I almost burst into tears.

  It was a ridiculous reaction. I wasn’t happy to see him. I was still angry at him. Perhaps even a little bit afraid of him.

  But… now someone in this awful place would believe me. Would listen.

  Renner had frozen in the doorway. He was staring at me.

  I pressed a trembling hand to my mouth.

  Terrence clasped my shoulder gingerly. “Hey, are you alright? You’re shaking.”

  I jerked my head up and down. My throat felt thick and my voice cracked as I rasped, “Y-yes, I’m sorry, I just… it’s been a l-long day.”

  The sound of wood creaking made me turn. Ward had stood up. He was looking at Renner, mouth curled into a grimace, and his fingers were once again on his sword.

  “A traveler at this hour? And…” the thin man trailed off. His flinty eyes flicked to me, then to Renner, and a ghastly smile crawled across his face. “Is this him?”

  “Him?” my former companion growled.

  I felt the blood drain from my face. I sidestepped over, positioning myself very deliberately between the two men and leveling a fierce look at Ward. “Y-yes, this is the man I told you about. And like I’ve told you a thousand times, he had nothing to do with Teela being taken.”

  Josiah rose from his seat near the bar, soundless and ominous. For a moment I dreaded that he had been swayed by the Watch member’s constant arguments. Aveline and Thom had also fallen silent.

  Terrence alone seemed at a loss. He looked around, then offered Renner a meek smile. “Er, hello. Brin’s mentioned you. Would you, uh, like to join us for supper?”

  The door creaked shut and Renner prowled forwards. Something about the way he was moving made me uneasy. It reminded me of how he’d acted in Gil’s home. Steps that were slow and deliberate. Muscles that seemed coiled. As if he was waiting for violence.

  I suppose I can’t blame him. Salt, Ward looks like he’s about ready to draw his sword. And Josiah… I need to fix this.

  I cleared my throat and spread my hands in what I hoped was an appeasing gesture. “Look, why don’t we all sit and… and, if you want, I’m sure Renner will, um, answer any questions you have?” I looked at him pleadingly.

  He stopped a few paces away. The scents of pine and earth hit my nose. Copper eyes lowered and then lifted, examining me from head to toe. “Questions, huh? I’ve got a few of my own. For starters, what are you doing here?”

  I tried not to shiver at his expression. “Looking for Teela, of course. What… what are you doing… h-here…”

  A chill ran down my spine as the pieces fell into place. The clear anger on his face, the coiled readiness, what I’d told him about Agnes…

  Saints above. Is he here to kill her?

  I let out a breath, suddenly very happy that there were five other people staying at the inn tonight. He couldn’t very well murder an old woman with so many witnesses around.

  My eyes fell from his face to his cloak and worn leathers. They were dappled with pine sap and scattered fir needles. His boots were caked in mud.

  My pulse quickened. Was he… he couldn’t have been…

  “Were you looking for her, too?” I whispered, hardly daring to hope.

  He grimaced. “No.” Silence hung between us like a fog. After a long moment he dragged one gloved hand through his mussed hair and muttered, “Doesn’t matter. Didn’t find anything.”

  I peered up. My lips trembled and he looked away.

  Ward came stomping over. “Well, scoundrel, you’ve some behavior to account for. And I’ll wager this ends with you in chains.”

  Renner looked him up and down. “Scoundrel, huh? That’s a new one. And what do I call you?”

  The man’s narrow face twisted into a scowl and he drew himself up to his full height. Which was not very much bigger than me, or Renner, for that matter. “Ward Genwell, second-in-command to captain Rell of the Snowmelt Watch. By my authority, I hereby place you under arrest.”

  Renner blinked slowly. Then he tilted his head in my direction. “Ladyship. Make better friends.”

  I scrubbed at my face and choked down a weary laugh.

  Ward’s hollow cheeks turned a mottled shade of red. “You think this is a joke? There’s a young woman missing, and you are the obvious suspect.”

  “You’re still not listening to me,” I growled, glaring up at the man. “And you’re wasting time. Look, if you have questions then I’m sure Renner can… er, corroborate my story.”

  Ward gestured to a nearby table, sneering at the man beside me. “Well? Will you answer some questions?”

  Renner didn’t answer. I glanced over to see that he was looking behind him, towards the door.

  Josiah was standing near it. His burly arms were braced against a windowsill and he was peering out through the glass, as if searching the growing darkness for something. The huge man glanced towards us. His eyes were dark. His heavy axe was propped against the wall just behind him.

  “Who’s your other friend?” Renner’s voice had that too-casual tinge to it. That low, rusty hint of wariness. The tone he used to ask me what I was thinking about when he knew it was something awful.

  Something cold knotted in my stomach.

  I swallowed. “That’s… that’s Josiah. And this is Terrence, and Thom and… er, and you’ve already met… um…” I gestured vaguely towards the lovely, dark-haired woman nearby. My face grew warm.

  I cut my gaze towards the woman in question and started. Aveline was watching us with hooded eyes. Rather than offer any kind of greeting, she rose and slipped away into the kitchen.

  Ashes, is she suspicious of him, too? They can’t all be!

  “Uh-huh. You got a room, ladyship?” He was still looking at Josiah.

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  The large man wasn’t moving.

  I clutched nervously at my cloak. Something’s wrong. He knows it, too. They’re acting like he’s about to attack all of us, or run out the door!

  All except Terrence. He was shifting from foot to foot, one hand tugging at his tawny hair. A very awkward, uncertain smile was tugging at his mouth.

  “Not yet,” I said quietly. “We… we only just arrived.”

  “Miss Agnes is fixing everyone some supper,” Terrence supplied helpfully. He patted a nearby tabletop and gave a nervous chuckle. “Maybe, uh, we can all sit down and hear Miss Brin’s story again? And, er, ask questions? Get this… sorted?” His brown eyes flicked towards Ward hopefully.

  The thin man’s lips were white and pressed tightly together. He made no answer, other than to shift slightly towards the kitchen.

  In front of the hallway. And now there were people blocking both exits.

  My heart pounded madly. They’re overreacting.This is just a misunderstanding. They’re suspicious of Renner but they… they don’t have a good reason, and…

  Gods. Oh, gods, what if this is something else?

  “Okay.” Renner rubbed his jaw. Leather scraped against his stubble. It was only the sound in the room. “Yeah. Sure. Let’s all sit and talk.” He looked pointedly at the two standing figures and gestured towards the nearest table. “Well?”

  Josiah didn’t move. Neither did Ward.

  Renner spread his hands and slid into a chair. His pack slipped off one shoulder and fell to the floor beneath the table. “I’m ready when you are.”

  Terrence gave an awkward, too-loud laugh in the tense silence and sat nearby. He looked up at me, forehead furrowed and eyes round.

  I swallowed and took a step towards the other side of the table. Gloved fingers caught mine and tugged. I looked down.

  Renner inclined his head towards the chair beside him. Between him and the wall. I bit my lip and settled into it, then offered Ward a faint smile.

  “Let’s get this sorted, Ward. What questions did you want to ask?”

  The narrow-faced man glanced towards the kitchen. He seemed to be thinking. Then he stalked forwards and braced his hands against the table, hovering over us and glowering.

  “Right. How about an explanation, to start with. Why did you come to Snowmelt with this woman?”

  Renner’s eyebrows lifted in feigned surprise. “What, you really gotta ask?” He tipped his head towards me. “We met on the road. I’m all for good company.”

  Ward’s flinty eyes narrowed. “Ah, but didn’t you have ‘pressing business’ in Pinnacle? Why take a detour?”

  Renner snorted. “Figured I’d get a horse. And if a pretty face like this wants to see the sights, how can a man say no?”

  Heat flooded up my neck. I didn’t have time to be embarrassed for long, though; his knee nudged against mine, too hard to be accidental. I flicked my eyes downwards. He was prodding his pack towards me from underneath the table.

  Sweat pooled along my brow. He’s worried. I don’t think he’d be worried if these people just wanted to arrest him. This is something more.

  I tilted my chin to one side and peered through my lashes towards the door.

  Josiah still hadn’t moved.

  Ward scowled. “And, what, this Teela was an afterthought? Why didn’t you stay and help find her?”

  “He had to go to-”

  “Be quiet. Let him answer.”

  I gaped up, fuming.

  Renner gave a rusty little huff of laughter. “Nah, it’s like she says. I had to get north. Spent some time looking for our friend today. Didn’t find anything, so figured I’d hole up here and set out at dawn.”

  Ward stroked his jaw. “And what is it you’re so desperate to get to Pinnacle for? What business do you have there?”

  I swallowed tightly.

  Renner kept his voice even. “That’s personal.”

  Silence crawled across the table. Ward drummed his fingers rapidly against the wood, eyes glinting. “So you’re not even going to say? It must have been important. So important that you’d leave a woman to die- unless you’re the one who did away with her?”

  His eyebrows rose again. “Right. So… you think I, what? Found these ladies on the road, lured them into a town full of witnesses, and then… dragged one off into the wilderness to do gods’ know what? And then waltzed back into town, spent the morning with Brin, left her alive and aware of the situation and… took off? Was I laughing evilly while I made my getaway?”

  Ward’s face turned scarlet.

  I peered up at him, at the fresh scowl brewing on his features, and whispered, “You know that doesn’t make sense. You know it. It’s what I’ve been telling you all day. And it’s exactly what your captain said. Are you truly so convinced there can’t be a monster?”

  He didn’t answer.

  Renner’s boot bumped into mine again. I snuck a glance downwards. His pack was just beside my feet. I could reach down and snatch it at a moment’s notice.

  Why, though? Why is he giving me his things? Does he want me to take the shard? Pull the crossbow out? Grab it all and run for the door?

  I tried to search his face for some clue, but he wasn’t looking at me. He was watching Thom, now. The stout man had drifted towards the bar and was pouring himself a drink, seemingly disinterested in our conversation.

  I twisted in my chair and faced Josiah. “Think. That version of events is just… ludicrous. And the captain came with me and saw the marks outside our window. He said it was a Fae. This… Renner doing all of this just doesn’t make any sense. You have to see that.”

  The enormous man just stooped to peer out of a window again. He made no response.

  Ward continued to loom over the two of us. “Lady, what I see is a hostile stranger who made some very suspicious decisions. Negligent, even.”

  “Hostile?” Renner turned towards me. His expression was all innocence. “Am I coming across as hostile, ladyship?”

  My mouth felt very dry. “No.”

  “Didn’t think so.”

  Ward curled his lip. “You’re refusing to answer questions. I’m choosing to consider that hostile.”

  Renner leaned back in his chair. The wood creaked and groaned beside me. He folded both arms behind his head, looking almost languid, and gave Ward a lazy grin.

  “I gotta say; as a concerned citizen with a missing friend, I’m not convinced the Snowmelt Watch is doing its finest work, here.”

  Ward’s hands clenched. He pressed his knuckles into the table. “Perhaps we’re simply ill-quipped to deal with roving murderers.”

  “Is the food ready?” Terrence interrupted, his voice slightly shrill. He lurched to his feet, facing the kitchen.

  I looked over. Aveline had reappeared. She was holding the stone mortar in one hand and a large mug in the other.

  I caught a faint whiff of apples. Apples and sharp ginger and something pleasantly sweet.

  Agnes stepped out from the hallway. She stood quietly for a moment, smoothing out a few loose strands of wispy gray hair, and then gave Terrence a small smile. “Not just yet, young Master. In fact, I was hoping to ask you to accompany Miss Aveline outside. I need a few more herbs from my garden. She can show you which ones.”

  The young man blinked. “More… herbs? Well, ma’am, it’s nearly dark out-”

  She tutted. “Oh, you’ve got a bit of sunlight left. It won’t take long. Trust me, the flavor will be worth it.” She winked at him. The skin around her eyes and mouth crinkled with that same warm mirth she so often displayed.

  My pulse began to race. Aveline drifted forwards and took Terrence’s hand. She gave him a sweet smile. “You won’t let me go all alone, will you?”

  He balked. His cheeks turned pink. “Oh, er, no, of course not! Let’s just… we should try to be very quick, I think.”

  “It won’t take long,” she echoed, and tugged him towards the entrance. Josiah eased himself to the side as the pair drifted out the door and closed it gently behind them.

  Then he moved back in front of it.

  “Ladyship.” Renner’s murmur was too casual again.

  The back of my neck prickled. “Yes?”

  “You know that thing you did earlier? When you almost ruined my boots?”

  The fire. Veth. When I’d nearly set myself, him, and Gil ablaze. “Y-yes?”

  He leaned towards me. His smile was easy, his tone conversational. But his eyes were dangerous. “Think you could do it again?”

  Cold sweat beaded along my temples. My fingers trembled. Can I fight. That’s what he means. Can I defend myself. Oh, salt, what does he think is going to happen? “I… I can try,” I whispered.

  Hushed voices made me turn my attention back to Agnes. She had sidled over to the bar nearby and was speaking quietly with Thom. I couldn’t make out what they were saying, but the stout man’s eyes flicked towards me. He nodded.

  Ward straightened. He was watching the pair, too. When they fell silent he growled, “Well? This solves it, right?”

  “Ward.” The low rumble from behind made me shiver.

  Agnes patted at her apron and pursed her thin, wrinkled lips. “It’s alright, Josiah. I think he’s got the right idea.”

  “And what idea is that?” my companion asked. His voice was very soft.

  She sniffed. “All this business is just dreadful, isn’t it? A missing woman, and the whole town in an uproar. Just terrible.”

  “It is,” I rasped. “T-terrible. Please. Please, help us find her.”

  My words died in the air. Agnes’ face grew cold again. Ward glowered at me. There was a quiet thud from behind as Josiah stepped towards us. Thom moved to stand beside Ward.

  Renner drew a dagger.

  The hiss of metal made my blood freeze.

  Then Agnes cleared her throat. “It does make things simpler. You showing up.” She bared her yellow teeth at Renner in a vicious leer.

  “Happy to help,” he snarled.

  I could feel him coiled and taught beside me. His fingers were sliding from the hilt of the knife down to its blade.

  She shook her head. “It’s a shame, really. This sweet young lady came to my establishment, and who should return but the villain who killed her friend? Came to finish what he started. Thank goodness these fine men were here to finish you off. But not before you’d killed poor Miss Brin. What a tragedy.”

  Ward snickered. The blood drained out of my face.

  Josiah murmured from a little ways behind us, “Baltha, or just… dead?” I could practically hear him wince at the question.

  Agnes sighed. “Baltha. Two should keep her happy for a good while.” She gave a dry little chuckle. “I think the wildlife has been quite hard for her, lately.”

  Ward rolled his eyes.

  “No one will believe this!” I cried, lurching to my feet. My whole body was shaking.

  Renner rose very slowly. He shifted to one side, angling a shoulder in front of me and pressing me back towards the wall. I could see his thumb rubbing along the wicked-looking silver blade.

  Agnes huffed. “You think? Hm. She may have a point. Perhaps it all happened out in the woods. They buried your bodies and just can’t seem to recall exactly where.” She tittered. “There. That should be a bit easier to swallow.”

  I felt like I couldn’t breathe. My voice rose several octaves, becoming shrill with panic. “They… the captain knows there’s a Fae, he’ll have questions, you won’t-”

  “Ladyship.”

  “What?!”

  “Now.”