Page 38 of Shadows of Winter

“I don’t need a lecture.”

“You need something.”

“Not from my seventeen-year-old brother.” Kaylina scowled at him.

Frayvar frowned back in confusion. “From someone older? Silana?”

“No.” Especially not her.

A thud came from the courtyard out front. Though it was probably something dire and ominous, Kaylina leaped at the chance to end the conversation.

She grabbed her sling and knife. As she padded through the dining room and great hall, the thud sounded again. Something striking the door?

Afraid to open it, lest a horde of murderers be poised to kill, Kaylina went to the window and pushed open a shutter. Two loaded wagons waited in the street out front, tarps covering their goods. Thick black letters were visible on one: Saybrook Industries.

A girl about Frayvar's age held a rock in her hand, lifted to throw. She lowered it when she spotted Kaylina in the window and waved up to men in the drivers’ seats.

Several other rocks lay on the ground in front of the door.

“Is there a problem?” Kaylina asked.

“The name’s Milzy. I’ve got a delivery for this place.” The girl tilted a thumb toward the closest wagon.

“We didn’t order anything.”

“It’s from Lord Saybrook.”

Kaylina was on the verge of saying it had to be a mistake—if anything, Ghara Saybrook would have been the one to have something delivered—but Milzy was already peeling back one of the tarps.

The fading light revealed piles of pots and pans—brand new pots and pans—as well as chairs, tables, and all manner of kitchen appurtenances.

Mesmerized, Kaylina stepped outside.

Had Vlerion arranged this delivery? Requesting another favor from Ghara? He didn’t even want them to succeed.

The other wagon held a large crate that read professional wine-making kit. There probably wasn’t a mead-making kit in the city, but the fermentation buckets, auto siphons, bottle brushes, and other tools were the same. This would be wonderful.

When she reached the wagon, Kaylina touched the crate with reverence.

“There’s more stuff in the warehouse. And we’re to grab two loads of firewood for you too.” Milzy looked Kaylina over, as if silently asking who she was to be able to afford all this. “Once you unload the wagons, we’ll get it, but me and the boys aren’t going in that castle. No way.”

Kaylina eyed the full wagons but could hardly object to unloading them. She whistled for Frayvar and wasn’t surprised to find him peering out the window. He was far from being the muscle in the family, but together, they would be able to get the stuff inside. Eventually.

“Was this in the lease?” Kaylina whispered to Frayvar when he came out.

“No.”

Despite Milzy promising that her team wouldn’t help, the drivers climbed into the back of the first wagon and lowered tables and chairs down to the cobblestones.

“Are we going to get charged for it in the future?” Kaylina asked as she and Frayvar toted chairs through the gate. “What if the Saybrooks don’t realize how little seed money we have?”

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s things they own already? The warehouse the girl mentioned could be theirs.”

“I guess. After all, they have apartments in the city. You know, for when manor life on the estate gets too tedious.”

“Given the favors they’re doing for us, you probably shouldn’t mock the nobles.”

“Maybe not, but I’m afraid there’s going to be a catch. A big catch.”

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