Page 41 of A Tale of Mirth & Magic

E LIKKI

S o… what now?” I said, looking around at Barra, Telen, and Maerryl.

Barra came to stand by me as if he was drawn in, metal to a magnet. “Now I suppose you and I go wherever we feel like. I’m not quite sure—I’ve never had an open-ended adventure before.”

I smiled up at him, finally feeling the last ember of my rage fade away. “I’ll show you. As long as you’re sure about this,” I said.

He kissed me in answer, dipping me back so that my world went sideways and he was nearly bent in half at the waist, keeping me steadier than I’ve ever been held. I blazed at his touch, loving the gentleness of his arms and the heat in his eyes.

“Oh yes. I’m sure,” he whispered.

Telen’s quiet cough broke the spell, and Barra pulled me up with an easy spin that left me laughing.

“Excellent. And you’ll take my horse, Elikki.

” Holding up a firm finger when I opened my mouth to argue, Telen said, “No, don’t bother.

You are taking him. His name is Dewdrop, and he positively craves adventure. Feisty, excitable. Good luck to you.”

“That’s very kind, Telen,” I said. “But I can’t—how will you get home?”

“It’s only a few hours walk to the inn, I expect. I’ll stay there tonight and buy or borrow a horse from Legus for the journey home. Want to come with me?”

This last she directed to Maerryl, who blinked as if she’d heard wrong. “Me? But you hardly know me.”

The other woman shrugged. “What I do know, I like.”

Telen seemed incapable of blushing, but Maerryl’s cheeks tinged pink at the compliment. “Fine by me,” she said, shrugging with careful nonchalance.

“Great!” Telen moved to Dewdrop and began collecting her belongings. She also lowered the stirrups for me a bit since my legs were much longer. Such an eldest child.

“All set,” she said, hefting her pack. “Now, this is just a loan. Take him for as long as you need him. But if your travels lead you back this way in a few months’ time, we’d love to see you two in Nepu so you can meet Monty’s new baby.”

I nodded, no hesitations. “We’d love to visit. Thank you so much. I’ll look forward to it.”

And I found that I truly would. This woman—according to Barra, the prickliest of his family, seemed to genuinely like me, and I liked her too.

She’d stuck up for me with the lord. And even gave me her horse!

Maybe this could work. Fitting into a family, bit by bit.

For the first time, I could kind of imagine it for myself.

I put all my tender feelings into a hug, squeezing Telen tight. To my surprise, she squeezed back this time. “Take care of my brother,” she murmured. “He doesn’t actually know how to use that godsdamned sword.”

After a hug to Barra and a final wave, she set off west down the road. Maerryl paused before following, standing a few paces away and looking distinctly awkward.

“Well, goodbye, then,” she said. “Watch your ass—there might still be hunters around who don’t know the bounty’s been called off.”

I fake gasped, teasing, “Wow, is this concern ? For my safety? Barra, call a healer, I think our new friend must have a fever.”

She flipped a middle finger at me and threw her usual scowl, an oddly endearing sight now. Barra just chuckled. Somehow, this prickly, irascible woman had grown on us. I found myself hoping that she’d be okay. All she carried was a thin satchel. But did she have anywhere to go? Anyone to help her?

Before I could open my mouth to ask, to learn more about this unusual person who’d crossed my life’s path, she was stepping away. With a final disparaging smile, Maerryl tossed a hand in farewell and said, “See ya, elf.”

I swallowed my words and stuck out my tongue. Laughing, I just said, “Hopefully not , dwarf!”

Moving closer to Barra, I watched her walk away, jogging to catch up with Telen. Hopefully she’d be all right. But something told me Maerryl had more problems than a handful of gold and a snarky attitude could solve.

Barra and I held each other’s hands for a minute, taking in everything that had happened in the last chaotic hour.

Then we moved together, checking on our horses.

Barra secured my rucksack while I introduced myself to Dewdrop with a sugar cube.

We swung up into our saddles and turned east toward Old Orchard.

“Ready, love?” he said.

I looked at the open road ahead of me. Clear. Exciting. Ripe for adventure. With Barra at my side and possible futures abounding ahead of us, my pulse leaped.

“Ready.”