“So have you known Joss long?” I asked.
“Only forever and a day,” Darren sighed and his eyes took on a faraway look as he began to recall his days of youth. “His father and I were the best of friends. You should have seen us, we used to get into all kinds of trouble growing up. I try to visit every year during the warm seasons and in the fall, and I never miss the Wind Festival.”
Darren’s smile faltered a bit. “Joss’ father decided to give up on the life of adventure and settle down to have a family. I’ve tried to settle down and stay in one place, I really have but I can’t. The open skies and the road calls to me like a beautiful woman. I never know what’s around the next bend, and life on the road is like a story that never ends. But despite my roving lifestyle, I’ve been named Joss’ godfather and I take it pretty seriously.” Darren looked toward Joss who turned around in his saddle and rolled his eyes at his godfather.
I smirked at the friendly banter between the two. “So there isn’t anyone that you’ve loved enough to settle down and marry?” I felt ashamed as soon as the question left my mouth.
“Ah, Melani,” Darren sighed. “I hold her heart but the road holds mine. I’ve tried to stay and do right, but the longer I stay in one place the moodier I become and the harder I am to live with, or so I’ve been told. Until one day, Melani will get fed up and start throwing dishes at me. She’s a passionate one and a beauty when she’s angry; which is why I love her. She’ll be hollerin’ for me to get out of the house with a demand to not come back until I have ridden off my restlessness.” He shrugged good-naturedly. “So I try and find jobs along the way, errands to run, messages that need delivered. And I will usually go visit my godson. Until a warm hearth, good food and my woman call me home. I’ve tried to tell her that I’m no good for her but she believes that I will one day tame my ways and stay for good. I tell you it’s in my blood. My ancestors were rovers, scoundrels and thieves.”
“Really?” I was shocked.
“Why of course,” Darren went on, “but Melani always takes me back, I mean, why wouldn’t she? I’ve got great taste in clothing, I buy extravagant gifts and I know how to grovel when the RARE need arises.” He looked over his shoulder and raised his eyebrows at me comically.
It felt good to laugh. I felt as if a chunk of the imaginary shield I put around me had fallen off. The thought of continually being courted by someone like Darren had a warming feeling and made me laugh. Joss brought his horse, Anthem, up alongside us with a questioning look on his face.
“Don’t worry, Joss, I didn’t tell her about the time you got into your mother’s powders.” Joss turned bright pink again and started to sputter. I laughed even louder at his expression. And then I caught Joss sharing a look with Darren and his face became calmer and turned understanding; as if Darren did this for my benefit only and was silently conveying it to him. After I had settled down, I gave voice to the questions that have been plaguing me.
“Darren, tell me about the Citadel.”
Darren paused a moment, as if deep in thought, before answering, “The Citadel is the heart of the city, not only by its location but because of its purpose. It was established as a facility to train and protect the few remaining Denai.”
“Sounds like a prison,” I quipped lightly, but actually felt my stomach knot up at the thought of going there.
“Oh, no. The Denai’s gifts are slowly disappearing so the late Queen Portia II established the Citadel to help them try and strengthen their gifts. The Queens have always been partial to helping the Denai.”
“But why are you taking me there? I’m not a Denai?”
“No, but Joss is. And other than the Palace, the Citadel is the safest place in Calandry. Even the Queen thinks it’s almost impenetrable. So I will take you there and let the Adept Council choose what to do next. They run the Citadel and make the reports to Queen Lilyana. After all, this is a Denai matter. You said so yourself that there were Denai imprisoned as well. Just because many of the Denai live in Calandry without fear of being exterminated, doesn’t mean that they will accept the help or the rule of the Queen. So it is best we notify the Adepts as well. Would you rather I bring you to the Queen’s court?” I let Darren’s words sink in and before I could start to feel scared at facing a whole council of Denai, Joss rode up.
“There’s an inn up ahead and it would be good to stop for the night.” Joss actually looked eager.
“I don’t know, Joss,” Darren slowly stated, “I would feel more comfortable once we are inside Haven’s city limits.”
“It’s better than being outside. Besides I know the inn owners and can guarantee their silence,” Joss argued.
The thought of a warm bed and fire made me ache for the ability to make the horses magically appear at the inn.
“Oh please, may we stay?” I asked longingly, touching Darren lightly on the shoulder. “I know I don’t have any money for a room, but I could write you a lenders note and pay you back as soon as I’m able.”
Joss looked horrified at the thought.
“Thalia, please don’t even think of paying us back, after what you’ve been through you deserve this. I’m only sorry we don’t know who did this to you.” I could tell by the look in his eyes that he meant it.
We may have only been a few miles from the inn, but it felt like a hundred. I was practically dancing in the saddle in anticipation of sleeping in a real bed and I could feel Gypsy pick up her pace. I was excited to see the two-story Ginger Dragon Inn. It was well kept with large stables in the back.
The stable boy eagerly took our horses and began unsaddling and wiping them down. After Darren made sure the boy knew his way around a horse, he gave him a silver piece. The boy’s mouth dropped open when Darren promised the same if he would give them each one treat out of his bag. He handed the boy his own leather bag.
The boy’s eyes grew wide at the silver piece, and nodded his head. “Yes sir, I’ll take care of them, sir. One apiece.”
“What’s in the bag?” I asked Joss.
“Carromint Cookies,” he grinned. “Darren makes them especially for his horse. I’ve never seen a man so peculiar about his horse’s treats, but he makes them from a secret recipe himself. This way, he guarantees his horse’s loyalty, and then they are less likely eat treats fed to them by eager children. Human food is not for horses. Gypsy is spoiled on his cookies and will throw a venerable fit if he doesn’t get one.”
Joss pulled his saddle pack from Anthem before handing his reins to the boy. “My horse Anthem likes them as well. They don’t taste bad either. I snitched one once and Darren caught me, and he about had my head. They taste like carrots and peppermints.”
I glanced at Darren’s strong back and pictured him in a kitchen with an apron on making cookies for his horse and it made me chuckle. This information, though bizarre, only made me like him more. Joss, on the other hand, wasn’t forthcoming about information about himself or his family. It was usually Darren feeding me tidbits and they were still very vague. Just then my stomach growled.
“Let’s get inside, Mara will get us situated.” Joss led the way while Darren gave final instructions to the stable boy and gathered our things.
