Page 66 of A War Apart

The innkeeper returned soon with our food. “Where are you heading?”

“We’re on our way to visit my wife’s family,” I said, swallowing a large spoonful of the cabbage soup. I would have preferred not to answer any questions, but that wasn’t likely. I’d never met an innkeeper that didn’t like to talk.

“Ah, that’s nice.” He pulled up a chair and took a seat next to Yakov. “It’s good to be near family. My children all live nearby, so I don’t have to travel to see them. My eldest daughter lives here with me, actually. Helps me run the place. She’s in town tonight, though, helping at her sister’s childbirth. My sixth grandchild, you know.”

“Congratulations,” Lada said. “You must be very proud.”

“I am, I am.” He looked at me. “You have children?”

I shook my head, my jaw clenched tight at the sudden reminder of the loss of my son. I hid it well, most days, but the grief still haunted me. “No, we haven’t been so blessed.”

“You ought to get on that, son.” The innkeeper guffawed and winked at Lada.

Of course, he’d thought Lada was my wife. Why would I be traveling to visit my wife’s family without my wife, after all? Yakov’s pale, freckled face reddened with anger. I opened my mouth to change the subject, but the oblivious innkeeper beat me to it.

“Quite a year it’s been,da?”He leaned back in his chair and stretched. “The Grand Duke’s alive and fighting against the tsar again. I never would have guessed it. Some of the tsar’s armypassed through here right after the battle. Such a shame they lost, but I’m sure they’ll get him next time.”

“Yeah, a shame.” Yakov’s voice dripped with irony. Lada shot him a warning look as I kicked him under the table.

“But you’ve been on the road,” the man said. “Did you see either of the armies? Gossip is my business, you know. People come in here for news as much as they do for food and lodging.”

Lada shook her head. “We must have missed them. Our travels have been quiet.”

“Ah, too bad. I heard the tsar killed all the traitors of Barbezht, too—or almost all of them. It seems Borislav has a couple working for him, but I’m sure they’ll be executed as well, once the Grand Duke is defeated.”

Yakov jerked his chair back as if to stand, but Lada laid a hand on his arm. “One can only hope,” she said.

“Keep an eye out. There’s a reward for anyone with information on Borislav’s followers. Come to think of it, when the army passed through, they left some sketches of the traitors. Let me fetch those. Maybe you’ll see someone on the road.”

He stood and left the room, and I turned to my companions, heart in my throat.

Yakov lowered his voice. “You don’t think any of us will be in those sketches, do you?”

“I doubt that I will,” Lada said. “I’m a woman and a healer. Miroslav doesn’t see me as a threat. But he wants the two of you dead, for sure.”

“What do we do?”

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself enough to think logically. “We stay calm. He’s not suspicious yet, but if we panic, he’ll know something’s wrong. Maybe he won’t recognize us.”

The door across the room opened again, and the innkeeper came back with a stack of papers. “Here we are. Of course, you won’t be likely to come across the Grand Duke or PrinceRadomir, but here’s their sheets if you do.” He put the two papers on the table and flipped through the rest. “A couple of the Grand Duke’s advisors and commanders…oh, and here’s the survivors of Barbezht!” He pulled out the last sheet and looked closely at it. “They’re both young. Obviously missing their right hands. One of them has a scar across his brow.” He peered at the sketch and looked up at Yakov. “This one looks almost like you.” He grinned, but Yakov didn’t return the gesture.

Lada glanced at the paper and snorted. “I don’t know. I think he’s better looking than the traitor.” Her tone was light, dismissive.

The innkeeper looked between Yakov and the page, silent. His eyes fell on Yakov’s bean-filled glove, still attached to his arm and resting on the table. “Awful warm in here, isn’t it? Feel free to take off your hats and gloves.”

Yakov moved his arm under the table. “Still chilled,” he muttered.

My hand went to the dagger on my belt as my heart pounded out a deafening rhythm in my ears. “Actually, I don’t think we’ll stay tonight. I’d like to be with family as soon as possible, and it’s a bright night. Now that we’ve warmed up and rested a bit, we can make it to the next town.”

“Nonsense,” the innkeeper said, smiling too brightly. “Your horses must be exhausted. You wouldn’t want to push them too hard. You’ll stay the night. Let me see you to your rooms.”

Not knowing what else to do, we followed him upstairs in silence. “Here we are. Get some sleep, and you can leave at first light.” He gave a small bow and left us alone.

As his footsteps receded, Lada turned to us. “We have to leave. Now.”

I nodded, my fist tight around my dagger. “What if he sends someone after us?”

She rummaged through her bag and pulled out a small clay vial. “Let me worry about that. Go get the sleigh ready.”

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