Free Ghosts in the Snow by Tamara S Jones Page A

here. And besides, I'm almost done with the debt. After that you won't want to see me anymore."
    He set aside his plate and gave her his full attention. "What ever gave you that idea?"
    She lowered her eyes and shook her head. "It doesn't matter. Really."
    "Yes, it does. Why do you think I won't want to see you?"
    She stared at her half-eaten pie and said, "Lots of reasons." She drew in a breath and closed her eyes for a moment. "Mostly because it will be done then. Whatever it was that brought you to Pyrinn will be finished and you'll be sent out to do something else. Not only am I a commoner, I worry I'm the last loose thread or something." She raised her gaze to him and said, "You've rescued the helpless maiden, and soon you'll be done with the debt you were ordered to accept. After that, you'll be free of me and you'll…" She chewed her lip and shook her head.
    He looked out to the hall again and a muscle in his cheek twitched. Three ladies walked by, talking. One noticed the pair in the shadows, paused, then hurried to join her companions as they moved off. Once the ladies were gone, he said, "You're not the 'last loose' anything and I'm sorry if I haven't been clear in my intentions. There's always an element of secrecy in my life, I suppose, whether I like it or not, and it tends to become a habit. I don't want to keep secrets from you, and I'm sorry that I have."
    He sighed and toyed with his pie. "I should have told you about my mission to Pyrinn before, but I'm not supposed to talk about such things. I'm sorry about that, too. You've every right and reason to know how we came to be in this position, and how I hope we can get past it."
    "You don't need to tell me. I mean, I don't want you to get in trouble with either of your grandfathers, and your missions are really none of my business. It's all right."
    "No, it's not all right," he said. "I dragged you all the way here without telling you hardly anything at all beyond my name and that my father is the King's son. I not only frightened you, but placed you in debt to me. The very least I can do is offer an explanation and answer your questions. I'll tell you what I can."
    He paused and looked earnestly into her eyes. "I was supposed to go to Pyrinn with my brother Aswin, but higher duty called him away and I had to go alone."
    "Aswin's older than you, right?"
    Risley nodded. "Almost two summers older."
    Nella set her fork on her plate. She had so many questions, but one had been tugging especially hard. "You're Lord Apparent for Haenpar. Why you instead of him?"
    Risley ate a bite of pie and smiled. "When my parents married they had to make certain… shall we say, sacrifices to appease my grandfathers. One was that their firstborn, Aswin, would inherit Faldorrah. Haenpar fell to me."
    " 'Sacrifices'?"
    He glanced toward the hall and leaned closer as his voice softened. "This castle was my mother's childhood home, and my Grandda Brushgar was less than thrilled when his only daughter wanted to marry a Romlin. You see, my mother was the sole heir to Faldorrah, my father was the Crown Prince for all of Lagiern, and my grandfathers hated each other. I hear the argument between them became quite heated, nearly leading to a war. But my parents were determined to marry. The best solution they found, the one that appeased the most protests and kept my grandfathers from slaying each other, was to give their firstborn Faldorrah, and the second Haenpar. After my father gave up the crown, of course."
    "What about your sister?"
    "Torrent?" He chuckled and shook his head. "She gets all the good stuff. My gram's dishes, my other gram's lyre, the secret recipe for my da's wine, her own life to live, her own choices to make. Things like that."
    "So you don't want Haenpar?" Nella asked, her voice sounding timid in her ears.
    "I want Haenpar," he said. "It's a beautiful place, hills and trees and clear sparkling streams. But I'm not in a hurry to get it. My da's still got plenty of