Dream a Deadly Dream by Remi Black

Author:Remi Black [Black, Remi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Writers Ink Books
Published: 2017-11-10T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

“A good omen,” Cherai said as they gained the cobbles of Geistre’s market square. “The clouds are parting.”

Alstera looked up at the laden sky. A clear patch shone blue and bright between the heavy purple clouds. Sunlight seared the upper heights of the thunderheads into gleaming white. “An omen, indeed. I think we should buy horses to speed our journey.”

“Horses?”

“Aye, horses. Animals that have four legs, a head and a tail. They bite and kick, but they make up for their bad temper with speed. I cannot say the same for you.”

“You have money for horses?”

For answer, Alstera reached into the pocket slit of her skirt and produced a leather pouch that clinked when she shook it. “Not much, not enough for fine steeds, but enough.” She untied the string and picked out a handful of copper coins. Then she offered Cherai the pouch. “You should be able to get two serviceable mounts.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you. If a horsetrader heard my accent, I would be lucky to keep the pouch, let alone a coin to go in it. Or do you want to walk all the way to Muirée?”

“Horses will cut our time in half.”

“Horses will save my feet. If that is not incentive enough for you, horses will put more distance between us and Marsden, which means the regiment will have many more directions to investigate.”

“And only DuBarrée’s troop has actually seen me in this guise. Alstera, I owe you another boon.” Her lips quirked as she again looked up at the patch of blue. “My luck is changing.”

“You owe me no boons, but I do think your signs are improving.” She plunked the pouch in Cherai’s hand. “Go on. You waste the day, standing there gawking at the sky.”

Grinning, the bard tucked the pouch inside her doublet. “What will you be doing?”

“We are low on stores. That will be my task.”

“And the accent?”

“I will look for a widow who will trade from her garden for coins. And if that fails me, I will risk haggling with the baker. Are you partial to sweet buns?”

“We don’t have enough for that.”

“I miss them. You buy the horses, and I will buy the food. Go on.”

Cherai laughed. “If you buy a sweet bun, make sure you share.” Hitching her pack higher on her shoulder, she whistled off on her errand.

Alstera backtracked to a house with old thatch and a broken shutter. When they had walked by, an old woman had been sweeping the front step. Her clothes were faded and patched but clean, and her gray hair was tidily braided. Although the woman had disappeared from the doorway, she answered Alstera’s knock quickly. Through the open top half of the door she frowned suspiciously, a frown that deepened as Alstera proposed her bargain, but the offer of coins settled the matter.

Her satchel laden with root vegetables and newly baked bread, Alstera returned to the market square. After a visit to the baker for one sweet bun, she settled on the step by the well and watched the children play.

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