the courtyard, smoking tobacco and staring in confusion at the two horses tethered to a drainpipe on the next building.
Shocked to see us, they dropped the paper tubes containing the tobacco to the sodden wet ground. Without a word, Wolfe flicked his hand and sent the two men soaring. At the sounds of flesh hitting brick, I decided now was probably not the time to question Wolfe about his abilities.
Instead we moved in tandem, hurrying to untie the horses Kir had procured for us. We hurried into the streets of the rookery, the horses’ hooves echoing loudly against the buildings. Amazingly, the horses worked against the slickness of the cobbles with more proficiency than I would have expected, and soon we were out of the rookery, past the glassworks, and into the green land of the Vasterya I remembered.
As we galloped down the muddy trade road, past farm country, Wolfe slowed a little until my horse was abreast his.
“Rogan.” He licked rain from his upper lip, seeming afraid to meet my eye. “We need to get somewhere safe. I know you don’t want me to use your magic …”
Understanding he wanted permission to utilize my magic to find a safe place to stop, I decided it was the perfect opportunity to pry some answers out of him. “If I let you … will you tell me everything?”
He scowled at me, his eyes a piercing blue against the dullness of the gray sky. “What do you mean?”
“You!” I gestured to him in anger. “Tell me why you hid whatever magic you have. I want to know about you and Kir. I want to know about the horseshoe brand.”
“That’s none of your business, Rogan!” Wolfe yelled to be heard over the pounding rain and the cantering horses. Uneasiness strained his features.
It was none of my business. But not knowing was driving me mad with curiosity, and I needed to remain focused on Haydyn. This distraction had to be dealt with. “I’m making it my business.”
“If we don’t find a safe place to stay, that’s on you.”
“No.” I shook my head. “That’s on you. What’s so important you can’t trade for this?”
“It’s private, Rogan. My personal business. There is no reason for you to know it.”
“Yes, there is.”
“What reason could there be?”
I couldn’t meet his eyes. Nervous butterflies agitated my stomach, all the while guilt pricked me. I saw my brother’s face in my mind and clenched my teeth. Finally, I met Wolfe’s curious, frustrated gaze. “I don’t know why.”
He searched my face … and then. “Fine.”
“You’ll trade?” I was shocked by his sudden capitulation.
“I’ll trade.”
“Then ask away.”
“Rogan, I need you to find us someplace safe to stay via a secure route.”
My magic washed through me in a warm, tingling wave, and I was almost sorry when it was over and my skin turned cold again in the downpour.
I sensed the pull of the little farm over the border into Daeronia. I grinned wearily. “Follow me.”
Chapter 17
It took us a few days but we crossed the border into Daeronia with little problem (except hunger and exhaustion), and soon our olfactory senses were bombarded by the sweet, yeasty smell of the large brewery to the west as we headed toward Caera.
Caera was another half-day ride onward, so I led us off the main trade road and into fields toward a tiny farm owned by an elderly widow I’d sensed through my magic.
The widow was lively and peppered us with questions about who we were and what our business was. Since my magic led me to her, Wolfe thought it safe to tell her he was one of the Guard and that we’d gotten into some trouble at the rookery in Vasterya.
“Oh, I heard about all that mischief at the border.” She nodded, leading us past her little sitting room and into a spacious farm kitchen. The smell of home-cooked stew caused my stomach to rumble; I clutched it in embarrassment. The widow threw me a sympathetic smile and gestured to the table for us to sit. “Sounds like the two of you were lucky to get away.”
“Yes, ma’am, we were,” Wolfe agreed. “We really appreciate your hospitality.”
“No thanks needed.” She bustled about, ladling huge amounts of stew into bowls. I felt the saliva building up under my tongue. “I ain’t got much room in the house, I’m afraid, but I got a barn outside with a nice, warm hayloft. I got some blankets you can take up there. That should keep you cozy for