Champion of Fire & Ice - Megan Derr Page 0,6

eager." Cimar smiled. "He's a bit of a brat, but he's got a good heart and works hard. So I let him go off to play when he can. We were scheduled to escort a shipment of books from Golden Apple Abbey next week. It would have been a brutal journey."

Wincing, Davrin replied, "Yes, that road is more bandit than paving stone. I didn't realize you went on those journeys as the armed guard."

Cimar's mouth quirked in a mischievous little grin. "Like I've said before, everyone forgets I'm a knight, and I make no production of it, because I do believe in the credo that ours is to serve, not to grandstand."

"You do yourself, your spurs, and your fellows proud," Davrin said softly. "Ballior would be humbled to have you fight in his honor."

Cimar rose and bowed slightly. "The honor is mine." He started to leave, then stilled and turned back. "There was one more thing, my lord—I mean, Davrin."

Davrin stood as well and moved slightly closer to him. "What's that?"

"What they said about my wife and needing money." Cimar's mouth flattened. "I'm not doing this for money. I don't need money, whatever rumors are floating around the castle. Rosa didn't leave me; we parted on good terms, as friends. She desperately wanted children, and between the two of us, we could never manage it. So we parted, and she's found a fine farmer. They're quite happy together. I visit them every couple of months. We've never been able to legally end our marriage, since we must have His Majesty's permission for that, and he won't grant it, but we've all done the best we can."

"I'm glad." Davrin gripped his shoulder briefly. "You owed me no explanations, and your integrity was never in doubt."

Cimar replied with a fleeting smile, then bowed again before departing, the door closing quietly behind him.

Davrin sighed, scrubbed his face to banish all the bothersome feelings drive him to insanity, and went to go tackle more of the mountain-high pile of correspondence that had been awaiting his arrival.

CHAPTER TWO

It took Cimar an hour to find his squire, and most of that was walking into and through town and being forced to stop and chat with people.

Thankfully, Leonine was right where Cimar had expected to find him: at the Golden Rooster (called the Gold Cock by locals), in the innkeeper's bed, snoring softly where he was cuddled between the innkeeper and his wife.

Cimar rolled his eyes, but a smile twitched at his mouth. He stepped close to the bed and shook Leonine's foot.

Groaning, Leonine cracked an eye open. "Hmm?"

"Come on, Lee. There's a quest to prepare for."

Leonine's eyes popped wide at that, and he dropped quick kisses on the mouths of his slowly-stirring companions before crawling out of bed.

Cimar went to wait in the bar while he dressed and said his goodbyes.

Several minutes later, Lee came out dressed but somehow more mussed.

"Got a goodbye kiss, did we?"

Lee grinned. "Goodbye something."

Cimar lifted his eyes to the ceiling and cuffed him playfully. "Come along, dear squire."

"So what is this about a quest?" Lee asked, pausing to buy a meat pie from a vendor before they threaded back through town toward the castle.

By the time Cimar finished explaining everything, Lee was laughing between bites of his pie. "Of course, this is only about Ballior. Not at all about the fact—"

"Let's discuss your romance, shall we? I notice you spend more time at the Gold Cock than anywhere else, and when you go other places, it's only to drink and play games, not to fuck. What's that about?"

Lee made a face. "All right, all right. I'll stop teasing you about your infatuation with Lord Dweller-by-the-Sea."

Cimar stopped, catching Lee's arm to make him do the same. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Lee said, though his smile was heavy.

"Are they treating you poorly?"

"No, they're looking for fun, and I'm happy to provide it."

Cimar sighed, let him go, and resumed walking. "I see. If you need anything—"

"I know. You've always been there for me, and I appreciate it. So is Lord Dweller happy to have you as his champion?"

"As happy as one can be, given the circumstances, I suppose." Cimar shrugged one shoulder. "The man is a highly skilled diplomat. He gives away only those thoughts and emotions he intends. Now enough gossiping. Ready the horses. We're going to run them through their paces a few times. I pulled out Frostbite this morning, but the others need attending. My plate is fine, and my