daughter."
"I saw her before ..." Zhimosom didn't want to admit he had seen her in the fire.
Heyk laughed. "I'm sure you are mistaken. Mistress Rotiaqua is the heir to the Barony. It must have been another you saw."
"Where are we?" Zhimosom asked.
"You are at the Regal Hound, a public house. Your stay has been secured for the rest of this moon so you will have time to rest and recover. Her Ladyship has covered your room and board until then.
"I will be here until nightfall, and then I must return to my duties at the castle. I will look in on you from time to time, just to make sure you are doing well."
"Will she be back?" Zhimosom asked. He wanted to thank her for her kindness, but he was uncomfortable around the nobles, even though she had rescued him from the gaol. He rubbed his wrist thinking of how they'd meant to take his hand.
"She did not indicate to me one way or another." Heyk picked up the water, poured a cup, and held it out.
Zhimosom grabbed it and drank it down without stopping for a breath. He reached for the tray and stuffed his mouth with bread. It was soft and moist, not the type he was used to.
"The girl?" Zhimosom asked chewing noisily. "There was a girl with me when I came into town. What happened to her?"
"I don't know anything about that."
Zhimosom held out the cup and Heyk refilled it. He drank it all again. It was cool and went down his throat like liquid silk, and soothed the dryness that lingered there.
"I have to find her," Zhimosom said. "Her family was killed … She ran off into the market."
"I'm sure you will find her in time. For now, I suggest you rest and eat."
Heyk stayed with him until the noon meal. "I must be getting back to the Castle. If you need anything, ask the proprietor. He will see to your needs."
"Will you be back?" Zhimosom didn't want to lose his only connection to Rotiaqua.
"I will check on you in a few days to make sure everything is to your liking. I have duties in the Castle that I must attend." Heyk bowed and backed out of the room, quietly closing the door behind himself.
Zhimosom wanted to get in touch with Rotiaqua to thank her for her help. He lit the candle on the nightstand and sat cross-legged on the bed. He opened his mind to her, searching for her. He could tell she was in the castle, but she was not open to him. He felt a slight sign of recognition, but she did not appear, so he extinguished the candle and lay down. He was still tired and sore from his time in the gaol and the treatment of the Guards. He lay back on the bed and slept.
When Zhimosom awoke, it was already dark. He felt something pulling at him, as if someone were calling his name from a distance, but he could not make it out. He reached out for the connection and felt Rotiaqua trying to contact him.
He sat up and lit the candle, settling into a comfortable position, and opened himself to her.
"You're all right, then?" she asked.
"Yes. I am doing much better. Still sore, but well fed and my injuries have been tended to. Your man Heyk was most kind."
"I was so worried about you. I'm glad you are well. I felt you try to contact me, but I was engaged. This was the first chance I had to get away from everyone and reach out to you."
"Thank you for your kindness."
"Think nothing of it." Rotiaqua leaned into the fire. Her face was as clear as if she were in the room with him.
"I need your help. There is a Wizard here. He is trying to get my father to let him start up a Temple. He promised to help my father against the King if father lets him do this. I'm worried."
Rotiaqua shifted in the fire. She was in her room as she had been the first time Zhimosom saw her. She looked upset.
"I don't trust him," she said. "Father was so dead set against Wizards, but he just let this one walk right in, and gave him whatever he wanted."
"What do you think the Wizard is up to?"
"I don't know. Maybe we can find him, the way that I found you. We can look in on him; see what he's
"I saw her before ..." Zhimosom didn't want to admit he had seen her in the fire.
Heyk laughed. "I'm sure you are mistaken. Mistress Rotiaqua is the heir to the Barony. It must have been another you saw."
"Where are we?" Zhimosom asked.
"You are at the Regal Hound, a public house. Your stay has been secured for the rest of this moon so you will have time to rest and recover. Her Ladyship has covered your room and board until then.
"I will be here until nightfall, and then I must return to my duties at the castle. I will look in on you from time to time, just to make sure you are doing well."
"Will she be back?" Zhimosom asked. He wanted to thank her for her kindness, but he was uncomfortable around the nobles, even though she had rescued him from the gaol. He rubbed his wrist thinking of how they'd meant to take his hand.
"She did not indicate to me one way or another." Heyk picked up the water, poured a cup, and held it out.
Zhimosom grabbed it and drank it down without stopping for a breath. He reached for the tray and stuffed his mouth with bread. It was soft and moist, not the type he was used to.
"The girl?" Zhimosom asked chewing noisily. "There was a girl with me when I came into town. What happened to her?"
"I don't know anything about that."
Zhimosom held out the cup and Heyk refilled it. He drank it all again. It was cool and went down his throat like liquid silk, and soothed the dryness that lingered there.
"I have to find her," Zhimosom said. "Her family was killed … She ran off into the market."
"I'm sure you will find her in time. For now, I suggest you rest and eat."
Heyk stayed with him until the noon meal. "I must be getting back to the Castle. If you need anything, ask the proprietor. He will see to your needs."
"Will you be back?" Zhimosom didn't want to lose his only connection to Rotiaqua.
"I will check on you in a few days to make sure everything is to your liking. I have duties in the Castle that I must attend." Heyk bowed and backed out of the room, quietly closing the door behind himself.
Zhimosom wanted to get in touch with Rotiaqua to thank her for her help. He lit the candle on the nightstand and sat cross-legged on the bed. He opened his mind to her, searching for her. He could tell she was in the castle, but she was not open to him. He felt a slight sign of recognition, but she did not appear, so he extinguished the candle and lay down. He was still tired and sore from his time in the gaol and the treatment of the Guards. He lay back on the bed and slept.
When Zhimosom awoke, it was already dark. He felt something pulling at him, as if someone were calling his name from a distance, but he could not make it out. He reached out for the connection and felt Rotiaqua trying to contact him.
He sat up and lit the candle, settling into a comfortable position, and opened himself to her.
"You're all right, then?" she asked.
"Yes. I am doing much better. Still sore, but well fed and my injuries have been tended to. Your man Heyk was most kind."
"I was so worried about you. I'm glad you are well. I felt you try to contact me, but I was engaged. This was the first chance I had to get away from everyone and reach out to you."
"Thank you for your kindness."
"Think nothing of it." Rotiaqua leaned into the fire. Her face was as clear as if she were in the room with him.
"I need your help. There is a Wizard here. He is trying to get my father to let him start up a Temple. He promised to help my father against the King if father lets him do this. I'm worried."
Rotiaqua shifted in the fire. She was in her room as she had been the first time Zhimosom saw her. She looked upset.
"I don't trust him," she said. "Father was so dead set against Wizards, but he just let this one walk right in, and gave him whatever he wanted."
"What do you think the Wizard is up to?"
"I don't know. Maybe we can find him, the way that I found you. We can look in on him; see what he's
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