Page 95 of An Archer's Reckoning

She swatted Lucas on the backside playfully.

The man blushed and looked at Atikus with embarrassment. “Careful, she’ll be bossing you around before long.”

“I heard that,” she called from the other room.

Atikus and Lucas shared a laugh. I managed a weak smile.

The door creaked as Jess’s head poked in and scanned the room.

“Come in, young lady. Get warm.” Lucas motioned to an empty chair across from me. “I’ll see if we can get some hot tea going.”

“You’ll do no such thing in my kitchen,” Tessa hollered. “I’m way ahead of you, old man.” She rounded the corner with a tray of cups brimming with tea. The strong, bitter aroma curled in wisps that filled the room. She turned, cup in hand, and noticed Jess for the first time.

Tessa froze for an instant, eyes wide, then recovered. “And who do we have here?”

Atikus coughed into his fist. “This is my beautiful granddaughter, Amelia.”

Jess didn’t miss a beat, taking the cup from Tessa and smiling warmly. “Call me Meli. Everybody does.”

Tessa looked her up and down, then reached out and rubbed her arms with both hands. “You must be freezing, child. Let me get you a blanket. Drink your tea. I’ll be right back.”

“We were just tellin’ Lucas here about Lug’s spells,” Atikus said.

By how he and Jess stared at one another, I was sure some Telepathic conversation passed from Mage to Queen.

Jess allowed a tiny quirk of her lips, which Atikus mirrored beneath his bushy beard. “Aren’t they just awful? I mean, Lug wasn’t the brightest one here to start with, but now he gets all dizzy, and, well, you’ve seen. Can’t half ride horses anymore, even.”

I leaned forward. “I’m sitting right here, remember?”

“You have to admit, she’s good at this. Those folks at court won’t stand a chance with her on the throne,”Atikus whispered in my mind.

“I don’t care what she says, if I don’t go help with dinner, we’ll never eat, and I’ll be in the doghouse long after you’re gone.” Lucas chuckled at the last words and vanished into the back of the house, leaving his guests staring at each other.

Atikus started to say something, but Jess’s urgent whisper cut him off. “Something’s not right. Their barn is immaculate. They have two horses that look better groomed than some in the Palace stables, and their saddles carry chevrons, like those of a highborn house. And . . . Dittler didn’t like their horses.”

I looked up with a lopsided grin. “I’m sorry. Did hetellyou that?”

She raised her palms in mock surrender. “I know it sounds weird, but I can sense what he is feeling at times. It has been like that since he was given to me.”

“All of that is odd, but the house is modest enough. Did you not say Bo is the central trading village in this part of theKingdom? Maybe they do well with whatever they farm,” Atikus said a little too loudly.

“Shh!” I motioned sharply. “Jess is right. Something’s off here. Neither one of them is telling us the full truth. I can sense it.” I gave Jess a pointed look. “It feels as though they’re giving us kernels but leaving out important parts. I don’t think we should stay here.”

Tessa’s shuffling against the polished wooden floor grew as she returned. “You’ll have to forgive me. I wasn’t expecting company tonight. All we have is stew with some bread I made yesterday. Hope that’s all right.”

“That’ll be better food than we would’ve eaten on the road, that’s for sure. Thank you very much,” Atikus said.

She started to turn away but stopped. “Oh, almost forgot. I sent Lucas into town for some herbs for the stew. It’s a quick ride, so he should be back shortly. You make yourselves comfortable while I work on dinner.”

As Tessa disappeared back into the kitchen, I pushed myself up by the arms of the chair and stood. “We leavenow. I’d bet everything we own he’ll be back shortly with a team of Constables following behind him.”

“I will get the horses,” Jess said, darting toward the door as quietly as possible.

Atikus held up a hand to stop her. He pointed toward the kitchen, then held up one finger, then called out, “Tessa, we’re gonna go get our packs from the barn. Be right back.”

“All right,” she yelled back.

We bolted for the door.

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