plays out.Young ones don't usually have much patience,” Artur said, feeling jaded.There was no rush.

“My money's on seduction,” the security chief said.

“That's because you think with your nuts,” Artur said with a grin.“Most likely she'll go straight to murder.”

“I'll make sure she gets plenty of chances to sneak off and talk to her handlers,” the chief said.

“Keep me posted,” Artur murmured, and moved to intercept his wife.She was stumbling with tiredness, but didn't complain.“Why don't you ride in front of me this time?I'll hold you so you don't fall off and you can take a nap.”

??

They met Rooster's party on the road about five miles away from his carriage.The driver had been in a hurry and snapped the axle.They didn't want to take any chances, so they scooped Rooster up so they could reach Artur's party faster.

Rooster looked dreadful.He was yellow, and blood dripped from his cracked lips.His voice was hoarse, and he could barely talk through the sore throat.

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