Free Whisperings of Magic by Karleen Bradford

their way through a copse of trees to the edge of yet another village, Catryn suddenly stiffened.
    “I know this place,” she said to Dahl. “This is where I came that night.”
    “Are you certain?” Dahl asked.
    “Yes. There is the tavern where I overheard those two men talking.” She pointed to an inn on the path ahead of them.
    “Well then,” Dahl said, “this would be a suitable place to ask for lodgings tonight.” He sounded resolute and forceful. Almost relieved to have finally reached the borders of his enemy’s domain.
    Catryn nodded. “It would,” she agreed. But alarm was flooding through her, not relief. Every sense she possessed was on the alert.
    Dahl turned to Bruhn and the Sele. “We will stop here tonight,” he called back to them.
    The Sele shook its head as usual. It would stay in the stable with the horses.
    They left the animals in the Sele’s care, then entered the tavern. As with the other taverns they had visited, a wave of warmth and smoke and smells of cooking hit them as soon as they were through the door. But something here was different from those other inns. Catryn stood still for a moment and tried to sense what it was.
    “It is so quiet,” she whispered to Dahl. “Hardly anyone is talking. And there are even fewer men tonight than when I was here before.”
    Dahl gave her a quick nod. The room was almost empty. The men sitting at the tables were either not speaking at all or talking in low, guarded tones, casting nervous glances around them all the while.
    Even though the room was not overly busy, it was several moments before the innkeeper came over to them.
    “What would you, my friends?” he asked. His words were brusque and he looked at them suspiciously.
    “A bit of supper if you please,” Dahl answered. “And perhaps a room or two for the night?”
    The innkeeper hesitated.
    “We will pay well,” Dahl added, jingling a pouch of coins.
    The innkeeper stared at the pouch, then greed won out over suspicion.
    “Very well,” he growled. “Follow me.” He led the way over to a table in the corner.
    “Your inn is remarkably quiet tonight,” Dahl said in an easygoing, pleasant manner, as if making idle conversation. “Is aught amiss?”
    The innkeeper looked at him sharply. “You’re not from these parts, are you?” he asked.
    “No,” Dahl answered. “We have come from Daunus.”
    The man’s face cleared. “From the south, then?” he asked.
    “Yes,” Dahl answered.
    Catryn could sense the innkeeper’s relief.
    Dahl made as if to question him further, but the innkeeper forestalled him. “I will send the girl to see to your needs for something to eat,” he said quickly. He hesitated again, then seemed to come to a decision. “Perhaps I can find room for you tonight,” he added.
    “For an innkeeper he is remarkably inhospitable,” Bruhn remarked. Catryn noted that Bruhn had seated himself as far away from her as possible.
    “He is worried about something,” Dahl said.
    “Everyone here is worried about something,” Catryn said. “It is not like it was the other night at all. Something has happened to frighten these people, I think.”
    “It would seem the innkeeper, at least, does not want to talk about it, though,” Dahl answered.
    A young maid came over to them bearing mugs of ale and a huge platter of steaming meat. She looked as apprehensive as the rest.
    “This is a gloomy place tonight,” Catryn said, half-smiling at her as if to reassure the maid of her friendliness. “Is something wrong?”
    The maid cast a quick, frightened glance at Catryn out of the corner of her eye.
    “You do not know?” she asked, looking around to make certain no one was listening.
    “Know what?” Catryn asked.
    “There’s talk …” the maid began. “Talk about something dreadful happening in the towns to the north of us.”
    “Who is talking?” Catryn persisted. “What are they saying?”
    The girl lowered her voice even more. “Several of our