Our host set the platter on the ground between Tegan and me, and beamed at the two of us. “Eat to your heart’s content. There’s plenty more in the kitchen.”
Tegan grinned. “I think this’ll be enough for our two stomachs.”
“Ah! I nearly forgot!” He rummaged in his pocket and drew out the necklace with the flawed stone. “A little souvenir of your trip here,” he told me as he draped the necklace around my neck. “And the sooner that flawed stone is away from temptation the better.”
I gaped at the precious if flawed gem and shook my head. “I couldn’t take this.”
Burke scoffed. “Nonsense. It suits you very well and I am glad to be rid of it. Those fools have used it too often of late.”
I cupped the jewel in both hands and examined the pale stone. A large black crack ran down the middle. “Is it that dangerous?”
“For a careless werewolf it’s lethal,” Burke told me as he took a seat in another chair situated behind me. “The magic in howlite allows us to change during the day, but a flawed stone like that has a price. It saps the strength of the werewolf for as long as he’s transformed, and if given enough time it’ll drain every bit of life out of him.”
My face fell. “Does it do that to humans?”
He smiled and shook his head. “Not at all, and it’s no harm to werewolves in our human form, either, but the temptation is a little too much for some of the fools around here. You’d better take it as thanks, or as much thanks as a flawed stone can be.”
I wrapped my hand around the stone and pressed the rock against my chest. “It’s wonderful. Thank you so much.”
Burke cleared his throat and stood. “Yes, well, just shout if you need anything. The first two rooms up the stairs are ready whenever you want them.” He bowed his head and left us to our meal.
Tegan picked up a thick slice of meat and admired the food. “Fish. That’s a rare delicacy around these parts.”
“Why’s that?” I wondered as I plucked some fruit from the tray.
“The nearest watering hole is some fifty miles off. Even for a werewolf with youth in his bones, that’s a whole day’s journey there and back, assuming you can catch anything when you get there.”
At the mention of the new world in which I found myself, I nibbled on my food as many questions floated about my head. “So there are lakes.”
“And oceans and seas, and cities carved into mountains and temples older than the eldest of vampires,” he added with a smile. “My world, I suspect, is as diverse in peoples and places as yours.”
I drew my legs up against my chest and wrapped my arms around them. My knees made a perfect shelf for my chin as a sigh escaped me. “That’s a big world.”
Tegan leaned forward to catch my eye. “A world can be as large or small as any other. It’s the people you meet that make it what it is.”
I snorted. “You didn’t tell me you were a traveling philosopher.”
He grinned. “I like to try my hand at many trades.”
I looked him up and down. “What do you do for a living? I mean, besides rescuing damsels and kids.”
He dropped back against the chair and folded his arms over his chest. “Whatever fate drops in my path. I’ve been a hunter, a scout, an apprentice blacksmith-”
A laugh choked itself out of my mouth. “A blacksmith’s apprentice? Were you the fire or the bellows?”
Tegan flashed me a toothy grin that showed fangs that were a little sharper than they should have been. “I’ll leave you to decide that, but the blacksmith complimented me on my work.”
“I’m sure he did,” I teased as I turned my attention back to the fire. My smile faded as I watched the logs be consumed by the flames. “Now I just need to find my place in the world. . .”
“We’ll find it,” Tegan insisted.
I lifted an eyebrow at him. “You sure you want to help? You’ve already done a lot for me.”
“You did ride on my back into this world. I feel some responsibility toward caring for you until you find your path,” he reminded me.
I raised one hand and examined the palm. “My path of magic, if I can ever figure out how to use it.”
“Give yourself some time and some proper rest,” Tegan insisted as he climbed to his feet. He offered me a hand and a smile. “The rest will come to you.”
I pursed my lips but accepted his hand. He drew me to my feet but my tired legs weren’t ready for the quick pull. I ended up falling against his chest. A blush accented my cheeks as I set my hands on his muscular physique and tried to push myself away. “S-sorry about that-”
I froze when his hands settled on my upper arms. My blush only worsened as I risked lifting my chin to see his face. His expression was soft but with a hint of something deeper. Something more. . .adult.
Tegan must have seen something in my face because he smiled and opened his hands. “You should get some rest. The road to Malartu is comfortable but long.”
I allowed him to lead me upstairs to our separate bedrooms. He opened the door to the first one and gave me a push inside before he shut the door behind me. I had the feeling there was something he was trying to prevent.
Which was probably for the best, at least for this day. The rooms were clean and comfortable, and the soft bed was helped by the exhaustion that came over me. Risking life and limb was tiring stuff, and I fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow.
I wasn’t roused from my sleep until early the next morning. A gentle hand shook my shoulder.
“Kate. Time to wake up.”
“Another half a day. . .” I grumbled as I tried to roll over.
That same hand and another one grabbed my arms and flipped me over like a hamburger on a grill. I bounced atop the fluffy mattress and my eyes flew open to find myself staring up into Tegan’s amused face.
“Did I wake you?” he innocently wondered.
I glared up at him. “On pain of death.”
His eyes twinkled as he inclined his head toward me. “Then I accept that fate so long as you wait a few more decades.”
“Not on your life,” I quipped as I sat up and flung aside the sheets.
Tegan backed up with a feigned look of terror on his face. “I meant no harm, Kate. I merely wanted to tell you that our breakfast was ready.”
I raised my hands in front of me and wiggled my fingers. “It can wait.”
I lunged at him but he scooted out of my path and slid over to the door. Tegan reached behind him with one hand and grasped the knob. “I’ll tell them to expect you very soon.”
And with that, he ducked out of the room before I could make good on my promise. My arms drooped to my sides and I shot daggers at the closed door.
“Dragon men. . .” I muttered as I snatched my new necklace off the nightstand and shuffled over to the door.
I found Tegan down in the lobby in front of the fireplace. A small table had been set up near the crackling fire and the two chairs had been scooted up to it opposite one another. Tegan was seated in one chair with a platter of steaming food set before him.
I had only just taken my seat and cast a promise of punishment at him when Burke came out of the rear with another plate. He set the platter down in front of me and smiled at the two of us. “Eat up. Patrick should be here any moment to take you.”
I would have to stew in my desire for revenge. The hour was nearly eight as I picked up my fork and dug into the grub. The sound of wagon wheels came to my ears just as I was finishing up. A clock near the front door chimed the hour and as though on cue, Patrick stepped into the inn.
He caught sight of us and strode over to our table. “Were you still wanting to go to the capital?”
Tegan nodded. “Very much so.”
“My wagon’s out front, if you’re ready.”
“We’ll be there in a moment,” Tegan promised. Patrick nodded and slipped outside.
I scarfed down the rest of my food and we stood. Burke met us at the door with a huge picnic basket. “For the trip,” he told us as he handed the heavy container to Tegan.
Tegan tested the weight and grinned. “This would provide us with four trips.”
“You just never know about those meal houses up there,” Burke countered as he nodded in a general westerly direction. “And the prices they charge are robbery.”
“Then we doubly thank you,” Tegan returned as we trudged out into the chill morning air.
A mild fog lay about the road but the mist wasn’t thick enough to hide the wagon parked near the road. It was a simple hay-ride wagon complete with short walls and a single tall seat in front. A middle-aged horse was hitched to the vehicle and pranced about eager to be gone. The bed had only one item in it, a heavy white sack filled with something lumpy.
Tegan set the basket in the back and draped his coat over the bottom before he helped me inside. He climbed in after me and nodded at Patrick who sat atop the seat. “We’re ready.”
Patrick nodded and snapped the reins. The horse trotted forward and I faced backward to wave goodbye to Burke.
“Thank you for the food!” I shouted at him. “We’ll be sure to come back!”
He waved back to me. “Come any time! You’ll always be welcome!”