The Way of Pain by Gregory Mattix

Author:Gregory Mattix
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2018-10-13T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 28

Sianna was readying herself for bed when a soft knock sounded at the door. She exchanged glances with Iris, who was brushing her own thick blond tresses as she had done for Sianna moments before. She looked down at the filmy nightgown she was wearing and frowned. The dwarven woman Selda had sent one of her maids to procure them, along with changes of clothes and the hairbrush. At such a late hour, the fact that she’d been able to fetch such items for the two women was a blessing, although enough coin could remedy almost any inconvenience. The nightgown wasn’t of the quality she would have worn to her own bed in the castle, but it still wouldn’t be suitable to wear out in the hallway.

The hot bath had felt like a blessing from Sol himself. She and Iris, and later Mira, had lain in the copper bathtubs in the inn’s bathing room for a long time, first scrubbing the dirt and grime of the road off, then simply enjoying the warm heat on sore muscles.

“Who is it?” she asked at the door.

“It’s Taren, Sianna,” came the reply.

Sianna unlatched and cracked the door a few inches. “Lana,” she corrected.

Taren smiled. “Right, sorry.” He must have glimpsed her state of dress and flushed, quickly looking away.

She studied his face a moment, thinking he looked quite handsome, freshly bathed and clean-shaven, with his hair combed out. His clothing could use an upgrade, she thought with a discerning eye. Although clean, his tunic and breeches were rough spun and showed signs of the road, threadbare in places and the fit a bit baggy.

“…wanted to give you this, Your uh, Lana, I mean,” Taren was saying.

Sianna blushed then, for she hadn’t been paying attention to his words. “I beg your pardon?”

Still averting his face from the door, Taren put his hand to the gap. In his palm was a smooth, flat stone. “If it’s not improper, I’d ask that you carry this. Until we meet again.”

She stared at the stone, bewildered, thinking him an odd young man. It had no distinguishing features that she could see, other than a smooth round hole through it at the center. Why is he offering me a plain gray stone?

Taren looked embarrassed by her scrutiny. “It’s no matter… I’m a fool—I shouldn’t have imposed on you. My apologies.” He pulled his hand away.

Before she knew what she was doing, she had opened the door a few inches wider, enough to reach through and grasp his hand. “Wait.”

He flinched at her touch, clearly surprised. “It doesn’t look like much, but it’s a locator stone.” He paused a moment as if that should mean something. When it didn’t, he continued. “So it will be easier to find you… when I return from Nexus. As you said earlier, you’ll likely need all the help you can get. The stone is magical.”

“Oh, of course.” She’d nearly forgotten about her invitation earlier during their ordeal in the woods. It felt as if that had been a week prior, not just the past night at the campfire.

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