Free What Matters Most by Sasha L. Miller Page B

far side of the square. They led a carriage, and Raslin's heart briefly stopped. No one but tax officials ever visited Ourenville in carriages; most people simply rode in on horses or came with peddler's carts.
    Turning, Raslin headed back out of the square; he needed to warn Kyros and then head to Hally's to hide Ailynn until he knew for sure who the carriage was transporting.
    "Ras!"
    Raslin hesitated, then stopped, even as he thought he should pretend he hadn't heard it. Turning, he found Theri standing next to the carriage, waving him over. Raslin stifled a sigh, wondering if he could buy time for Kyros.
    "These men are looking for Kyros," Theri said as he approached, gesturing up at the two men seated on the front seat of the carriage with a gloved hand. She was practically unrecognizable, wrapped in a thick jacket that easily doubled her width.
    The two men didn't look like they were officials of any sort.
    They wore thick travel cloaks that had obviously seen better days, and the carriage itself looked much the same. It had faded paint and missing moldings under the snow and mud that had accumulated through its travels.
    "Oh?" Raslin asked, striving to keep his tone light. "What in the world would have you travelling all the way out here for Kyros? He's headed back to Alesdor in a few days."
    "Kyros asked us to help him get his mother to Tristowne,"
    the man on the left said, his voice smooth and cultured. Raslin relaxed, still suspicious, but that fit with what the cover story Kyros had concocted to explain Ailynn's absence. It was possible the men were imposters, though Kyros hadn't mentioned that as a possibility.
    "I see," Raslin said, smiling though he didn't feel at all like smiling. "Kyros should still be at the house. I'll show you the way."
    "Ailynn's going to Tristowne?" Theri demanded, looking aghast. "Why?"
    "Sick relative. A great-aunt? I'm not sure the relation, but she didn't want to tell anyone yet because of the festival,"
    Raslin said, the lie rolling off his tongue smoothly. "She'll probably be gone a few months, maybe a year."
    "Oh," Theri said, her face falling. She and Ailynn were friends, Raslin knew. "Of course. I'll let everyone know to not mention it to her."
    "Thanks," Raslin said, smiling crookedly. He looked up at the men on the carriage. "It's nice of you to help Kyros out like this."
    "Kyros is a good friend," said the man sitting on the right.
    His voice was the complete opposite of his companion's, rough and accented, though Raslin had no chance of placing the accent. "We're happy to help."
    Raslin nodded, gesturing across the square. "The house is down that way." Raslin led the way, waving to Theri as they passed; she looked unhappy at the news Raslin had dropped on her. Hopefully she'd spread it further, as well as keep people from pestering Ailynn about it. Theri was good at gossiping, but also well-respected enough that if she said to leave something be, people listened.
    "You're Raslin?"
    "Yes," Raslin said slowly. "Who are you? I didn't get your names."
    "Jallen," the man with the smooth voice said. A quicksilver smile flashed across his face as he jerked a gloved thumb at his companion, who was guiding the horses at a slow walk to keep pace with Raslin. "This is Ambry."
    "Did the snow slow you much?" Raslin asked curiously, because for all intents and purposes the roads nearby should be terrible. At least the names Jallen and Ambry matched with what Kyros had told him. There was every possibility the two men were imposters, but Raslin didn't see what the purpose of such subterfuge would be.
    "More than we'd planned," Jallen replied easily, as though it didn't matter to him that he was arriving days late. Raslin nodded, lapsing into silence as he led the way through the village. Jallen and Ambry didn't make any attempts at conversation, and Raslin passed the short trip trying to figure out what to do if they turned out to be imposters.
    Ailynn's house came into view far too