“Something is wrong. You look as if you are ready to bite off the head of a small rodent.” Keegan swung to the ground and fell into step beside Ronan. “What is it?”
“It’s nothing.” The last thing Ronan wanted was more embarrassment. “Weariness has made me grumpy.” He made a production of stretching his arms and legs, hoping Keegan would just leave him alone. No such luck.
“It’s that woman, isn’t it?” Keegan pinpointed the problem immediately and it ground on Ronan’s nerves.
“What?”
Keegan shrugged his large shoulders. “A beautiful woman riding with you. No telling how long since you’ve had one in your bed.” He grunted, glancing back at the others as he lowered his voice, “The boy is right. By taking on the responsibility of delivering the sword, it makes you one of the king’s guards. And there are some privileges that come with the title. She could not reject you if you sought companionship with her.”
“Did you just suggest I rape the woman?” Ronan stopped and faced Keegan.
“I suggest no such thing. But a woman thinks up reasons to deny herself. She’d have no room for that.” Keegan appeared insulted and Ronan frowned “Of course. I know what you meant. I’m not in the best of moods.” Ronan tried to make up for his words.
“So you look to pick a fight with me?” Keegan’s feathers were not smoothed by Ronan’s attempt.
“I suppose I was. You seem the most promising for the job.” Ronan suddenly chuckled. “And you are right. It is the woman that has me this way. Perhaps she should ride with you.”
Keegan shook his head and held up his hands. “No thank you. You are more patient than I. I filled myself in Fullerk and I would become ill tempered.
We’ll reach the Jobi Mountains tomorrow. The horses will need to stop for rest. Lots of caves in the foothills we will be traveling through,” Keegan suggested and Ronan laughed.
“You mean for me to drag her off into a hole like a beast?” He laughed again and Keegan grinned, eyes slanting in Fiona’s direction.
“She doesn’t strike me as someone completely opposed to beastly activities.” The horseman turned and headed away from him. Ronan didn’t stand there too long contemplating exactly what she might be opposed to. Instead he walked back to his horse and checked the pack.
“I didn’t think that you might not be comfortable sitting behind me. If you would rather lead the horse, I don’t mind swapping places with you,” He said when Fiona stretched her legs.
“I don’t usually ride. I walk.” She admitted, rubbing the inside of thighs with her palms. He wanted to do that for her. That realization made him look away.
“I didn’t ride myself until I started this trek.” Ronan gave Sorcha’s flank a pat. “I’m getting better and this old girl is pretty patient. She doesn’t require much from me and usually goes the way she is supposed to without being told.”
“They are beautiful animals.” Fiona smiled, reaching to touch Sorcha’s coat. “Keegan Yore has raised some fine horses.”
“He has and I am grateful that he allowed us use of them. I can’t imagine trying to walk this long way.” He glanced at her. “How long did it take you to walk it?”
“I was given a lift a time or two from farmers with wagons and such so it took me very little time to get from Merisgale to Fullerk.” She smiled when he cupped his hands so he could help hoist her back atop the animal. She stepped into his hands and swung her leg over the horse’s back gracefully. Ronan mounted behind her.
“There is a village just past the foothills of Jobi. I can obtain another horse there.” Fiona offered.
“Is Jobi as large as Fullerk?” Ronan asked.
“No, it is just a small place. A few farmers and their families, a small tavern, and a school,” Fiona answered. “Thatched roofs and sod walls.”
“Sounds lovely,” Ronan said sarcastically and she chuckled.
“They are a simple but good people. It shall not be so bad,” Fiona offered. “It can’t be much different than your own home.”
“I have a roof,” Ronan growled. “And a mind to think with”
“Yes, you were very clever to make a fake sword for the centaur,” Fiona agreed, nodding so her hair brushed Ronan’s cheek
“Are there lonely women in Jobi?” he asked and she laughed this time.
“Most are children or are married.” Fiona glanced over her shoulder at him. “It is good to hear you are revived enough to think of such things after being so weakened last night.”
“Ula cast a spell where I would feel no pain. It works. I’ve nearly forgotten about the injury,” Ronan told her. “It is better than having her smearing cow urine all over the wound which I believe would be the alternative.”
Fiona’s lips curled before she faced forward. “She was worried about you last night.”
Ronan’s brow rose. Her words were spoken softly as if she felt some tenderness for the sorceress when not long ago he had to tell her not to be cruel. Perhaps he’d only spoken what she already knew in her heart. Perhaps he’d actually helped her let go of her pain.
“Most likely afraid she wouldn’t have a chance to wave her rat foot at me again,” He chuckled lowly.
Nine
Ronan’s eyes swept over the green foothills and then to the crystalline lake that nestled in the dip that the hills made against one another. To the north, the sun slipped down casting ribbons of blue, red, and orange across the fading afternoon sky. It was breathtaking.
“We stop now. The horses need to revive themselves,” Keegan said. “They’ve been pushing nonstop for days. We’ll set up camp here.” Ronan smiled with approval of their campsite. Surrounded by so much beauty, he felt pure and his worries fled with the setting sun. There was peace to be found in this place.
“How long will they need?” Ronan slid down from the horse, then reached up to lift Fiona to the ground as well.
“A couple of days and they will be ready to go again.”
“A couple of days?” Ronan repeated, releasing Fiona’s waist once she was standing on her own feet and turned, staring at the horseman. They could not afford a couple of days. By then the centaur could catch up with them and he did not look forward to meeting with Bryan again.
“They have not slept since we left your cottage,” Keegan explained. “They can go for many days but need to stop to collect their strength at some point.” Ronan glanced at the horses then sighed and nodded. He didn’t like the delay but Keegan was right. They couldn’t keep pushing the animals or they would be no good to them anyway.
“At least from here we have a clear view of the road for miles.” Ula nodded in the direction from which they’d traveled as if to offer some ease to the worries Ronan might have felt. “No chance of that centaur sneaking up on us.” Ronan followed her gaze, noting that it was a very good place to stop.
“Not on my guard,” Arien piped, eyes awaiting Ronan’s nod of approval. Ronan gave it to him without even thinking about it. Arien beamed at his response.
“You shall make him so that he will think he is the guard rather than you,” Ula warned. “He has already put himself in danger because of you.”
“Why don’t you get to finding us something to eat? I’m famished.” Ronan looked to Ula and she slanted a smile. Arien wasn’t the only one who enjoyed having a task to perform. She seemed to enjoy his approval as much as his apprentice.
“You shall grow soft,” Ula accused softly but ambled toward the light wooded area that scattered across the hillside to their north. He knew she would bring back something and cook it so it was a meal prepared well enough for a king.
“I’ll collect the wood for our fire.” Keegan was already striding away and Arien found a boulder to perch on so he could keep watch on the road. Ronan realized immediately, as if by some secret, silent communication, they were all giving him room in the event he wished to share a few moments alone with Fiona. It embarrassed him slightly to have them all so at ease with the situation when he felt everything but.