Dragon Rider by Taran Matharu

Author:Taran Matharu
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2024-02-05T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 52

Jai was still in awe of Frida as they trudged up to the tavern. He knew life among the Dansk was tough but . . . this was no pampered royal servant. The handmaiden knew how to handle herself.

The Phoenix was as grotty a building as Jai had ever seen. A lone structure at the end of the trail, constructed of what looked like it had once been a shepherd’s hut, with ramshackle additions tacked on as an afterthought.

This was not a retreat for weary travellers, nor even local folk. Rather, this had the look of a hideout. A place for the undesirables of the Kashmere Road. Jai wouldn’t have been surprised if the bandits had bedded down here after robbing them as they had planned.

The wind had picked up as the hour grew later, and Jai was glad of the new clothing. Already the branches of the surrounding trees were rattling and swirling leaves into the air. He crossed his arms and set his teeth, resisting the urge to shudder.

‘Perhaps we should turn back,’ he whispered. ‘I’m trousered now, plus we have a sword and some coin. We should take the win, camp out by the turnpike. We can sleep with a roof over our heads tomorrow.’

‘I can’t take another night on the road,’ Frida said. ‘It’s too cold, even for us. We need time to rest, to soulbreathe.’

‘Fine, then we go in,’ Jai said. ‘You’re soulbound. We both are. With your majicking, we could burn this place to the ground if anyone gave us trouble.’

Frida snorted.

‘I had barely enough mana to make that glintlight. Didn’t have enough for the second. I put most of what I had left into that throw. I’m tapped out.’

Jai blanched at that, and his heart began to beat baster. Until that moment, he hadn’t realised how much of his fragile sense of safety was tied to Frida’s protection. Without mana, she was just a strong warrior with a dagger.

He looked her over. Her green dress would look out of place, it was true. The material was too fancy, and too colourful.

‘I probably wouldn’t look amiss in there,’ Jai said. ‘But your dress . . .’

Frida sniffed at that. Looked down at her body and shrugged.

‘You know the difference between a noblewoman and a courtesan?’ she asked.

She lifted a hand to her shoulders and tore at her dress until her shoulders were exposed. Then she took the plunging laced neckline that dipped towards her cleavage, and ripped it even further so that the swell of her breasts was visible.

‘Clothing,’ she said triumphantly.

Jai averted his eyes, but he’d seen enough. Her hemline was already short from when she had made the shawl, but these changes were far more revealing. She looked like the ladies he’d seen loitering on Latium’s street corners in the early hours. The muck and wear of their travels only compounded Frida’s lowborn appearance. She really did look like a noblewoman no longer.

Jai was almost too exhausted to think. A chill gust cutting through his threadbare shirt made up his mind.

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