Page 96 of Royal Rebel

The man glanced up and down the street. “What companion?”

“I left him at the edge of the woods.” It was only when the words came out that she realized how they might sound—like they were fugitives, trying to hide.

Which they were.

Suspicion hardened his features. “No healer here,” he said brusquely. “And we want no trouble.” He started to close the door.

Desperation spiked, and Mia slapped her hands against the closing door. “Please! I have gold. I can pay you.”

That gave him pause, and he looked her up and down with a little more interest. “How much have you got?”

“Enough for a room, food, and a message to be sent to the nearest healer.”

Indecision danced in his eyes, but the internal struggle was brief; greed won. “I got one room, and I can send one of my boys to fetch Tobin—he’s in another town, but he’s the closest healer.”

“Thank you. Could you come help me carry my friend?”

“Show me the gold first.”

Mia hesitated, but she really had no choice. She opened the purse, and his eyes lit up.

“Just a moment,” he said, before he closed and locked the door.

Agitation ran through Mia’s body as she waited on the doorstep. Fates, she hoped she’d done the right thing. But what other choice did she have? Grayson needed help, or he was going to die.

Finally, the door opened and the innkeeper came out. He was dressed in worn clothes and a long, dirty cloak. He carried a lantern, and Mia saw the tarnished sword belted at his side. Right behind him came two young men, dressed similarly. The older one was probably around Mia’s age. The other was perhaps a couple years younger. They both rubbed sleep out of their eyes as they studied her with interest.

“Lead the way, girl,” the innkeeper ordered.

Mia did, though she was carefully attuned to the men who trailed her. Vulnerability clawed at her, but she didn’t allow it to show in her posture. She walked with her shoulders back as she guided them toward the edge of the forest.

She was nearly there when a horrible thought struck her. What if they recognized Grayson? Alarm flashed through her, but it was too late—the innkeeper spotted Grayson.

“Fates,” the older man muttered, lifting up the lantern for a closer look. “What mauled him? A wolf?”

The glow of the lantern cast harsh light against Grayson’s scarred cheek and inflamed jaw. Slumped against the tree with his eyes closed, he looked almost dead.

Her heart stopped. She dropped to her knees, relief nearly overwhelming her when she realized he was still breathing.

She looked up at the innkeeper and his sons, who looked on curiously. They hadn’t recognized him; if they’d known this was the Black Hand, they would have reacted. She took comfort in that, and fought to make her voice commanding. “I’ll give you more gold if you ask no questions. Just help me get him inside.”

The innkeeper’s chin jutted out, but he nodded. He waved at his boys. “Timothy, Garrett—bring him.”

“Please be gentle,” Mia said as she shifted aside. While the two boys grunted and struggled to lift Grayson, she gathered up their packs.

Grayson stirred as he was moved, but he didn’t fully wake. His groan was filled with pain as his head dropped back.

“We’ll take him through the back door,” the innkeeper said. “Timothy, you’ll ride to fetch Tobin.”

The older boy only grunted.

The innkeeper led the way back to town. Mia walked beside Grayson and the boys who carried him. Soon enough they were inside, and Grayson was lowered onto a bed in an upstairs room. Meager light filtered in through a small window that overlooked the street below.

Timothy left to fetch the healer, and the innkeeper ordered Garrett to bring food. Then he faced Mia. “I’ll take my gold now.”

Anxiety surged, and she clutched the purse in a tight fist. She didn’t know the worth of these coins; she’d been a prisoner for too long, and a child of a different country before that. Rydenic coins meant nothing to her.

The innkeeper watched her closely, and she could feel his curiosity growing. Along with his impatience.

---