eyes narrowed. She had a feeling he’d been sent to discover just what her feelings were about life in a clan, living within a Thent and about Colm and Linc. It was beyond her why it was necessary. Of course, she didn’t trust them. The answer should be obvious to anyone who thought about what had happened. She’d been beaten badly for no reason other than Laed and Kynar were mean tamaurgi. She’d like to come up with a few words other than bastard, but couldn’t think of anything bad enough to really describe them.
“Shouldn’t we get what they asked us to get? The cloth?” She looked pointedly at the market ahead of them.
“We’re going. The cloth is for you, you know. They saw that you only have that small bag and wanted to make sure that you have extra clothes and all the comforts you need.” Avan edged closer to her as they walked into the market area.
“Let me guess. You’re supposed to guard me in case someone attacks while we’re here.” She slid a glance over at him.
“I’m supposed to make sure that you’re safe while you’re away from the main group because you’re more at ease with me. You won’t immediately try to move away if I have to get closer.” Avan shrugged.
She gave them credit for noticing that. She did trust Avan more and she knew he wouldn’t hurt her. He was one of the few males she felt completely comfortable being near for any length of time. She didn’t think that Linc and Colm would physically hurt her. The two men were a threat in an entirely different way. She didn’t like the speculation she’d seen in their eyes lately. She’d caught them staring a few times. By the expressions on their faces, it wasn’t because of her scar.
“We should probably get started with this, then. I don’t want to hold them up.” She looked at the stalls. There weren’t all that many. It shouldn’t take long to find some serviceable cloth and buy it.
“Hold them up? They’re not in a hurry. We’re staying the night here. They’re arranging for accommodations. Apparently, they stop here often enough to be friendly with the locals.” Avan stayed close to her as they strolled into the market. It wasn’t too crowded.
She walked past the stalls selling fruit and vegetables and one offering cooked pastries. There were a couple of stalls selling cloth, but she didn’t see anything suitable on the first table. Moving on to the second, she found a few bolts that would work. She particularly liked the vivid green, the yellow and a deep blue. When she began to take out the coins for the cloth, Avan stepped forward and handed the amount to the woman behind the wooden table.
“They gave it to me to pay for the cloth,” Avan said without her doing more than looking at him.
“I don’t need their help to provide for my needs. I’m capable of doing it on my own.” She straightened and glared at him.
“It wasn’t my decision. That’s something you’re going to have to argue about with them.” He held up his hands.
Oh, she would and she knew it probably would be an argument. They weren’t accustomed to people questioning them, especially for something such as this. But she wasn’t part of their Thent. They had no right to pay for what she would wear. She wasn’t their responsibility.
“Let’s go. I assume since you know so much that you know where we’re supposed to meet them.” Her anger built with every breath, and more frightening than that, the magic rose with the emotion. She tried to push the anger down and get control of her feelings. It didn’t work. Fear spiked through her. She couldn’t let the magic escape her control here. There were too many people who could be hurt.
“We’re supposed to meet them at the inn. You’ll have a room of your own. They assured me of that, just in case you were worried.” Avan urged her back down the same street they’d taken to get to the market.
“I take it from your remark that some people will be doubling up.” She drew in a deep breath and focused on calming her emotions.
“Yes, doubling and some sleeping in rooms in people’s homes.” Avan shrugged. “It’s just the way it’s done in these smaller towns if the group that comes through is too big for the inn. They’re willing as long as they’re paid.”