Free The Garnet Dagger by Andrea R. Cooper Page A

else’s.” Celeste moved passed me with my trousers and tunics in her hands. “Don’t dally like my servant here,” her lips curled in smile. “Have my trunks arrived?”
    “Nay, milady.” Red circled on the boy’s cheeks. “Soon as they arrive I’ll fetch ‘em.”
    With a nod, she spun away. Almost like a lady, even though draped in a damp towel.
    The boy scampered down the hall with our clothes in his arms. I shut the door, sliding the bolt.
    Heard the hiss of the candles as she blew them out. My mind jealous of the flames. To find her way in the darkness, she left one candle burning. The flame cast dancing shadows through the room.
    Her feet leapt onto the straw mattress. Curling under blankets, she tossed her damp towel at my feet. “Thank the innkeeper when he comes, and let them take back the washtub.”
    I nearly bowed at her words, but stopped and snatched up the towel. Another knock on the door almost made me lose my own towel girded around my waist. At my fumbling to right the blasted garment, I heard her giggle.
    Grumbling, I marched to the door. After wrestling with the handle, I unlocked the bolt and threw open the door.
    The innkeeper and two servants started as the door slammed against the wall in my haste. With a mumbled apology, I stepped aside.
    With a bow, the two servants rushed forward and picked up the wash barrel full of water. Careful steps did not spill a drop of water in our room. I watched them round the corner in the hallway sloshing water against the stone floor and walls as they left.
    I thrust Celeste’s discarded towel toward the innkeeper. “Sh — my lady thanks you.”
    His smile split open and revealed green stained teeth. Refusing to allow any questions, I bid him goodnight and shut the door.
    Once again, I slid the bolt into place.
    Celeste had my coin pouch opened and was counting out the coins. The blanket tucked over her chest.
    “Most never see this much, even after a month of toiling.” She fingered the coins. “What’s this one? Is this from your land?”
    I peered at the one in her hand. It was the engraved metal of the woman with a fishtail.
    “It’s a medallion. One of the villagers on my travels gave me it to me in order to find his son. You haven’t seen one like it, have you?”
    “No.”
    “His son has one identical.” I ran one hand through my damp hair, and reached back to my covering, which had slipped. None of the people I spoke with in the villages had seen a medallion like that one. Although in three villages, I was ambushed by robbers after showing people the medallion. They ran away empty-handed after I and my sword finished with them. It was too dangerous to use hand fighting for my curse could kill them, where my sword would not unless I willed it.
    “And his son is where?”
    “Don’t know. He went off on a quest to slay a dragon that killed his mother and most of their village.”
    “Dragons?” she cocked her eyebrow.
    “Don’t believe it myself. But I saw the damage from the fire.”
    “You don’t think they exist?”
    “Nay. Even among my kind they are considered imaginary.” I watched her as she placed the coins and the medallion back in my coin pouch with her good hand.
    Her other hand still bandaged in the splint I made for her. By her reaction, I guess she had not seen the medallion before.
    “Well.” She placed the pouch beside my boots.
    And I nearly saw her breast again. Then she tucked the blanket up higher. The coins rattled when they hit the floor.
    “Seems as if many don’t believe in Elves either.”
    I smiled at her jest, despite my resolve against her.
    After straightening the blanket more, she snuggled down into the straw mattress. Her hair’s golden spikes pressed into the pillow. The wig of my hair laid over the edge of the bedpost. “It’s too warm in here, let the fire die down on its own.”
    The fire was already glowing ashes. Crossing the room, I watched the candle wax melt a path down the iron