Thornlost (Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

with real fire, not the kind made by Wizards or Elves or Goblins. He’d seen furtive glances directed at the more obviously Elfen Windthistles, at Alaen and Briuly, and especially at Mistress Mirdley, and when Yazz and Robel arrived, there had been a collective jolt of shock. Mieka rightly judged this to be the sort of place that tolerated magical folk but didn’t particularly embrace them with glad arms. He did note, though, that many of the women were friendly enough so that he needn’t worry about his wife’s being too lonely while he was away. She’d have her mother for company, of course, but a young woman needed companions of her own age just as a young man did.
    The looks the local men gave her weren’t as pleasing to him. Well, they
were
, but they really weren’t. He tightened his arm around her shoulders, and she leaned trustingly into his body. There was fierce pride in knowing that the most beautiful girl in the Kingdom of Albeyn belonged to him. Every man who gave her a look envied him. But they had no business giving her a look or anything else. She belonged to
him
.
    At last they were all gone and he was free to supply himself with a fresh glass of Auntie Brishen’s finest. He dragged a chair near the bonfire and sprawled, listening as the house and courtyard quieted down. The Blackpath cousins had taken a hire-hack back to town. Mieka’s parents and siblings would be staying the night and taking the public coach in the morning. He was hoping Cade would linger as well, but suspected Lady Jaspiela would require him to escort her and Derien home to Redpebble Square. He missed talking with Quill. Plenty of time to catcheach other up at Trials and then on the Royal, he reminded himself. Unless they spent the whole time rehearsing some new playlet, which was entirely likely. Never one to bask in accolades more than a fortnight old, Cade would have some new idea to share with Touchstone, something to work on and argue over until they were ready to go for each other’s throats before Mieka laughed them out of it. He grinned happily to himself. Gods, how he loved being a player!
    “Did I hear that Alaen keeps stopping by?”
    He glanced up at Chat and nodded. “Just the once. Se’ennight ago, thereabouts. Drunk, thorned to the eyeballs—”
    “Let me guess—crying over Chirene,” Vered interrupted, seating himself on a milking stool. Jed and Jez had found some odd things lying about in dozens of pieces when they worked on the barn, including the carved and painted wooden cradle Jindra slept in.
    “Moaning like a cat about to yark,” Mieka confirmed. “Thought she and Sakary were still living here, didn’t he.”
    “Silly git.” Chat hauled another chair over and straddled it, arms folded atop the ladderback. “He’s taken to lurking round our rehearsals, befriending Sakary. Every once in a while they go home together for tea.”
    “You mean he doesn’t
know
?”
    Vered shrugged. “I think he thinks on it as her due. Beautiful women attract admirers—like a fine horse, or a hunting dog. Increases their value.”
    “She’d never throw him over for a skint musician,” Chat stated. “And everybody knows it.”
    “Everybody except Alaen, of course.” Cade joined them and stole Mieka’s whiskey. After taking a healthy swig, he passed it back and went on, “He might not always be broke, y’know.”
    “Now that the Oakapples have been polished up again?” Vered snorted. “Welcomed all his kin with cuddles and kisses, has HisLordship? Everyone with half a claim rushing to his door, ready at last to admit to the family name for a share in the family wealth!”
    Mieka alone knew what Cade had really alluded to: the true location of the Treasure. Touchstone knew where it was. The Rights of the Fae were there for the taking, a necklace and a crown—and what wouldn’t King Meredan pay to get his hands on what one of his ancestors had been denied? Cade’s opinion was that the Rights were