The Fate of the Dwarves - By Markus Heitz Page 0,255

men in armor were setting off under a standard bearing the coat of arms of their town. “If they have to fight monsters they will lose.”

Mallenia turned in his arms. “Is that why we are making such slow progress? Are you trying to keep me safe?” Her eyes challenged his. “Tell me the truth, actor.”

“We’re going slowly because the coach cannot travel any faster,” he assured her. “I want to find out how Coïra is and I don’t want to leave her alone any longer.”

Mallenia nodded. “Yes, that’s what I thought. So she needs your protection more than I do.”

“When she left with Tungdil and the rest it was the other way around. You were too weak even to lift a knife,” he objected.

“That’s all changed now,” she said, grinning. She gave him a playful shove that took him off balance.

“So I see,” he said, laughing. He kissed her hand. “So let’s get going.” He collected their things while she changed out of her nightgown in front of him with no false modesty, putting on her leather armor and picking up her swords. Her movements were still slow and she had some difficulty fastening all the buckles but she managed in the end.

Their bags were ready and Rodario called the innkeeper’s boy to help with carrying the luggage.

Together they loaded the coach Rodario had hired, stowing provisions on board for themselves and the coachman, and oats for the horses.

Rodario was about to help Mallenia up into the carriage when the innkeeper emerged. He held his errand boy roughly by the scruff of the neck. “One moment!” he said sharply. “This ne’er-do-well has a confession to make.”

“Must I really?” the boy whimpered.

A slap in the face convinced him. “You deserve to have your hand cut off. That’s what will happen if the fine lady and gentleman insist on the proper penalty,” he yelled at the boy. “You bring shame to my establishment! And you will pay for it with pain.”

Rodario had been feeling in his pockets to see if anything was missing. Neither he nor Mallenia seemed to have been robbed. “Tell me what you found on him, my good man.”

The landlord let go of the boy’s ear and cuffed him on the nape of the neck. With his other hand he reached into his apron pocket and handed a surprised Rodario an object wrapped in cloth.

The actor immediately recognized the cloth as being his own; after all, his initials were embroidered in the corner. But he had no idea what could be wrapped in it. He took the proffered item and exchanged glances with Mallenia before carefully unpacking it.

“He said he found it on the floor in your room. Under the bed where the lady was sleeping,” he blurted out. “There’s no way I’ll believe that, the scoundrel! Things have been going missing ever since he started here.” He boxed the boy’s ears again. “I swear by the gods I’ll chop your hand off myself if these good people insist! It’ll be a pleasure!”

The boy sobbed and tried to lie his way out of trouble.

Rodario had finished unwinding the cloth and stared at the dull stone that lay there. “It isn’t mine,” he whispered to Mallenia, who looked as shocked as he was.

“A turquoise smoke diamond. What do you think it’s worth?” she replied.

So far, neither the landlord nor errand boy had noticed their surprise, so the actor wrapped their find up again.

“Thank you for being so vigilant,” he said, fishing some coins out of his purse. “Here, as a reward.” He gestured toward the youth magnanimously “Let him go. It will be a lesson to him. If he doesn’t mend his ways, chop his feet off. Then he can still work in the kitchen for you.”

The innkeeper’s face brightened. “Thank you, sire! Very generous of you indeed!” He gave the boy a few kicks on the backside to propel him back inside.

Rodario unwrapped the stone again. “A smoke diamond. It really is,” he said, enthralled. But how did it get to be wrapped up in my handkerchief?”

Mallenia took the diamond, turning it in her hand. Dark shards of metal fell from the cloth onto the floor.

Rodario picked them up and handed them to the girl. “What do you think those are?”

“Perhaps they’re part of the original setting?” She examined the fragments. “This is tionium!”

“Apart from the fact that the stone is not mine, I haven’t even got a tionium pendant it could have hung on.” Rodario stroked his pointed