She reached to squeeze Guin's hand, seeming to startle the girl. But Guin managed a smile in return, and they continued on in silence.
When Ronan paused to eat a quick meal by the roadside, Ashyn and Guin rode his way. He reached for his blade but stopped when he saw Tova. Ashyn braced, expecting him to scowl and march over to confront them, but he only smiled.
"Changed his mind, did he?" Ronan got to his feet and scoured the landscape. "Where is his highness? Off prowling as usual?"
"He headed west."
"There's nothing there. I just came from that way."
"So did we. I meant that he headed west after you left. We're going with you."
Now the scowl came. "I hope that's a joke, Ash."
"It is not. I'm going with you so I can get the news from the city. It's our best chance of hearing gossip on Moria. When you return to Tyrus, we'll ride back together."
He argued, but there was little he could do now with Tyrus long gone. Finally, he waved at Guin. "And her?"
"I asked Guin to come along," she lied for Guin's sake. "I thought that best. She can find a place in the city and--"
"I'm coming to care for your siblings," Guin cut in. "So you will have no cause for concern on their behalf."
Ronan sputtered, then settled for aiming an accusatory look at Ashyn.
"That was not what we discussed," she said slowly. "But perhaps it is not a bad idea . . ."
"Not a bad idea? She's been non-corporeal for an age. She's barely stopped walking into walls."
Guin glowered at him. "I have not walked into anything since my second day in this body. I can care for children. I had younger siblings when I was alive. They all survived the ordeal of my care."
Ashyn expected Ronan to snap back a retort, but he only glanced away and grumbled, "You'll not care for my siblings. Since the prince is long gone, though, I must accept Ashyn's companionship."
"You're too kind," she murmured.
He glared at her and said to Guin, "And since I accept hers, you--unfortunately--come as part of the deal. But if you impede our progress or endanger Ash at any turn--"
"I would never endanger Ashyn," Guin said hotly. "You, perhaps. But not her."
Ronan opened his mouth to reply, but Ashyn cut him off. "If I can find information on my sister, I'd like to do that soon. Can we stop arguing and start riding?"
THIRTY-SEVEN
At nightfall they stopped at an inn that had sprouted its own settlement, as inns sometimes did, with enterprising traders and artisans making their homes nearby to profit from travelers. The building itself was typical for the region--two stories, with an exterior walkway along the second floor.
Ronan and Guin went inside to get a room while Ashyn and Tova waited. Once a bedchamber had been acquired, they smuggled Ashyn up the outside steps to their room. It wasn't a given that she'd be recognized, but they took no chances.
Once inside she was expected to stay there until morning. Guin and Ronan would be more sociable, dining downstairs and wandering among the trading carts in hopes of hearing news.
Ronan managed to sneak Tova up when he brought Ashyn's evening meal.
"There's something going on out there," he said. "A rumor. I'm trying to track it down."
"What are they saying?"
"Not much. But when trouble is afoot, people get anxious. There's almost a . . ." He struggled for the word. "Something in the air. A sharpness. A tightness."
"Does Guin notice it?"
He made a face. "Hardly." He leaned against the wall. "There are things you learn growing up as a thief, and some of them aren't as obvious as others. You need to be able to tell when people are nervous so you can get out before it goes bad."