Free Winterfinding by Daniel Casey Page A

Late.” Jej replied, “But
I’m usually gone to bed by then.” Jena nodded again, closed the
door with her hip, and set the tray down on a wobbly nightstand.
She didn’t bother to latch it this time and returned to her fire
making.
    Roughly an hour or so later, she made her
way down to the common room. The barmaid from before was gone,
replaced by a rather tall and sturdy fellow. There were a handful
of folk along the bar and random pairings at the tables in the
corners of the room. Jena surveyed quickly as she approached the
bar, she spied the man she had seen on the veranda skulking alone
in the corner. He had spotted her immediately and was watching her
movements far too closely for any valid reason.
    “ New face.” The barkeep
said in pleasant manner.
    “ Of a sort,” Jena replied,
“Haven’t been to this town in quite a while.”
    “ So then, what can I give
a prodigal?” A flirtatious smirk crept onto the face of the
barkeep.
    “ Raki.”
    “ Glass or
flask?”
    “ Flask.”
    The barkeep nodded and turned to retrieve it
from the cupboard behind him, “That’ll be a bit more than the lager
or bitter we have, which is rather good.”
    “ Or Moria’s
cider?”
    Presenting Jena with a crystal flask full of
the milky looking raki, “We call her ‘madam.’” His tone was more
serious but still congenial.
    “ Will keep that in mind.
How much?”
    “ An obol, but you’ll want
a tab.” He said and Jena nodded, taking the flask and a glass with
her as she turned to find a table.
    Once she found a place, below a window in
one of the corners opposite the entrance, the man from the veranda
stood up and slowly made his way towards her. Jena didn’t look up
but poured herself a glass and withdrew a slender kris from her
vest’s inner pocket. Moving deliberately, she set the dagger down
on the table making sure the man saw it. The stranger registered a
moment’s hesitation but didn’t pause.
    “ I don’t think this is the
sort of place where you’ll need that.” Addison suddenly sat down
across from her. The stranger tried to recovery his nonchalance and
continued walking on by the table. Addison eyed him as he passed.
He looked at Jena, “That would be a gifter.”
    “ I saw him when I arrived.
He doesn’t look very posh but his clothes…” Jena spoke in a low
tone.
    “ Have never been worn more
than two days in a row.” Addison set a glass on the table. “May I?”
He gestured to the flask. Jena made no objection as a maid she
hadn’t seen before sat down a plate of lavash. Addison began at
once to tear pieces of the bread. “Feel free,” he said between
bits, “I apologize but I wasn’t able to eat much today.”
    “ Busy were you?” Jena said
cautiously.
    “ After a fashion,” Addison
smiled as he drank the raki, “It’s not as easy as you think giving
directions.”
    Jena smirked, “Who was that?”
    “ Heston Peel.”
    “ And?” Addison wiped the
corners of his mouth with his thumb, clearly reluctant. “Should I
be worried?” She asked.
    He shook his head, “The little prick
wouldn’t be much trouble for most one-on-one, but…”
    “ He doesn’t often face
people one-on-one.”
    “ His tendency is to cozy
up and then make a move when his so-called friend has their back to
him. Fancies himself an assassin.”
    “ And you just let him
wander about?”
    “ There’s enough aurei in
his purse to keep his tracks covered and mouths shut. Although,
I’ve been looking to…remove…him from the city for a while
now.”
    “ Well, this was a lovely
peak into your local drama.” Jena said dismissive.
    “ He’s interested in you,
so now it’s your drama too.”
    Jena shook her head, “I don’t see it that
way.”
    “ That hardly matters, he
does.”
    She threw back the contents of her glass,
the let out a long sigh, “I don’t need more drama. This is petty
and trifling.”
    “ I am certain that is what
all those Heston has killed thought as well.”
    “ So what