better with a good night's rest."
They turned back to the door, going inside and up the stairs together without speaking. They walked down the hall, Fay wondering at each door whether he would stop. His room turned out to be the one directly across the hall from hers. That made them both laugh as they ducked into their separate rooms. After closing the door behind her, she leaned back against it, smiling for a moment. She felt an odd mix of guilt and pleasure at his offer and her acceptance. Shaking her head, she took off her boots and climbed into bed.
She dreamed that night of the blond man with the curls again. This time, as he embraced her, he whispered into her ear, "My sweet Faylanna, at last."
Chapter 5
The faint light from the window woke Fay only a moment before a soft knock sounded on her door. She felt disoriented and groggy. She knew she had left the curtain open for a reason, but couldn't remember why until she heard Tavis' voice call softly through the door.
"Are you awake in there, Fay? It's dawn."
Stupid and stubborn, she cursed herself as she sat up and rubbed her eyes. She had known agreeing to leave at dawn had been a bad idea, but had refused to admit it. Now she was going to pay for that. "Yes, just give me a few minutes. I'll meet you in the stable yard."
She heard a soft chuckle as she scrambled out of bed and grabbed a boot. It took most of her self-control to keep from launching it at the door. She heard his footsteps going down the hall and cursed again at her own foolishness. She pulled her boots back on and quickly smoothed down her tunic and skirt. Her fingers found the shape of the pendant in her pocket and she stopped. She fished it out and looked at the double-ribbon in the palm of her hand. Again, she felt that sense of familiarity, this time accompanied by the strange idea that she'd worn it once before and should do so again. It really is pretty, she thought, and such a shame to leave it in my pocket. When part of her tried to suggest that it was dangerous, the rest of her pointed out that nothing had happened in the two days she'd had it with her. Deciding that settled the matter, she dropped the chain over her head and settled the pendant under her shirt so that it wouldn't bounce around while they were riding. Combing her fingers through her hair, she looked around to make sure she had everything and grabbed her two bags, trying to hurry quietly down the stairs.
By the time she reached the stable yard, Tavis was already there, holding the reins to both Rain and a sleek gray mare with a silver mane and tail. The mare looked small next to Rain, but light and fast. She remembered the look in his eyes when she had talked about him keeping up and thought she understood it now. This horse must have been his prized possession on the farm. She walked over to the stallion, tied her bags securely to the saddle and took the reins from Tavis.
Behind her, she heard Lelanne call to him, and he waved. When Fay turned, the innkeeper was hurrying over with a pair of fresh rolled pastries in her hands. Fay's stomach rumbled as she accepted one with thanks. When she reached for her money pouch, Lelanne shook her head, saying it was taken care of before hurrying back to the inn's kitchen. Fay looked over at Tavis who was managing to grin while eating his own pastry. She stubbornly said nothing but took a bite of her breakfast. It was fresh from the oven, still piping hot and nearly burned her tongue. The warm cheese and herbs inside were delicious though and she couldn't make herself wait for it to cool down. As soon as she had finished licking the last flakes from her fingers, she swung up into the saddle and looked at Tavis with an eyebrow raised. He was still grinning as he mounted his own horse. Neither of them spoke for most of the morning. Fay was tempted to several times, but every time she turned to him, riding right next to her, she saw the same self-satisfied grin and kept
They turned back to the door, going inside and up the stairs together without speaking. They walked down the hall, Fay wondering at each door whether he would stop. His room turned out to be the one directly across the hall from hers. That made them both laugh as they ducked into their separate rooms. After closing the door behind her, she leaned back against it, smiling for a moment. She felt an odd mix of guilt and pleasure at his offer and her acceptance. Shaking her head, she took off her boots and climbed into bed.
She dreamed that night of the blond man with the curls again. This time, as he embraced her, he whispered into her ear, "My sweet Faylanna, at last."
Chapter 5
The faint light from the window woke Fay only a moment before a soft knock sounded on her door. She felt disoriented and groggy. She knew she had left the curtain open for a reason, but couldn't remember why until she heard Tavis' voice call softly through the door.
"Are you awake in there, Fay? It's dawn."
Stupid and stubborn, she cursed herself as she sat up and rubbed her eyes. She had known agreeing to leave at dawn had been a bad idea, but had refused to admit it. Now she was going to pay for that. "Yes, just give me a few minutes. I'll meet you in the stable yard."
She heard a soft chuckle as she scrambled out of bed and grabbed a boot. It took most of her self-control to keep from launching it at the door. She heard his footsteps going down the hall and cursed again at her own foolishness. She pulled her boots back on and quickly smoothed down her tunic and skirt. Her fingers found the shape of the pendant in her pocket and she stopped. She fished it out and looked at the double-ribbon in the palm of her hand. Again, she felt that sense of familiarity, this time accompanied by the strange idea that she'd worn it once before and should do so again. It really is pretty, she thought, and such a shame to leave it in my pocket. When part of her tried to suggest that it was dangerous, the rest of her pointed out that nothing had happened in the two days she'd had it with her. Deciding that settled the matter, she dropped the chain over her head and settled the pendant under her shirt so that it wouldn't bounce around while they were riding. Combing her fingers through her hair, she looked around to make sure she had everything and grabbed her two bags, trying to hurry quietly down the stairs.
By the time she reached the stable yard, Tavis was already there, holding the reins to both Rain and a sleek gray mare with a silver mane and tail. The mare looked small next to Rain, but light and fast. She remembered the look in his eyes when she had talked about him keeping up and thought she understood it now. This horse must have been his prized possession on the farm. She walked over to the stallion, tied her bags securely to the saddle and took the reins from Tavis.
Behind her, she heard Lelanne call to him, and he waved. When Fay turned, the innkeeper was hurrying over with a pair of fresh rolled pastries in her hands. Fay's stomach rumbled as she accepted one with thanks. When she reached for her money pouch, Lelanne shook her head, saying it was taken care of before hurrying back to the inn's kitchen. Fay looked over at Tavis who was managing to grin while eating his own pastry. She stubbornly said nothing but took a bite of her breakfast. It was fresh from the oven, still piping hot and nearly burned her tongue. The warm cheese and herbs inside were delicious though and she couldn't make herself wait for it to cool down. As soon as she had finished licking the last flakes from her fingers, she swung up into the saddle and looked at Tavis with an eyebrow raised. He was still grinning as he mounted his own horse. Neither of them spoke for most of the morning. Fay was tempted to several times, but every time she turned to him, riding right next to her, she saw the same self-satisfied grin and kept
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