Page 110 of Lady Knight and the Thief

“Evening, ma’am!”

Maggie nodded and returned the greeting. “What can I get you, folks?”

“A hot meal and a clean bed,” Torren replied, pulling Cypress in tighter against his side.

The woman barely even looked at Cypress, entirely focused on Torren.

“Of course, of course. We’ve got mutton stew and biscuits on, and you can take your pick of any of the open rooms upstairs. If the door’s open, it’s available.”

Torren slid three gold marks across the bar to her. “Appreciate it, Ma’am. My friends were supposed to pass through here. I wonder if you could tell me if they are still here?”

“What’s the name? I’ll see if I can recall.”

“Goes by Ellisar.”

“Aye, still here by some luck.”

“Any telling what room he’s in?”

The woman smiled, revealing rotten teeth that were just barely hanging on. “No tellin’, but one of my girls will let him know inquirin’ minds are lookin'.”

Torren nodded and said, “Tell him little hills and trees are lookin’.”

Then, he rapped the bar twice with his knuckle and turned away with Cypress in tow.

When they were a few steps away, she asked, “Little hills and trees?”

Torren looked down at her and cracked a wide grin. “Aye, that’s what we are. Little hills and trees, Lass.” Then, to her utter shock, Torren pulled Cypress closer and pressed a kiss to her hair.

“Why are we expecting Ellisar to be here?” Cypress drawled and peered at him through her lashes. It was entirely too easy to slip into this sort of familiarity with Torren. He said it was underthe guise of keeping her safe, but Cypress had to remind herself it was all an act. She could not gettoocomfortable in the warm embrace of Torren’s grasp.

“A pair of wealthy merchants invited to a ball can’t very well ride in on horseback, can they?”

“Well, no, I suppose not. So we have a carriage?”

“Indeed,” Torren replied, and pulled out a chair for her at the table in the farthest corner.

“I suppose you deserve my gratitude in arranging everything,” she said while taking her seat.

“That didn’t sound at all likethank you, Torren,” he said with a smile.

Cypress cracked a smile in return. “You’re right, it didn't.”

Torren raised an eyebrow at her, and Cypress let the moment stretch until finally she gave him the barest of nods and said, “Thank you, Torren.”

Torren’s resulting grin spread wide across his face as he said, “Once you get settled in Eobbaara, you’ll have the resources to arrange anything you desire. ”

Then, he pulled his chair close to hers, with only the slightest of gaps between the armrests.

“I’m not sure what you mean,” Cypress said.

“Come now, Lass. Surely you don’t think the Fair Folk who lived and loved Eobbaara left just because Aithlin disappeared?”

“What does that have to do with,” Cypress said and waved her hand in his general direction. “Resources? No one is loyal to me. I don’t come with an entourage of servants and followers. I’m justme.Cypress.”

“CypressIlirona. Your duchy survives. The land, the people, the castle. All of it has been lovingly cared for and tended to in yours and your mother’s absence, Lass.”

“That still doesn’t mean-”