Page 28 of The Iron Dagger
“Say what?”
“Say you want me to use magic on you.”
After hearing her point of view, he felt a bare touch of remorse for how he had behaved. He knew it was thanks to her selfless care that he was alive and whole at all. And so, with only a slight discomfort squirming in his stomach, he nodded in resignation.
“Please. I want you to use your magic on me whenever you see fit.”
“No more complaining about my spells taking too long, or smelling off, or looking unsightly? That includes pulling faces.”
“Let’s not go too far,” he said, but at the raised eyebrow she gave him, he grumbled. “Fine. Yes. I’ll take my medicine like a good boy.”
She blessed him with a smile then, and a curious fluttering in his belly threatened to disturb his stony expression. She swirled her fingers over the salve in the mortar, whispering something. When she began to apply it again, all he felt was the soothing coolness of the ointment, and as she worked it into the cuts, the pain of his injury seemed to melt away. He relaxed,thinking that shutting his mouth was a small price to pay for such immediate relief.
“Thank you,” he said. The words came forth unexpectedly, and he felt uncomfortable as she turned surprised eyes to him. He might as well do the thing properly. “Really, for everything. You’ve been . . . kind, when I didn’t deserve it. Taking me into your home, keeping me clean and fed and caring for my injuries. I haven’t been the most grateful patient, so—thank you.”
For a moment he thought she might roll her eyes and make a jest; clearly he had made a fool of himself with his sappy nonsense. But she held his gaze, and said, “You’re welcome, Gideon.”
As she bundled up her things, she asked, “Where are we headed next?”
“A town called Burnwood. We should get there a little after sundown.”
When the bandages were back in place and the cat was bundled into Hara’s satchel, they mounted Ruteger again and set off. Just as he had said, they arrived in the quaint village of Burnwood as the shadows began to deepen from pink to purple. He was glad to see that the internal map he had been relying on was accurate thus far. There was only one inn in the tiny hamlet, and Gideon had to tether Ruteger in the stableyard himself before they entered the smoky common room.
There were fewer people here than in Morgantown; a few locals sat at the cramped tables drinking ale, and a young woman stood from where she was having supper at the counter.
“What can I get for you?” she asked, her accent harsh and rustic.
“Two rooms, and dinner for us both,” he said. The girl nodded, her round eyes studying them before she went into the back. They found seats at the counter, which looked somewhatcleaner than the tables, and the girl came out with two bowls of something steaming.
“And here’s your keys, milord,” she said, handing him two keys. “That’s twenty silver marks.”
“Baths, too. I’m feeling rather dusty. I don’t know about you,” he said, turning to Hara. A look of supreme relief passed over her face as she nodded.
“A gold mark then,” said the girl, and he fished it from his pouch. The girl’s eyes widened as she took it. “Say there, I saw you had a whole heap of bags saddled to your mount. What sort of business are you in?”
Gideon opened his mouth to tell her to leave them be, but before he could stop her, Hara spoke up. “I’m a hedgewitch, and I need my herbs while we travel.”
“A hedgewitch?” said the girl, her jaw hanging slack. “Might you . . . might you be able to tell fortunes, Mistress?”
“Well, I suppose. But I’m afraid I do not have future Sight.”
“Well, it isn’t the future so much as the past,” said the girl, settling in the seat next to them and resting her elbow on the counter. Gideon stifled a groan; all he wanted was to eat his dinner in peace.
“You see, I was promised to marry my neighbor about three years back, but one day, he went off to battle and he never returned,” said the wench. “I just want to know what happened to him.”
“All right,” said Hara, holding out her hands.
“Don’t you need his name?” said the girl.
Hara shook her head. “Your connection to him will be enough.” Hara took both of the girl’s hands in her own and leaned forward slightly. The girl leaned forward as well until their brows touched.
A month ago, Gideon would have scoffed at this display, but now, he knew only too well what Angharad could do with her skills of divination and memory. Instead, he concentrated on his stew, which was a bit too salty, but hearty enough for his growling stomach. As he neared the bottom of the bowl, Angharad sat up with a gasp.
“What? What did you see?” said the girl.
Hara opened her eyes slowly and gave the girl a sad smile. “It is as you expected. He went to battle against the Lenwen forces, but he fell in his first skirmish. Cannonfire. I sensed a letter—he was planning to write to you before he died.”
The girl’s eyes were shining, her lips quivering between a smile and a sob.
