skies were slightly overcast, but the wind was from the south so it was warm enough. Aralorn took a deep breath of air and Wolf's arm at the same time.
Smiling, she asked, "Have I thanked you yet for rescuing me from the tedium of mopping the floor of the inn for another six months, or however long Ren decided to leave me there?"
His stride broke when she took his arm, but when she spoke he resumed his customary gait. "No, I don't believe that you have. I am certain that I will find the proper way for you to express your gratitude. I noticed just today that the library floors are starting to get a bit dusty."
Aralorn laughed softly and quickened her pace a bit to keep up with him. He noticed what she was doing and slowed his stride until her shorter legs could keep up.
They were traveling in comfortable silence until Wolf stopped abruptly and snapped his fingers. He spoke hurriedly. "I know where else I read that story. It will take me a few days to get the book. Tell Myr that I've gone seeking a clue. Between the two of you, you should be able to handle anything that happens. Don't go to the library without me; I'd rather lose a few days' work than have you turned into a rock if you opened the wrong book."
Aralorn nodded. "Take care of yourself." She hugged him quickly and stepped back.
He took the wolf's shape and disappeared into the woods without a sound. It wasn't until he was gone that she thought to wonder how the camp would take the fact that she was returning without Wolf after the events of last night. Edom's death would not have vindicated her of all suspicion. With a wry smile she resumed her course.
At the camp, Aralorn skulked around until she found Myr organizing a hunt for the next day, as the camp supplies were gelling low. She caught his attention and then waited for him to finish. Listening to him work was fascinating. She had worked in a number of courts and seen the best politicians in the seventeen kingdoms work their wiles, and none of them even came close.
He reassured and soothed and organized until he had a small, skilled party who knew where to go and how to get back - without any of those who were not chosen feeling slighted or overlooked. With everybody as edgy as they were, this was a major accomplishment. If Myr survived to regain his throne, he would be a ruler that Reth would not soon forget.
"What did you need, Aralorn?" Myr asked, approaching her after he sent the others to their appointed tasks.
"Wolf is going to be absent for a few days. He is looking for a book that might be able to help us fight the ae'Magi." She kept her voice noncommittally informative, not certain whether he would accuse her or not. He had no reason to trust her, except that Wolf did, and Wolf was gone.
Myr started to nod and then caught the problem. "Since you are the only one who heard that, the first thing that people are going to wonder is if you were really the villain last night and have completed your nefarious plot today."
Aralorn nodded, relieved that he seemed not the least bit leery of her. "I didn't think of it until Wolf was already gone, or I would have made him come back to camp before he left. I thought that you might want to break the news rather than I."
Myr nodded. "I'll tell them that he left and leave out the details. There are enough things to worry about - we don't need another." Abruptly, like an extinguished candle, the taut energy that generally characterized him was gone. He just looked very tired.
"You need to let them look after themselves for a white. They don't really need you to tell them what shoe they should put on which foot or how to make stew," she commented.
Myr laughed involuntarily. "You saw that one, huh? How should I know how much salt to put in? I've never cooked anything in my life - anything that was edible, at any rate."
"I wish I could help you more; but even if they aren't terrified of me, I'm not someone they can trust. You have my sympathy, for what it's worth. Anything I can do, just ask."
"Thank you, Aralorn." He glanced up at the cloudless evening sky. "I