Jaax’s jaw tightened. “I did not say you had to hide from them, just to be careful around them.”
“Then, maybe I’ll ask around in the morning, after I visit Phrym, of course.”
“Of course,” Jaax conceded with a slight smile.
Jahrra wished her guardian a good night, then closed the door tightly behind her before falling into bed and letting her drowsiness whisk her off into sleep.
-Chapter Nine-
A Tour of the City
Jahrra didn’t have to look hard for Keiron the next morning. In fact, it was he who found her, tucked away in the far corner of the stables, attending to Phrym. She had gotten up early, leaving a note for Dervit to inform him where she was going, then headed out to seek her semequin. She didn’t doubt the elves were taking good care of him, but she knew he would be worried about not seeing her.
“I thought I might find you here,” the regent’s son said as he stepped into the long, spacious building.
Jahrra had to squint her eyes in order to make him out against the glare of bright morning sunlight spilling in from outside. He wore what she guessed to be a casual uniform: black pants, boots, and a pale blue, long sleeved tunic beneath a grey padded gambeson. His silver blond hair was braided and tied back today, just like hers.
“What made you think that?” Jahrra asked, keeping her tone light and friendly as she ran a hand up Phrym’s forehead. The semequin lipped at her sleeve, checking for hidden treats.
Keiron’s smooth, quick pace slowed to a stop, and he leaned his shoulder against Phrym’s stall door.
“Your semequin there.”
He indicated Phrym with a gloved hand.
Jahrra gave him a puzzled look, then glanced at her semequin before returning her gaze to the Resai elf.
“Do elaborate because I haven’t a clue what you’re talking about.”
Keiron grinned, flashing a set of straight, white teeth that would have turned even Torrell’s head. The sudden memory of her sharp-edged friend back in Lidien brought a quick pang of sadness to Jahrra’s heart, but Keiron’s words snapped her back to the present.
“The way he carried on yesterday after you lost consciousness,” he said. “Once you were out of the saddle, we were determined to get you to one of the guest cabins, but your semequin would have none of it. Even some of our best horse handlers couldn’t get him to settle down. He kept looking for you. Doesn’t take much to spot an unusually strong bond there.”
Jahrra bit her lip and gave Phrym another affectionate scratch.
“Anyway, I came looking for you because I was hoping you were up for a little sparring today.”
Jahrra snorted with good humor, then asked, “Did Jaax speak with you?”
This time Keiron’s grin was more on the sheepish side. “He may have mentioned something in passing when he arrived at my father’s home this morning.”
When Jahrra had left to seek out the stables, Jaax had been gone. She assumed he was off dealing with diplomatic issues. Even if he was no longer the leader of the Coalition, and even if he didn’t trust Morivan Fairlein, he would be using his own wily means to extract any intelligence he could get his teeth, or talons, on.
Jahrra huffed out a breath and gave Phrym one more pat. “That would be wonderful.”
“Excellent,” Keiron said, pushing away from his leaning post so Jahrra could exit Phrym’s stall.
The two of them walked side by side, weaving their way around the enormous wooden poles that rose to the apex of the ceiling. Horse tack, bridles and lead ropes hung from hooks along the posts and walls, and more than one eager equine poked its head over a stall door to see who the early morning visitors were.
Once outside, the scent of manure and sweet hay gave way to the crisp, cool air of spring.
“We have two options,” Keiron said as they made their way down the street. “We can go practice now, while no one else is around, or we can wait until midday when the members of my father’s guard begin their practice.”
The idea of sparring with the trained guard of the regent was both thrilling and terrifying. Jahrra was tempted to give Keiron a try before taking on anyone else, but she was also one not to back out of a challenge. Besides, Jaax did have a point. She sorely needed practice, and sometimes, the best method was to jump right in.
“I think it would be in my best interest to workout with everyone else,” she answered.
“Very well. So, what shall we do to kill the next several hours?”
Jahrra gave Keiron a sidelong glance, wondering if he had been ordered to keep her entertained.
“I don’t want to keep you from any pressing business you might have.”
Keiron smiled and held his hands out at his sides. “I am the son of the regent. Other than attending the occasional meeting and keeping up my knowledge about how the city is run, I don’t have much else to do.”
Jahrra hardly doubted that, but she had no other protests to make. Besides, a small corner of her heart was quite tickled at the idea of spending time with this Resai elf.
“Well, in that case,” she responded, “what do you recommend?”
Keiron stopped walking and rested his chin in his hand, his eyes growing distant with thought. A horse-drawn cart loaded down with wooden boxes and a flurry of small children carrying books went rattling by while she waited.
“I know. How about a tour of the wall?” he suggested. “We can take a walk and view the entire city. That will take up at least an hour, if not more.”
Jahrra thought about it for a moment. “Is it safe to just walk up there? I mean, if the Red Flange is still scouting the road, won’t we be vulnerable?”
She recalled seeing armored soldiers walking along the top of the wall, the crenellations coming up to about waist height. The stone barrier provided some cover, but surely an arrow could find its way through one of the gaps.
“There are always at least two guards per twenty-five feet up there, as well as two others in the watchtowers keeping an eye on the world outside,” Keiron answered.
Jahrra was very tempted to just give in. Walking along the top of the wall, with a clear view of the city on one side and the extensive mountains on the other, sounded so much more enticing than simply wandering the streets. And it was looking to be a very fine spring day as well. But then she remembered what Jaax had said about trusting the Fairlein family. She gave Keiron a quick sidelong glance. He smiled gently at her, and she realized that he desperately wanted to make her feel welcome here. And hadn’t Jaax been the one to send him in her direction in the first place? Taking a breath and letting it out slowly through her nose, she decided to accept Keiron’s offer.
So long as I remain alert and stick to the rule of not sharing important information, it’ll be fine, she told herself.
Jahrra turned and nodded her head. “Walking the wall would be wonderful,” she said with a smile.
“Great! Let’s go.”
To Jahrra’s surprise, and delight, Keiron took her hand in his and proceeded to lead her down one of the narrow lanes spreading from the city’s center like a strand of a spider’s web. They bypassed a cobbler’s shop, a bakery, an alehouse and an entire block consisting of merchants peddling preserved fruits, vegetables and herbs. Jahrra wondered how they were able to get the produce up the mountain before it spoiled, but she didn’t have time to ask since Keiron never slowed. Eventually, their downhill hike came to an abrupt stop when the massive black wall, rising behind a row of buildings made of the same material but with wooden roofs, brought them to a halt. A half dozen or so horses stood in a paddock of sorts off to the right, most of them lazing about in the warm sunlight streaming through the pine branches above.