Page 23 of The Mountain King
“Or maybe they are biding their time.”
Maddugh’s eyes narrowed. “Watch Gaston. Especially if he speaks to Kailigh. Once it is known she belongs to me, he may see her as an opportunity. And my son?”
“Yes?”
His father’s eyes snapped. “If you lay a finger on my woman again, I will chomp it off. Go hunt your own.”
* * *
The Dwyrkin likedto start their parties early. In the mining town, a celebration would begin well after dark, when the day’s work was complete and people had a chance to feed their children and wash up a bit. In Maddugh’s bustling town center, shops opened their doors, thresholds decked with what she suspected were boxed decorations just waiting for a chance to display, and workers loitered in the streets.
If his castle was built to hug the mountain, the town was built to hug the castle. They’d walked down a two-lane cobbled highway about a half mile before the shops began. Mostly two-story white-washed buildings of the same rough-cut stone as the castle. Brightly painted doors and shutters along with clay pots of wildflowers decorated many of the buildings. Sheer curtains fluttered in windows above the shops, broadcasting that the shopkeeper’s family lived there. Beyond the town, she knew that clusters of houses sat nestled up in the forested mountains, individuals who preferred to live in the woods and had claimed tracks of land.
“This is quite a show,” Kailigh said, eyeing the bustle. Her eldest daughters clustered around her. Well, they didn’tcluster.Sere looked around with narrowed eyes, fingers twitching in a way that let Kai know her daughter had a knife hidden in her skirts. She nudged Serephone. “Stop that. Any warrior with a decent eye can tell you’re armed.”
Sere stilled, her fingers stopped twitching. Persia glanced at them both and shrugged, then strode forward.
“Might as well dive in,” she said. “I’m heading to the beer garden.”
Kailigh went after her. “What? Beer garden?”
People glanced at the women curiously, some with grins—especially the men—some with more stony expressions. Not everyone liked the idea of Maddugh parading his human guests. Kailigh returned the scowl of one woman, while keeping a sharp eye on the daughter plunging energetically through the crowd. It was crowded enough she was glad Cin had decided at the last minute to stay behind, complaining of a sudden headache.
Amnan snorted. “You’ve never been to a Dwyrkin faire, have you? Just watch your drink.”
She glanced at him. “And what does that mean? Who will be up to mischief?”
He raised his brow, arrogance echoing his father. “You will, after you’ve had a few.”
Kailigh sniffed. “I’ll not be having one of your sneaky Dwyrkin ales. Drinking is for young folk.”
“Of course.” His reply was too bland. “You’re what—forty in human years?”
A colorful tent with sheer sides was erected in the wide circular center of town. It was the same kind of town center as any of the settlements outside a city, designed to be a temporary setting stage for traveling merchants, entertainers—and public executions. Many of the norms of society had degenerated back to medical times in the last several centuries. Once cities had been civilized. Not anymore.
“About forty. This can’t be for us,” she said.
Amnan shrugged. “It is. We can throw together a party at a moment’s notice, really. Any excuse will do. And I remember forty. Ah, to be so young again.”
Kailigh stared at the boy as he walked past her. Well, then. But it made no difference to her. She was a woman grown and a mother responsible for her own household. He was a… prince. Let him work to put food in the mouths of three little bellies, then they could talk about comparative ages. Kailigh followed him, Serephone at her side, and reached Persia just in time to snatch the bottle of brew out of the girl’s hand.
“Ma!”
“No.”
Persia’s eyes narrowed. “I’m of age.”
“Don’t care.” She shoved the bottle to Amnan. “There will be no shenanigans, you hear me? Nope, nope, nope. I won’t have my daughters representing their upbringing poorly.”
“Are you kidding me? I’m twenty-one. You can’t do this to me anymore.”
“Watch.” She ignored Persia’s disgusted glare. “Well, I guess it’s pleasant enough in here. I wonder if there’s lemonade?”
Amnan coughed.
* * *
Kailigh was surprisedwhen humans streamed into the town. They left the beer garden and meandered through the various crafts and booths set up. Serephone detached from Kailigh’s skirt and went to inspect a display of intricately crafted knives while Persia sulked and browsed through a merchant with jars of fragrant tea leaves.
