Midnight Quest (29 page)

She certainly hoped so…the next several minutes were going to be uncomfortable otherwise.

The stone under her feet changed to smooth tile, and from the sound of it, Jewel bet that it was polished marble. Nothing else had that distinct
click
to it. The bright sun abruptly cut off as they entered the house. The air in here had a coolness to it that spoke of an enclosed space and stone walls. Nothing else in the world made a place cool like stone architecture did. Sound didn’t echo much as they walked inside, however, so Jewel had to assume that something covered the walls—tapestries, perhaps.

“Here we are,” Chantel announced. With a quick rap on wood, the door clicked as it was pushed open. “Daddy.”

“Ah, Chanty, my dear. Oh…I see you have guests?”

“That’s right.” She paused, apparently waiting for everyone to enter, as the door was closed before she continued. “This is Jewel Jomadd, High Priestess of Thornock.”

Ramath, actually, not that Chantel would know about that yet…

Proving that she was indeed a politician’s daughter, Chantel continued without hesitation, “With her are her armsmen—Chizeld Lorin, Rialt Axheimer and Sarvell Sorpan. And of course, this sweetie is Bortonor.”

Bort’s tail started hitting Jewel in the back of the thighs again. Apparently this would be a continuing thing until they left Veris. Jewel retrieved both of her hands so that she could clasp them in front of her and give an appropriate bow.

“Mayor Moltabon, it is a great pleasure to meet you.”

The mayor, proving that he did indeed react well to surprises, approached her and took up both of her hands in a gentle grip. “No, Priestess, I am the one honored. My daughter has passed on to me the news of your task. I am very glad to aid you in your work.”

Jewel smiled at him without truly meaning to. She liked the feel of his hands, smooth and strong. The sincerity in his mellow voice soothed her anxieties about barging in as well. She instinctively liked the man and her tension fled because of it. “Thank you, sir. We are very glad to work with someone with your attitude.”

“You will have my unconditional support, I promise you. For now, I can see that you are road weary. Chanty, did you tell Piers they’re here?”

“Oh yes, on the way in.”

“Excellent. Then please, feel free to freshen up and rest for a few hours. Dinner shall be served at six sharp. We can meet there and talk over the specifics.”

Being an old bird at politics, he would no doubt use those two hours to prepare for their little talk over the table. Jewel didn’t expect differently. Still, she wouldn’t bypass the chance to rest and get into something that didn’t smell like horse. “Of course.”

“Then follow me, everyone,” Chantel directed in a cheerful voice.

They obediently trooped back out of the study. Jewel felt totally bewildered by where she was going, having nothing more than sound and the scents around her to really give her a sense of direction. Chizeld must have sensed this, as he leaned down to murmur near her ear, “Give proper tour later.”

“Bless you,” she murmured back in relief.

Chantel must have overheard or somehow noticed the exchange as she paused and asked, “Jewel, how are you with stairs?”

“Just fine after I’ve memorized them.” She gave a one-shouldered shrug. “But then, I’m fine with any place after I’ve memorized it.”

“Hmmm. In that case, tell me when you’re ready, and I’ll take you on a
thorough
tour of the house and grounds.”

Frivolous and air-headed she might be, but Chantel obviously had a wide streak of pure kindness in her somewhere. Jewel practically beamed. “After a hot bath, I’m all yours. We
do
need to go to a Temple of Learning soon, though. I haven’t been able to ask formal permission to work here from Broeske yet.”

“It’s a plan. Now, as for stairs…”

Chizeld guided her gently to them, his calm voice directing her up the first few steps. Once she had the feel for their height and width, Jewel started to go up them more confidently. She did feel a little out of balance when she abruptly ran out of them, however. So, thirty-two steps up which led…where?

“Miss Chantel, the rooms are prepared,” Piers said from Jewel’s right. He didn’t sound at all out of breath, so he must indeed be used to these sorts of surprises.

“Excellent. Then, show them the way.”

“Piers, if there be a room that connects to another, Jewel and I will be taking that one,” Rialt directed in a tone that brooked no disagreement.

“My apologies, sir, but none of the rooms connect.”

“Then never mind a separate space for me. Just put a cot at the end of her bed.”

An awkward silence fell. Rialt, no doubt, felt that his request would be easily understood by his hosts. But Jewel had been in manor homes before, and armsmen simply did
not
share living space with their masters. Jewel stepped in before anyone could leap to misunderstandings.

“Chantel, there is a great deal we need to tell you, but for now can you simply heed Rialt’s request? It’s a matter of my safety, you see.”

“But you’ll be safe here,” she protested, bewildered.

“Lass, I counted fifteen ways to sneak into the place just on the walk in,” Rialt informed her in his usual blunt manner. “No offense to my hosts, but I will sleep better knowing she be within arm’s reach of me.”

“…did something happen?” Chantel queried slowly.

“Yes,” Sarvell said. “Yes, something did happen. We’ll tell you the full story later, as you’ll need to know so you can take precautions.”

“Alright.” Chantel still sounded hesitant, as if she wanted to demand answers now. “Well, we’ll have a better talk after everyone’s settled. Piers, please arrange for a bed to be put into the priestess’s room.”

“Thank you, Chantel.” Jewel gave a nod of the head in her general direction.

A small, feminine hand patted her lightly on the shoulder. “I
do
want that explanation. But I’ll come up again after you’ve had your hot soak.”

Chapter Twenty

She spent much too long in the bath, but the combination of sweetly-scented soap and hot water all to herself proved to be too much of a temptation to give up easily. Jewel managed to drag herself out only after Rialt, Sarvell,
and
Chizeld had gently knocked on the door and inquired dryly if she’d fallen asleep in there.

Once out of the tub, she wandered into the connecting bedroom to find that someone had laid out a dress for her on the edge of the bed. It had a velveteen softness to it and yet she didn’t think it actually was velvet. It lacked the heaviness of true velvet. She slipped it on and found the fit to be tolerably close. It flowed around her ankles and she twirled a bit, enjoying the feel of it. Wherever had it come from? The ever-reliable Piers?

A solid knock on the door, then, “Jewel, are you out?”

“Yes, come in!” Jewel called back.

Chantel didn’t waste a moment accepting the invitation and immediately opened the door. “I brought a brush and some pins with me. Can I do your hair? We’ll take a tour once you’re presentable.”

Rialt normally did it, or Jewel would just throw it up in a simple bun, but she didn’t mind the change in hairdresser. “Yes, certainly.”

“Oh good. Just sit down here,” Chantel’s hand on her upper arm guided her around to a low vanity bench near the end of the bed, “and I can have a good angle to work from.”

Jewel took a seat and kept her back straight, trying to stay still while her damp hair was carefully combed through.

Chantel gave a rich, slightly envious sigh. “You have such gorgeous hair. It’s so silky and thick. It’s not rebellious, like mine.”

Jewel sat still under the rhythmic stroking of the brush and fought the urge to purr. “Why are women never satisfied with their own hair?”

“It’s because we want our hair to reflect our mood and it rarely does.”

Jewel blinked at that perfectly rational explanation. “You know, you might have a point…”

“Do you normally braid it?”

“I normally let it hang straight or pull it up in a simple bun. Rialt braids it.”

There was a weighty pause. “I would not have pegged him as a dexterous man.”

“Few do. But Rialt’s true ability is surprising people. Even now I’m learning about his unexpected talents.”

Chantel gave a noncommittal hum. “I overheard that Rialt bargained so you would be the High Priestess of Ramath. Do you want to leave Thornock?”

“I’m actually looking forward to living in Ramath.”

Nuance was an amazing thing. It turned Chantel’s inarticulate “Uhhhh…” into a noise of confusion. But then, not many people chose to live in slightly backwards, rough, dangerous Ramath.

“The people are boisterous and have no concept of personal space,” Jewel stated frankly. “Being with them can be very overwhelming. But at the same time, I’ve never felt more at home or more welcome.”

“Does he know this?”

“Oh yes.”

“So it wasn’t just because he wants to return home? Not just selfishness on his part?”

“Chantel, the man left home in the middle of the night to rescue a complete stranger and did it all without a word of complaint. Does he sound like a selfish man?”

“Not when you put it that way, no.”

“Besides, did you know that Sarvell also wanted me to live in Bryn?”

“Oh-ho!” Chantel gave a giggle of girlish delight. “If I were you, I’d choose the handsome blond. He’s a better catch.”

Jewel’s brows furrowed together.
Catch
? “What?”

Chantel leaned in closer to ask in a confidential tone, “So which one do you fancy? Or is it Chizeld?”

“F-fancy?” Jewel spluttered.

“Oh come on, you can’t say that it’s a pure relationship with those three
delectable
specimens. You’ve been on the road for weeks with those three and only a dog as a chaperone. It’s straight out of a torrid romance, I tell you!”

Jewel, after a startled moment, re-evaluated her situation through an outsider’s perspective. When it clicked, she let out a long groan.

“Don’t tell me that you just now realized it!”

“But it hasn’t been like that!” she practically wailed.

“What, don’t you have any blood in you?”

“This trip hasn’t exactly been a walk through the park,” Jewel retorted. “And it’s a little hard to feel romantic when you’re sleeping on the ground and washing out of a stream.”

“…good point.” A few moments passed in silence as Chantel continued to gently tug and pin her hair. “Well. I’m done and you look amazing. How about that tour?”

~*~*~*~

Dinner that night proved to be instructive, in more ways than one. Jewel couldn’t decide if Moltabon was a shrewd or pleasant host. He seemed to oscillate between being genial and asking pointed questions. Since no one in her party had anything to hide they all answered bluntly and honestly.

Jewel could hear her host’s substantial girth as it shifted uneasily on some of their answers, especially when Rialt reported in his usual no-nonsense way about the Daath assassins. The mayor was not as comfortable with his daughter’s new position as Chantel had said. Jewel didn’t need eyes to see
that
.

When dinner was over they all made plans to start out early the next morning to go look for the crystal before retiring to their own rooms. Well, Rialt of course retreated to hers and the bed that had been shoved along one wall.

After the very hectic day and the events of the past several weeks, Jewel had thought she’d drop asleep easily once she snuggled into the delightfully comfortable bed. Alas, such was not the case. The mantel clock in her room had quietly chimed the hour and half hour and
still
she could not turn her mind toward sleep.

She tried turning onto her side, seeking a different position, only to be foiled in the attempt by Bortonor’s bulk caging her in. Shoving at his side had no effect whatsoever. The dog was soundly asleep. Why exactly had Elahandra given her a dog bigger than she was? She couldn’t even shift him over!

“Lass, will you settle?” Rialt rumbled, tone exasperated.

“I’m trying to,” she responded rather crossly. “I’m sharing space with a bed hog.”

“Well, shove him aside.”

“I
can’t
. He’s too heavy,” she groused.

“Blow in his ears,” was the next helpful suggestion.

“Blow in his—” she spluttered, almost laughing. “Why? Will that wake him up?”

“It will make him flinch. Go on, try it.”

Feeling a little silly, she ran her hand around his head until she found an ear and then blew a puff of air into it. Like magic, Bortonor jerked slightly, rolling halfway up. She pressed against him, rolling him even further so that he flopped over onto his other side. He settled again with a groan and a long sigh.

“See?” Rialt said smugly.

She knew good and well that he was speaking from experience. “You had a dog that you did this with.”

“Eh, that I did. Although with her, it was to get her off my pillow. She was forever stealing it.”

Jewel could imagine a young Rialt arguing with a dog his own size, trying to reclaim his stolen pillow. The idea tickled her funny bone and she smiled at the thought, shaking her head. Settling back down, she tried to sleep. The effort was in vain as her mind continued to race, jumping from one thought to another.

“What now?”

So, he was watching her to make sure she was asleep? Jewel let out a long sigh, reaching over absently to tangle her hands in Bortonor’s fur. “I guess I’m worried about Chantel. She and her father really have no idea what they’ve gotten themselves into. I could tell they were very worried about the Daath. It’s different with her than with the other two. One of them is in fortified Belthain. The other is a huntress and very capable of taking care of herself, even without the armsmen heading her way. But what about Chantel?”

“I imagine her father will gather armsmen up quick-like.”

True. Perhaps Jewel shouldn’t be worrying about this after all.

“Jewel, of all the people you should worry about, the little miss be no one of them. She has more help at her beck and call than any other. She will be fine.”