Free Winterfinding by Daniel Casey Page B

is it you want
exactly? You’re not just telling me this out of the goodness of
your heart.”
    Addison shook his head and laughed, “You’ve
not been around normal folk for a long time have you?”
    Jena squirmed in her chair. She didn’t like
how chummy Addison was. “I’ve got my reasons.”
    “ Oh?” Addison leaned back,
“Do tell.”
    “ You’re not going to stop
pestering me until I do, eh?”
    “ I’m merely doing my
job.”
    A woman came to the table. Not a maid, she
walked with too much dignity about her, “If you were doing your
job, then you’d have something to tell me.”
    “ Madam Moria,” Addison
bowed his head, “I was just talking with my new friend.”
    Moria looked Jena over and was obviously
wary betraying more than a bit of contempt, “She’s certainly got my
girl in a tizzy. Won’t stop going on and on about the ‘lady
adventurer’ that’s strolled in.”
    Jena snorted, muttering “Lady.”
    “ Yeah, that’s what I
said.” Moria turned her attention back to Addison, “Tanner’s been
gone for weeks now and I’ve gotten no word. You need to go check on
him.”
    “ I said I would and I
will…”
    “ You need to stop saying
it and go do it.” Moria stuck her finger in his face, “I’m running
this place alone—as always—but I still need him here.”
    “ Where was he off to?”
Jena asked.
    “ None of your concern,”
Moria snapped.
    “ Easy now,” Addison held
out his hand, “Moria, I’ll be heading up there in a couple of days.
Likely once I get on my horse, he’ll show up back in town with Colm
in tow.”
    Jena bit her lip and hide her face in her
glass. Moria wasn’t sated, “Not likely. You go up there and soon
and you tell that bastard to quit loafing. It isn’t a retreat. He’s
needed here and now.” She turned on her heel and left.
    “ That woman is difficult.”
Addison mumbled.
    “ All you men think that
about any woman that knows what she wants.” Jena scoffed,
“Especially the closer you get to Bandra.”
    Addison raised an eyebrow, “The Cathedral
has clear rules about the place of women.”
    “ Yeah,” Jena poured the
last of the raki into her and Addison’s glasses, “They most
certainly do.”
    “ But not everyone in the
Light sees things that way.” Addison gave her a knowing look. He
sipped his drink and the two sat in silence for a few
moments.
    “ So, if you’re still
around, do you want to come along?” He finally asked.
    “ What? Where?”
    “ On my little errand for
Moria. If I said you helped, might get her to knock off a few
silvers from your tab.”
    Jena hesitated as she brought her glass to
her lips, “I don’t think she’d care for that too much. Or me.”
    “ She doesn’t care too much
for anyone. Besides, if you stay here you will end up in tussle
with Heston. And that just means I’ll have a mess to clean up when
I get back. If you come with me…”
    “ You postpone the mess?”
Jena smirked.
    Addison shrugged, “It’s clear you’re here
for a reason. Clear to me that you’re not the kind of person who
should be here. And I suspect that the longer you’re here, the more
likely the gifters lazing about will feel the urge to test
themselves against a real ranger.”
    “ You could just throw me
out of town.” She offered.
    He nodded, “That’s a way to make a mess of
things.”
    “ My business here won’t
take long. I’ll be gone before your ‘gifters,’ is it? Before your
gifters can make a fuss.”
    Addison stood taking the last piece of
lavash and folding it a few times. He torn off a bit and popped it
into his mouth, “Fair enough, but I’m just off that crossroads
where we talked if you change your mind. Don’t get too drunk.” He
winked at her and left.
    Moria was behind the bar shooting daggers at
him as he walked out. Looking around, Jena couldn’t spy Heston
anywhere. She took her time finishing the last of the raki. No one
else came in and no one else left. This looked to be it,