Page 30 of The Orc's Thief
“Could I take a look at her room?” I give the baker my best non-threatening smile. “Only for a moment. There could be clues…”
But she’s already closing herself off. “I’m afraid not. You want access to that place, come back with the Duke’s orders.”
I grit my teeth but don’t protest. She’s correct in refusing me, and now that I think of it, invading my mate’s room would be poor etiquette.
She did it to you.
The reminder still stings, but I’ll deal with that later.
“Do you know where she keeps her horse?” I ask as a final effort. “Is there a stable nearby?”
“I’m not sure…” Etta begins, her brows furrowed in suspicion.
But urgency rises in me, some instinct is telling me that time is of the essence. If I don’t find my thief soon, she might slip through my fingers, never to be seen again.
“Madam,” I interrupt her. “Have you heard of the Ravens? The gang?”
The baker recoils, her face leaching of color. “Yes,” she breathes. “Is that who…?”
“Aye. Do you understand why I need to be the one to find her first?”
She draws her shawl tighter around her shoulders. “There’s a stable behind Becca’s inn. Uh, it’s called The Gilded Crown, but Becca is the owner. If the grooms won’t tell you where Tessa went, ask for the mistress and mention my name. I supply all their pastries, and she’ll have them tell you what you need to know.”
Relief crashes into me, and I bow deeply. “Thank you. I promise, you won’t regret this.”
She gives me a reluctant nod. “Just make sure she’s safe.”
“I will.”
Etta shuts the door in my face, but I’m already moving, running in the direction she indicated. I have the next clue, the right direction to take to find the thief. With a little luck, I’ll intercept her before she leaves the city, and the chase will finally be over. We’ll be able to start again, and I’ll do anything to keep her.
I grin, thanking Etta in my mind because she gave me more than just the right place to look for my mate.
She gave me her name, though she didn’t realize it.
Tessa.
Chapter
Eleven
TESSA
I hide in the shadow of the temple, waiting for the two guards to saunter past me. I’m not doing anything untoward, but guards are suspicious of anyone lurking around at this time of night. Clover noses the side of my head, her warm breath blowing over my skin. I scratch her beneath the chin, hoping she won’t give us away by snorting when I don’t give in to her demand for more carrots. I already gave her one when I woke her in the darkest hour before dawn. She seemed a little grumpy when I saddled her, so a bribe was in order.
The guards disappear around the corner, and I slowly lead my mare from our hiding place. I congratulate myself on the foresight to bind her hooves with thick cloth to muffle her footsteps. If I hadn’t, the clatter of her hooves would’ve woken half the neighborhood, and especially the Matron in the temple. She’s a light sleeper, and I don’t have time to explain why I’m escaping the city.
But I didn’t want to leave without making sure she and the children were taken care of. The duke provides for them, but barely, and only the gods know what could happen while I’mgone. I don’t know when I’ll return. It might take me weeks, or even months, to find Lindie, and I don’t want the children to go without, especially with winter approaching.
I near the temple steps, right where the orc sat a couple of days ago, hidden under his cloak. I hope he made it out of his restraints. I left him the dagger I plucked from his belt, but perhaps he was too dazed from the blow to his head to find it.
No, he was all right.
All sharp wit and calculating smiles, that one.
A gust of wind whips through the street, splashing drizzle across my face. I take it as a sign from the gods to stop dallying, so I shove down any thoughts of the warrior and the guilt that comes with them. I creep forward, listening for any sounds from within the temple. The Matron is an early riser, but hopefully she’s still at her morning prayers.
Clover nickers impatiently from the bottom of the steps, so I hurry forward, lift the flap of the donations box built into the temple door, and drop the full purse through the gap. It’s the money I stole from Damen. Now that my hand is already healing, thanks to the orc’s charmed ointment, I won’t need it to hire a healer.
