“Never?” I asked, genuinely interested despite all the random thoughts swirling around in my mind.
“Nope. Easier to find someone else to blame.”
That called for laughing or crying. Before I’d sorted out my thoughts, we arrived at the campsite right at dusk, to the tune of the dog barking like we were going to steal its dinner. A small fire burned cheerily, and the two nephews of Tater stepped out of the deep shadows, where they had hidden with their knives in hand as a reaction to the dog. All in all, I was pleased.
Kendra calmed Springer with a piece of food tossed his way. The barking mercifully quit, and Tater told his nephews to head on home, and he’d pay them on his return because we weren’t staying the night. They grumbled and left, but Springer remained. Tater’s statement obviously bewildered the women, however, neither said anything until the boys were long gone.
I sat across from them and said, “There is something to say, but both of you are going to want to interrupt me a dozen times before I finish. Let me get most of it out, and then you start asking questions.”
Kendra’s tone was colder than the night-chill on my back. “Go on.”
I stuck out my hands to warm them near the fire even though they were not cold. “Tater saw a pair of tracks on the road from two horses from the King’s stable. The riders cut across the land instead of following the road. They left the palace after us and managed to get to the road ahead of us. Then they trotted to keep out of sight.”
Elizabeth, eyebrows furrowed, asked, “You’re sure?”
“Tater is very good at what he does.”
Kendra said, “Royalty would prefer to be comfortable and stay at the inn, so you went there to see who it was, I assume.”
It was said in a tone that was not a question. I continued, “They spotted us sneaking up on the inn. There isn’t much cover, just grass, and pastureland. They rode off before we reached the inn.”
I paused, not knowing what to expect. Elizabeth said, “You went inside the inn and confirmed their identities?”
“Lord Kent and Princesses Anna.” There seemed no easy way to say their names than to blurt them out. Rather than reveal more of my conclusions, we waited for the shock to ease. Elizabeth’s face twisted in anger, then relaxed, or appeared to—to a casual observer. However, there was rage behind her stoic expression.
Elizabeth said, “Have you any knowledge of why they avoided us?”
Knowledge of why they were on the road in the first place, why they had hidden, or why they rode off when they saw us were all good questions. Instead, in my eloquent manner and without adding my theories, “No.”
“Speculate,” she ordered as she pulled the dog into her lap and stroked it.
Tater had managed to edge his way back into the deeper shadows so only I faced the women in the firelight. I’d remember his cowardly action and make sure it cost him in the future. “They must have discovered where we were going and want to get there first.”
Princesses Elizabeth folded her arms over her chest. “Obviously. What else?”
“They’re working together?”
“And?”
“I saw Avery riding a horse earlier when I was at the stables. He was dressed-down and looked like he had travel-packs on the horse, but there is no way of knowing where he was going.”
She had no intention of letting up on me. I changed tactics and said, “We have two choices. We can race ahead and try to catch up with them. Or not.”
Kendra rolled her eyes at me. “They already know we’re here, that’s why they went on ahead. Clearly, we can’t surprise them, so what’s the use?”
Elizabeth picked up where my sister left off. “What would we do or say? Hello, we raced ahead so we could ask you why it is so important for you to get to Mercia before us? If it is that important, will they tell us?”
Kendra said, “Accosting someone of Lord Kent’s rank will be remembered far into the future. That does not seem prudent.”
I held up my palms to slow them. “Hey, it was a choice, and that’s what you asked for. That’s all.” Then in a rational tone to agree with them, “In my estimation, I do not think we should try to catch up.”
Both scowled at me as if they knew exactly what was happening.
Tater said, “There might be another way, another choice.” He spat at the fire and missed.
We all turned to him. He spat into the fire this time, and we all watched it sizzle before he continued, “It’s a four-day ride on horseback to Mercia, five in your carriage. But I know another way. Through the mountains. Well, over them is more the truth than through them. It’s up and down, so no carriage and no inns to stay at, but the old trail is a full day shorter.”
I turned to Elizabeth. Her eyes went to the carriage.
Tater anticipated her. “I could ride out and catch up with my nephews in no time. They’re on foot and will probably stop and sleep between here and the road. Have one of them drive the carriage back to the farm while we ride horses. They can tell my brother what’s happening.”
“We only have two horses,” Kendra said. “We can’t double-up for that far.”
“If’n I remember right, there were six horses at the inn, and my packhorse, too. Maybe we could buy three more.” Tater had the good sense to shut up and wait for Elizabeth to decide. When she didn’t, he said, “Two to ride and one for your stuff, if you can manage without nine or ten of those chests.”
It didn’t take long. She turned to me. “While Tater is chasing after his nephews, you go back to the inn and encourage the innkeeper to sell us three horses and tack. We’ll pack so we can depart at first light.”
Her emphasis on the one word didn’t escape me. She wanted me to use my magic if needed, but one way or the other she wanted three horses. In my purse was more than enough to buy all six horses and the inn—if he wished to sell. Despite her instructions, I suspected the two women would pack more than one horse could carry, so I’d return with four instead of the three she wanted.
The night had grown very dark. I retraced our path to the inn and quickly saw the glow of a lantern outside in front and more candles and lamps inside. The lantern out front was to welcome travelers and let them know the inn was open for business. While the horses were my primary goal, eating would be the second.
The unhappy innkeeper recognized me. There were now two other travelers in the room, a pair of burly men with their heads bent low over bowls of stew. From the fragrance filling the room, it might have been the best stew in the kingdom. Seating myself put me away from them, of course, but where I could keep an eye on both at the same time. Never trust travelers.
The innkeeper smiled his way to my table and stood, waiting. “Sir, I want red wine if you have it. And a bowl of stew. Do you have bread?”
“Hard rolls baked only a couple of days ago.”
“A pair of them, too.”
I didn’t mention the horses because I didn’t like or trust the men who now seemed just a little too uninterested in me. Travelers tend to look at each other and size them up. Friend or foe. Danger or not. Travel is risky. Yet, the two large men, both with biceps larger than my waist, studiously avoided making eye contact.
If they knew of the silver and gold in my purse to buy horses, they would either waylay me before or after. It’s not reading minds or a trick of my magic. It’s not. But some people betray their every move to anyone watching carefully. One covered his mouth with the back of his hand and whispered to the other when there was no need.
My initial reaction was to make them believe their stew had so much red-spice in it they’d run outside to the well and attempt to drink it dry. The problem was, they’d probably return and take out their frustrations on the innkeeper.