Page 18 of Thorns & Fire
Kipp looked genuinely shocked.‘Speak for yourself.’
Wren folded her arms over her chest.‘By all means, Kipp.You stay at the Fox while Thea, Dessa and I do the real work.’
Kipp gave a dramatic sigh.‘Perhaps on the way back, then...?’
‘You and Dessa wait here for the horses.Thea and I will get rations for the road.’Wren didn’t wait to hear more of his protests; she simply nodded to Thea, who instantly fell into step beside her.‘Do you think there will ever come a day where he’s not a menace?’she asked her sister, with a backwards glance at their friend.
Thea laughed.‘Gods, I hope not.’
As dusk fell, Wren and Thea made their way through the port town market.Despite the rain and the claps of thunder, the vendors lit lanterns that bathed the rows of stalls in a warm, flickering glow.The air was thick with an array of scents – spices, leather, roasting meats and the salt of the nearby sea.Wren’s eyes darted from stall to stall, taking in the vibrant tapestry of colours and textures.Bolts of silk in jewel tones caught the lantern light, while baskets overflowed with fruits and vegetables.The calls of merchants hawking their wares mingled with the low hum of conversation and the occasional burst of laughter.
Thea pointed to a stall laden with hard cheese and dried meats.‘We should start there.’
While Thea haggled over their provisions, Wren spotted a trader selling liquor.She purchased a small flagon of sour mead for Kipp.
‘He’ll be insufferable now, you realize?’Thea said over her shoulder with a note of amusement.
‘I know.Perhaps I’ll keep it hidden until I need to bribe him for something.’
‘Genius.’
But Wren’s skin prickled.‘Does this place feel different to you?’she whispered, glancing around and realizing that they were being watched.
‘Yes.’Thea drew her cloak around her, hiding the Warsword totem around her arm.
‘Bit late for that,’ Wren muttered, noticing the suspicious looks being thrown their way, the whispering behind cupped hands.‘What’s going on here?’
Thea surveyed the market with a furrowed brow.‘I haven’t been back here in a long time, but this was always a friendly place...’
‘They don’t like outsiders,’ came a voice from the shadows.
A herbalist stood behind a booth with bundles of dried plants hanging from the awning, the fragrance sharp and medicinal.Wren and Thea approached him.
‘We’re not outsiders,’ Wren told him, admiring his wares and wondering if she should stock up on her own supplies.‘We’re from Thezmarr originally.’
The man scrutinized them.‘I’m not sure that means what you think it does these days...’
Wren ignored the crawling sensation along her skin.‘Well, that’s where we’re headed now,’ she lied.
Thea didn’t so much as blink at the falsehood.Instead, she tugged Wren’s arm in the direction of the docks.‘We don’t want to be late for the Guild Master.’
The stall owner continued to study them.‘A word of warning,’he offered, glancing around distrustfully.‘If you’ve not been in these parts for a while, you’re outsiders now...I’ve seen folks abducted right off the street for standing out less than the Shadow of Death.’
Wren’s gaze shot to Thea.Her sister’s eyes were full of rage as she said, ‘I didn’t realize those who defended the midrealms in the war weren’t welcome in Harenth.’
Wren remembered her own fiery words to the Bear Slayer not all that long ago...‘I didn’t fight in the fucking shadow war so a man could tell me where my place is.’Had they already lost the very thing they’d been fighting for?
She tugged on Thea’s cloak, the nape of her neck prickling again.‘We should go.’
The man shrugged.‘Only trying to help.Things are not as they once were.’
Wren pulled Thea away from the stall, a wave of goosebumps rushing across her skin as they started back towards the dock.Her unease grew, and she could have sworn she saw a glimpse of a cloaked figure darting through the crowd at the edge of her vision.
‘Thee...’she said softly, hands drifting to the belt of potions at her waist.‘We’re being followed.’
Thea gave a subtle nod.‘I know.’
Wren, Thea, Kipp and Dessa rode well into the night, the road before them illuminated by the moon as the rain eased at last.Wren could feel their pursuer watching, their gaze boring a hole in her back as they followed at a distance.
