Champion of Fire & Ice - Megan Derr Page 0,40

to what purpose. Why bother them over a matter that doesn't really have anything to do with me? I'm just your squire."

"You're not 'just' anything, Lee," Cimar said quietly. "You're important to me, and that means you're of use to them. I am curious why they decided to harass your lovers, to what end they are working. Come on, let's go see if we can find answers before your Everard and Odilia come to further harm. Are they still at their inn?"

"They haven't left it today, so far as I can tell, even though this is usually when Odilia runs her weekly errands."

Cimar gave his horse the apple he'd bought for her and a brief pat before heading off once more. At least he didn't have to worry about his purchases; he'd had them all sent on to the castle so he wouldn't have to carry them around the city.

Thankfully, the Gold Cock wasn't far. "How did you know where to find me? You left before I did."

"I saw you when I was wandering around feeling sorry for myself, before I decided to go back and watch things, see if I really was just being petulant or if my gut was right and something was wrong."

"I'm glad you listened to your gut. I told you that you had flawless instincts."

"That's why I went back," Lee replied with a small smile. It collapsed in the next moment, though. "I hope they're all right. I just don't understand…"

Cimar pursed his lips. "It's certainly not the method I thought they would employ. Grayne must realize that his chances of winning the duel are minimal, even with cheating."

Lee smirked at that. "Poor Hellhound, worried he might not be the baddest beast at the ball."

"Oh, shush, you," Cimar said with a laugh.

The levity faded as they neared the street corner where the inn was located.

On the surface, nothing was amiss, but something nagged at him, something that snagged his subconscious but hadn't quite reached his conscious mind yet. "Where were you watching them?"

"Here," Lee said, and rolled his head to one side, signaling Cimar to follow him. They ducked into a narrow ally that smelled of piss, shit, and things Cimar preferred not to think about. "You're definitely cleaning my boots later."

Lee heaved a sigh. "Like I didn't already know that. Come on." He scaled a wall at the back, the uneven brickwork making it a relatively easy task.

From the roof of a house that was leaning heavily into its neighbor, they had an excellent view of the inn and everybody who came and went. Up high, able to see the whole inn without the interference of the busy streets, Cimar could finally pick out what had been bothering him before.

Mercenaries, six of them. All dressed to look unremarkable, no obvious weapons in sight, but he knew soldiers when he saw them. "Mercenaries, at least six outside, probably the same inside, if not more. They're prepared for a fight, but why? Did they think you'd force your way in there to confront your lovers? What are we missing? Something isn't adding up. Would these mercenaries know what you look like?"

"I don't know. I doubt it, though. I recognize most of the local sword-hires, and these guys all look to be from out of town." Lee said. "I also tend to come and go pretty quietly, minimize the rumors that are stirred up. There are a handful of people that would recognize me as a regular, but not really more than that."

"I see. So… if you'd shown up to see them, and the only person you really saw or spoke to was the bartender, and he gave no indication of who you were, these guys would never know their target had come and gone. Does that sound feasible?"

Lee's eyes widened as the ramifications struck him. "They sent me away to protect me. They're still in danger."

"That's what I'm thinking."

"Damn it, I'm stupid for—"

"Not having the experience to think of such a scheme," Cimar interrupted. "Don't punish yourself for things you didn't do. You had the sense to come to me for help, Lee, and now you'll know what to look for should this, gods forbid, happen again. Come on, let's go save your lovers."

"What are we going to do?"

"Normally I'd suggest a quiet approach to get the lay of things, see if we couldn't sneak them out quietly. I don't think that will work here, unfortunately. They'll recognize me, if only by reputation, and by now