Page 55 of Lady's Steed

“Luna, no.” Her steed flicked its ears and kept on slurping.

And what did Avera do?

Watched.

They all did.

Luna didn’t suddenly gasp for air or bolt. She flicked her tail and farted.

“Guess we’ll soon see if it’s the water,” Gustav opined.

“I’m going to tether her just in case,” Avera stated, grabbing Luna’s bridle. They found a barn attached to a large house. The stone façade and relative wealth of it in comparison to other homes likely made it the marquis’ residence—the marquises being those who governed the towns.

Inside they found the same situation as the other houses. A kitchen that appeared abandoned after the meal, the dishes still soaking. The beds remained tidy. The closets full of garments. Best of all, they found a chamber with a tub, over it a spout and handle. When pumped, water poured in.

Josslyn squealed. “We can have a bath.”

“I thought you didn’t trust the water,” Avera stated as the other woman worked the lever.

“I am not planning on drinking it. I’ve never felt so grimy in my life.”

Avera hadn’t either, so when a clean Josslyn finished bathing, she took the plunge, literally dunking herself in the water and scrubbing hard. Wrapped in linen towels, they then checked out the closets for garments.

Josslyn held out a dress which was wide all over but short. “It will barely cover my knees,” she exclaimed.

Meanwhile, Avera had found the marquis’ wardrobe and held out a pair of soft britches. “I’m thinking these might be better than skirts for mountain climbing.”

“Ooh. And they’re a closer fit.”

Shirts and jackets completed their ensembles. Avera found a belt with an attached sheath for her dagger. She dumped the pockets of her skirt to find an apple, a ribbon, and the amulet she’d forgotten she had. She still hadn’t found time to examine it, but each time her hand brushed it, she got tingles. Despite not knowing its use, she draped it around her neck, the disc hanging below the locket.

When they emerged, dressed in men’s clothing, Gustav took one look and arched a brow. “Interesting choice.”

“You mean practical,” Josslyn declared.

“And warm.” Avera hadn’t realized how chilly the skirts left her legs until they were fully wrapped in pants. “There’s thicker jackets and other apparel as well to keep us cozy.”

“Maybe for you. I won’t fit in that,” stated the broad-shouldered rook. “I’ll go check out some of the offerings in the other houses. Coming?”

Avera almost said yes, only to find her gaze distracted by a bookshelf in the parlor. “Actually, I’m going to see if there’s anything written down about the spire. Could be the town closest to it kept some kind of record or wrote down some stories that never made it to the capital.”

“Lyn?” Gustav glanced at his sister.

“I’ll stay with Avera. But do hurry back. Worrying causes wrinkles.”

His lips curved. “We wouldn’t want that to happen.”

The rook left and Josslyn sighed. “It is nice to feel almost normal again.” She flopped in a chair. “I guess if the spire turns out to not be helpful, we could stay here.”

“We could,” Avera replied, knowing it would only be temporary. If she were to stop Benoit and clear her name, she couldn’t hide forever.

“Do you really think you’ll find anything?” Josslyn questioned as Avera read the spines on the books, most about the raising of sheep and goats.

“I don’t know. It doesn’t hurt to look.” Alas, none of the books appeared to mention the spire.

“You should try the marquis’ desk. Could be he kept a log of town events.”

Avera whirled. “That’s a great idea.” If the marquis were as meticulous as her mother, he’d have written down everything.