Chapter Twenty-three
I woke up to a sun-filled room, and I groaned. Every joint hurt and my mouth tasted like I had done a tavern crawl, licking the floors clean. I sat up, and lay back down quick to keep my head from falling off. Then my stomach let me know it was feeling neglected and threatened to erupt. I was holding still, hoping that everything would calm down, when the door opened and Jeff walked in carrying the captain’s tea service.
“How’re you feeling?” Jeff asked.
I croaked.
“That good?” Setting the tray down, Jeff shoved something under my head and shoulders, raising me up. “I brought you some tea. Hold on a moment.” He left the room but returned quickly with screens of different sizes.
I croaked again.
“These? One of the lads found them in a small closet tucked away under a staircase. Must have been missed by whoever cleaned this place out.” Coming back to my bedroll, Jeff lifted the teapot and poured a cup. Dropping in several lumps of sugar, he stirred it before handing me the cup. I gulped it down as Jeff took the large screens and fit them over the windows. He then took the smaller screens and placed them over the ventilation openings. “They’ll keep out any garden visitors that might come calling,” Jeff said as he returned. He took the cup. “More?”
“Yes, please,” I whispered.
Jeff poured another cup and added sugar to it. “So, what happened? The captain just said you were taken sick.” He watched me gulp down the tea again, and poured another cup.
“The heat,” I whispered.
“Oh,” Jeff said, his face telling me how weak he thought that was. But he decided not to hold it against me and added, “It has been pretty hot, I guess. I thought I was going to melt when I went outside yesterday.” He saw my look of inquiry. “Suiden took me with them to the bank since you couldn’t go.” He grinned as he dropped sugar in the cup. “Never saw so much marble.”
“Groskin didn’t go?” I whispered, taking the cup. I drained it once more.
“Yeah, he went,” Jeff said. He gave a faint frown. “Thought he’d come back up here to check on you, but I saw him taking off with Slevoic.” Jeff shrugged, dismissing the doings of lieutenants, and grinned again. “You should’ve been there, Rabbit. The banker was full of how he couldn’t accept Border coin and how he couldn’t give the ambassador credit. Something about reciprocal—”
“Reciprocal agreements. The Border and Iversterre have no banking treaties with each other,” I said, my voice stronger.
“Yeah.” Jeff took my cup and filled it the fourth time. “The ambassador let him talk until he ran out of words, then he pulled out a sack from his carry pouch and dumped jewels in front of the banker.” He handed me the cup. “Captain Suiden said later that they were all of the first water, whatever that means.”
“Top-notch,” I said, my voice almost normal. I emptied the cup again.
“Well, with all the pretties glittering on his desk, old windy-bags sure changed his tune fast.” Jeff poured again.
“Probably from Dragoness Moraina’s hoard,” I said, speculating.
Jeff’s eyes widened. “A dragon’s jewels?”
“Probably,” I said again. “They’re the only ones with enough gemstones that they can give out sacks and not miss any.” I held out my cup. “So, the banker was dazzled?”
Jeff emptied the pot into it. “He almost had palpitations. He did have palpitations, though, when the ambassador pulled out a letter of credit.” Jeff watched me drink the last of the how very strong tea. “It was from the Qarant.”
I nodded and managed to lean over to set my cup down on the tray. “Trading partners.”
“Come again?”
“My ma’s weaving would make a grown man weep, especially if he had to wear it. But my sisters, Harmony, Sage, and River Rain—”
“Sheesh, Rabbit,” Jeff said.
“—sell their work to trade factors who then either resell it in the cities or to the Qarant.”
“Cities,” Jeff said. “Here?”
“No. Border cities—the elfin ones, mainly.” I saw Jeff’s face. “We’re not all in the woods. The elves build incredible cities.” Including, according to them, Iversly.
The tea had eased the ache in my head and settled my stomach, and I sat up. “So we’re using the Royal Bankers?”
“Oh, yeah,” Jeff said. “Windy-bags did a song and dance about how he’d been misled and that everything seemed proper and that he could handle all our needs. Especially when Suiden presented his letter of credit from the Lord Commander.”
“Misled,” I said.
“Yeah, the captains caught that too. Javes said something about Lord Gherat trying to put a spoke through the ambassador’s wheels—and ours. That the Treasurer does not like the Lord Commander, especially because the army doesn’t have to account to him for its funds.” Jeff started to tidy the tray. “We spent the rest of the day getting supplies and victuals. Basel must’ve hit five different markets, and took notes about others. Captain Javes is going shopping for furnishings today.” He gave a sneer. “I mean, old fellow, who better, what?”
“Careful, Jeff,” I said vaguely. “Javes is not the ass he seems to be.” Jeff shrugged, also dismissing captains who acted like twits.
“You know, maybe I should go with Javes,” I said, calculating my purse’s contents against next quarter day. “He probably could do with some help.” Jeff smirked as he stood and picked up the tray. “Captain Suiden said you’d try to go the moment you heard there was going to be shopping.” Jeff didn’t wait for my response. “Well, the captain did say that if you could get downstairs and eat breakfast and keep it down, that maybe you can go with Javes.”
By holding onto the banister, I managed to get downstairs without falling. Jeff waited while I ate breakfast; then, after a meal of dry toast and coddled eggs, he freed me from Basel (who tried to spoon-feed me) and took me to the same room I fled from yesterday. I hesitated at the door, peering at Captains Suiden and Javes, who were seated at the same table. My desire to get out of the house was stronger than any reluctance to enter, though, so I crossed the threshold, relaxing when nothing happened.
“Before he got out of bed, sirs,” Jeff said, entering behind me.
A faint smile passed over Javes’ face.
“How are you, Lieutenant?” Suiden asked.
“I’m fine, sir.”
“Good.” Suiden stood up. “Thank you, trooper.” He waited until Jeff left the room, shutting the door behind him. “Actually, you look like hell, Lieutenant.”
“Sir, I’m sure I’m up for a small trip—”
Captain Javes picked up something from the table and handed it to Suiden, who held it up—the mentha leaves I had dropped on my bedroom floor yesterday. I stopped in midsentence, my gaze traveling between the two captains.
“Groskin found them by your bed,” Suiden said.
“Was the ambassador right, Rabbit?” Captain Javes asked. “Are you a mage?” I looked out the windows to the courtyard and watched a yellow and black bird with an orange-feathered throat flit through the trees. A slight breeze was stirring and I could hear the rustling of leaves.
“You were asked a question, Lieutenant,” Suiden said.
“No, sir.” The bird settled on a branch and trilled a challenge.
“No, what?” Javes asked.