Ronan rode up behind Ashyn and exhaled loudly. “My lady. There you are. I’ve been looking for you and asking after you…” His gaze traveled to the three warriors. “Oh. Thank you, brothers, for finding her.”
“These are Lord Asano Bakenko’s men,” she twittered excitedly. “What is the chance, to meet friends so far from both our homes?”
Ronan’s gaze took in the three men’s attire. “Lord Bakenko… I see…” He gave the men a hard look, as if to say he knew they lied. A wise move, which kept them from looking more closely at him – shabbily dressed for a warrior despite his blades.
“Well, I thank you, brothers, for your kindness,” Ronan said with a half bow. “I’ll take my lady to her father’s retinue. Her maidservant, too.” An equally hard look Guin’s way. “The girl will be properly chastised for this.”
“Me?” Ashyn said, eyes wide. “But I only —”
“I mean your maidservant, my lady, for allowing you to wander.” He rolled his eyes at the warriors and mouthed Northerners, and they shared a small laugh at the silly, empty-headed girl before he ushered her off.
“You’re a very good performer,” Ronan said as they rode back to Guin.
“Who says I was performing?”
He chuckled, his dark eyes glittering conspiratorially, and she felt a rush of warmth, as if he’d paid her the highest compliment. She glanced away and waved for Guin to join them.
They headed back the way they’d come, as if returning to their retinue.
“Guin?” Ashyn whispered, moving closer to the girl. “Can you tell me what they’re doing?”
Guin frowned.
“You’re supposed to be my maidservant,” Ashyn said gently. “Your curiosity will seem less suspicious than ours.”
“They aren’t looking in this direction,” Guin said. “They’re searching for the prince. Where is he?”
“Safe,” Ronan said. “We’ll keep him that way by not riding directly to him. Follow my lead.”
“Blast him,” Ronan hissed as they surveyed the empty space behind the roadside shop. “He may tell us not to treat him as a prince, but he cannot stop acting like one. He does as he pleases.”
“Only when it’s in my best interests,” Tyrus said as he rounded the shop.
Ronan glowered. “Which is anytime you don’t like what you’re told to do.”
Tyrus grinned. “True.” He clapped Ronan on the back. “I was simply keeping an eye on those three, so we don’t lose them.”
“That would be the idea, your highness. To lose them. Which means they lose you.”
“Testy, aren’t you?”
“Because this could have been avoided if you’d heeded our warnings —”
“I did heed your warning. I hid back here, didn’t I?”
Ronan’s glower deepened. Of course Tyrus knew that wasn’t what he meant. The prince might claim no head for politics and machinations, but he could be as conniving as any courtier. His trick was to smile and charm and, if needed, play the fool. And, ultimately, get his way because he was indeed as obstinate as her sister. If Moria was a lightning storm – meeting every obstacle with fire and thunder – Tyrus was a steady spring rain – calmly but steadily wearing away everything in his path.
“We need information,” Tyrus continued, ignoring Ronan’s scowl. “If those men hope to collect a bounty on me —”
“Bounty?” Ronan said.
“Of course. They’re bounty hunters. Did you not see the beads on their forelocks?”
When Ronan looked at him blankly, Tyrus said, “It signifies that they are imperial bounty hunters. It’s a secret society, but as with all such things, that secrecy is often more a hope than reality. If you’ve not heard of them, then I suppose they aren’t quite as well-known as my father fears.”
“Your father has set a bounty on you?” Guin said.
“My father has nothing to do with such matters. And I cannot imagine there is a bounty on my head at all. I think those men recognized me, and they were trying to decide what to do about it. The trick now is to confirm that, find out what they know, and enlist their aid in getting me safely back to the imperial city.”
“And if I think that’s a very poor idea?” Ronan said.
Tyrus smiled. “I’d be disappointed if you didn’t. Your task is to watch over me, which includes exercising caution when I do not.”
“But does not include you actually listening to me when I do?”
“I listened when you told me to get off the road, didn’t I? I’m listening to your counsel now. I’m not planning to march out there and ask them to return me to the imperial city.”
“Then what do you plan to do?” Ashyn asked.
Tyrus explained.
TWENTY-NINE
Ashyn and Guin stood by a tree, far enough from the road to hear only the murmur of voices and the clatter of wagons. Tova lay at Ashyn’s feet. Daigo was, as always, with Tyrus, who was… elsewhere.
“I don’t understand it,” Guin was saying. “There’s a freedom to dresses that trousers simply don’t have. I don’t care if women may wear trousers now; I cannot wait to be out of these.”
“Trousers are certainly better for horseback riding. Nor would I want to walk any great distance in a dress. But I’ll admit I’ll be happy to put one on again. And the ones at court are certainly prettier than any pair of trousers. I’ve had fine dresses, but those were quite spectacular.”