Page 32 of To Hunt a Ruby Remedy

I flew low over the trees, just to the west of the river, watching the ground for any sign of the hunter. I saw nothing but normal creatures of the forest the entire way.

I landed outside of the village in the same spot I used when I brought Grandmother.

“Are you going to let me down?” Scarlette called out when I remained standing at my full height instead of kneeling.

I shook my head. Word would spread through the village quickly enough about my presence. Scarlette could stay mounted until I saw one of the Weslets or Thalia. I didn’t want to chance Gideon being the first person to arrive.

“Ranulf!”

I spotted Hilde Weslet hurrying down the main street in the village. I lowered myself to the ground and made a step for Scarlette with my leg.

She scrambled down and rushed over to Mistress Weslet. She ignored the wide-eyed look the innkeeper gave her. “Did the huntsman return to the village last night?”

“More like this morning.” Mistress Weslet looked at me, then back at Scarlette. “He pounded on the door in the wee hours demanding a room. What happened?”

“He saw Ranulf transform. He wanted to set a trap, but I got ahold of his crossbow and demanded he leave instead. Only we discovered he stole the charm Ranulf was making for me. There isn’t time to replace it.”

The innkeeper crossed her arms and gave me a considering look. “A gemstone?”

I nodded.

“It’s a ruby,” Scarlette added.

“I’ll force Aaron out of bed,” Mistress Weslet told us. “Scarlette, you come with me.”

I shook my head and blew a puff of smoke at the innkeeper. Aaron was the closest thing Wulfkin had to a constable, but even with him around, I didn’t want Scarlette out of my sight.

The women waved their arms through the air, trying to banish the smoke. Mistress Weslet coughed. “Fine, Scarlette can stay here, but you realize everyone is going to come to see why you landed at the edge of the village, right?”

I nodded. I wasn’t worried about the villagers’ curiosity. Not when they wouldn’t expect me to answer their incessant questions. I’d rather Scarlette face that than the hunter.

The children descended on us within minutes of Mistress Weslet setting off to find Aaron—whoever that was. Ranulf had lowered himself completely to the ground, his head resting on one front leg. He didn’t seem to mind when the children climbed on him or chased his tail, which he twitched back and forth.

I watched in bemusement. Either he didn’t mind children, or people didn’t make him grumpy so long as they didn’t talk to him.

“Didja fly on the dragon?” one little boy asked me.

“I did.”

“I wanna fly, but Mama says it’s too dangerous. She says I shouldn’t bother the healers ‘cuz they have more important things to do. But you got to fly!”

“I did, but only because it was an emergency.” I remembered the paper in my pocket. Mistress Weslet had told me any of the children would know how to get it to the other village. “Tell me, do you know the fastest person for delivering a message to Ortfel?”

A little girl, maybe two years older than the boy, rushed over. “I do! I do! Peter is the fastest. He’s got a special horse that can run super fast.”

“Could you find Peter for me? We need to send a message to Grandmother Molle, and she is in Ortfel today.”

“I’ll find Peter,” the first boy announced, glaring at the girl. He ran off, and she rolled her eyes.

Peter turned out to be a lanky youth, about fifteen years old. He assured me he’d deliver the message before the morning was over. Ranulf didn’t object, so I handed the paper over.

I watched the children play for a little longer, the girl who had told me about Peter still at my side. “Where are all the adults?” I asked her.

“They went to the inn. They’re having a meeting.” She looked in the direction of the inn. “Oh, I think they’re done!”

Ranulf blew another puff of smoke. The children still climbing on him all scrambled down, and he rose to his feet.

Mistress Weslet walked down the street. She stopped in front of me and held out the familiar ruby, with its distinctive cube cut. “Gideon has been charged with theft.” She handed me a purse. “This is the fine Aaron collected on your behalf. The thief is to be banished from the village.”

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