Page 25 of The Lost Guard's Healer

“I don’t want to tell people we have run out of food,” Aldus is saying. “Do you?”

The occupants of the table stop talking and turn to me when I enter the tent.

“Run out of food?” I ask innocently.

Colm sighs and says, “No. Far from it.”

I stand there with the tray of steaming mugs.

“Tarin, lad,” Aldus says. “We were just making plans to send hunters out. We are indeed going to be low on meat.”

The muscled Bohan hisses at him. “Why are you telling this outsider our affairs?”

Aldus absently scratches at his beard. “Tarin is our guest, who saved many people in the attack. He can be trusted.”

I’m not sure I believe that’s why he’s telling me these things, but I appreciate the gesture, anyway.

“We have plenty of meat,” the woman beside Colm says, her accent thick and clipped. “But, yes, we can do with more.”

Aldus gestures to a nearby stool. “Take a seat while you’re here. I’ll take some farro-fan from you. It smells intoxicating.”

I place the tray down and take a mug for myself as I sit on the stool, keeping some distance between me and the table.

“Colm and his wife Deena look after our food supplies,” Aldus says to me. “We’ve recently discovered that the bandits had taken several animal carcasses with them during their raid the other night. That has set us back a few weeks of food, and so we’re having to arrange a hunt.”

Colm shakes his head, showing a flash of frustration. “I’ve been telling you we need to send people out to find a farm with chickens.” He turns to me and adds, “We’ve been at a loss since the Wildmen killed the last of our chickens a few years ago.”

“I miss eggs,” his wife mutters with a forlorn look.

“Joven Tektas said he thought he saw a boar a few days ago out in the northern plains,” Colm tells them. “By the foothills of the Shadowstand Mountains.”

“That area is known for several varieties of birds, also,” Aldus says.

“I can take a few men and search the area,” Bohan says.

They’ve forgotten I’m there, but I speak up to say, “May I go along? I’ve been meaning to stretch my legs more to test my strength, and I’d like to be helpful if I can. To thank you for your hospitality.”

Bohan sneers fiercely at me, as if I’ve just insulted his mother. “We need no help from you, outsider.”

“I think that’s a good idea,” Aldus says. He has a quiet commanding air about him, and doesn’t need to raise his voice or force attention on himself. “I’m sure we could use the expertise of an Oathland’s soldier.”

Bohan scoffs. “Then you use his expertise here. We do not need him on a hunt.”

“If I go on the hunt with you,” I say coolly, not matching his hot tone, “I promise I will leave this village on my return. If I am capable of doing so.”

Bohan scrutinizes me. He casts a look at Aldus and Colm before shaking his head and finally agreeing. He downs a mug of the farro-fan tea in one go, despite it being steaming hot. I don’t show how impressed I am by that.

“I think Freddick should go, also,” Colm says.

“He has not been on a hunt beyond our village borders yet,” Aldus says.

I watch the two of them with some interest.

“The boy has been a wreck with his father slain in the raid,” Colm says. “Going on his first proper hunt will help clear his mind. Give him something to focus on.”

“Good point,” Aldus says, and takes a sip of his tea.

“I want Zayne and Wills, too,” Bohan says. He has the grumpy air of a child desperately trying to get their way.

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