I did and got no further. "What do you mean?"

He muttered a few mild curses and looked up at me with a dark frown. "I wonder if I shouldn't tie you up and drag you back to Hadronsstead for a year while I teach you a few things." I returned his glance steadily. He sighed. "No one has ever told you about amulets, have they? No, I haven't and it’s damn sure no one else would." He shifted in his seat to race me directly. "Lanen, you know of the minor demonlords, don't you? Sorcerers, demon callers?"

I nodded.

"Well, aside from meddling with more dangerous things, I had often sell magical abjects made with the aid of minor demons, to keep them in the materials they need for their damnable work. The most popular are amulets of Glamour. Their single object is to make the wearer irresistible to the opposite sex, and they work beautifully for that—but to those of the same sex the wearer is not changed at all." Jamie took my hand. "My girl, you know there, is none would be more pleased than I to see you happy with a man. But this Bors, if that’s his name—I only caught a glimpse of him, but from what I could tell he's no more handsome than I am, and he looks nearer my age than yours. Now tell me, if you can: did he seem to have a glow about him?"

"Yes, he did," I said: As I spoke I could see it, a faint outline of light around him: I didn't remember noticing it, but the memory was there.

And suddenly I was furious. Acting like an idiot child from the nearness of an attractive man was silly but no harm to any. Being made to do so was base deception and it made my blood boil.

Especially because I was deeply smitten with him. Damnit. Jamie finished his drink and stood. "Right, then, my girl. Let's go."

He surprised me out of some of my anger. Usually when I was in this state he just let me stew. "Where?"

"Down to the river." I stared at him. "Or do you not want to learn when the boats set out for Corli?" he asked.

My laugh surprised him. "I thought you were going to help me find Bors and pitch him in!"

Jamie smiled, a gleam in his eye, "That's an idea whose time has come, sure enough, but I don't think he's worth the effort."

I laughed again. "True enough. To the river it is!" We strode out of the inn and down the street, laughing as we went.

It didn't take us long to find the riverboats. We still heard no word of a sailing from Corli, but several of the captains said ward would never come so far north in any case, and we'd just have to go to Corli herself to find out. When I asked about transport, I found that most of them moved goods rather than people, but Jamie and I did find one that was taking passengers all the way to the harbour at Corli. The owner and captain of the riverboat Maid of Ilsa was a young man named Joss. He agreed to take me, but where most were waiting until the fair was over some three days hence, he was leaving the next day at sunrise. He said it would take the best part of three weeks, which delighted me—it was less than half the time of overland travel. I paid him and promised to be at the pier well before dawn. .

Before we left, Jamie took him aside and spoke with him. I strongly suspected that Joss was getting an earful of advice regarding my safety and well—being on this journey—at any rate, both he and Jamie seemed content when they parted.

As Jamie and I walked back to the fair, I was surprised that I was not filled with pleasure at the idea of setting out on my journey. Instead, sadness had claimed me; I left on the morrow, and from now the rest of my journey must happen without Jamie. I had thought all this time that being a wanderer on my own meant being alone, and the idea had seemed sweet. Now I saw with eyes grown older by two weeks of travelling with one I loved. It felt like years. I would miss him terribly.

As we drew nigh to the inn, Jamie said quietly, "Well, my girl, you're off at last." A smile touched his face. "At least you've the sense not to head into the mountains at this time of year: I’ve done that much good at least."

The sadness in his voice was hard to bear.

"Now mind yourself in Corli, my girl. The docks are rough, and they're not above cutting a purse in the streets in broad daylight anywhere in the city, though they usually stop short of a throat before dark. Corli is far larger than Illara, and that much more dangerous." He stopped, took my shoulders in his hands and stared into my eyes. "Are you still determined to do this alone, Lanen? Could I not come with you, as far as Corli? I could tell the lads to take the silver back, they're trustworthy, I'm sure that riverman has another berth for the trip—"

I had dreaded this moment, but only truth would do between us. "Jamie, I've had this argument with myself ever since we left Hadronsstead." I blinked fast to keep the tears from my eyes. "You know I love you more than anyone alive. You're my only family. But I can't rely on you forever, any more than I could stay at Hadronsstead. If ever I am to live my own life, I must do this alone. I’m sorry."

He closed his eyes and let his arms fall away from my shoulders. "Aye, well. I thought I’d try." He looked up again, his expression echoing my own determination. "Lanen my girl, I hate long goodbyes. If I’m not to go with you I've no more business here, and to be honest I couldn't bear sitting around tonight waiting for you to leave. I'm off back to Hadronsstead tonight. I'll only need long enough to pack."

I stared at him. "But Jamie—"

"Now, don't you do it. You're right, it's best this way. You've the rest of the day to have a look at the fair, be sure you do, it’s an amazing thing." The White Horse' Inn was before us. "I’ll not be five minutes packing, just you off and find the lads and tell them to get themselves ready. You get Shadow ready to go and I'll meet you in the tavern of the White Horse in a few minutes. Now be off with you!"

I left him in a daze. The lads I found all together at a stall selling ale in the horse fair grounds and told them they were leaving. I had expected to find them not best pleased, but they seemed not to feel too hard done by. I brought one of them with me to the White Horse to fetch Shadow, and left him to wait for the others while I talked with Jamie.

He was already in the tavern. We didn't take long to make our few arrangements. I decided that I had too much silver with me already, and sent my share of the profits back with Jamie. I stood by miserably while he had a farewell drink. He managed to chat lightly of the trip back, how it was always so much faster and easier than the trip out; of what he would have to tell Walther, of the new way things would be done now that he was Walther's partner rather than his foreman and more than partner, his overlord, as I have your voice as well as my own, he said with a wicked smile.

"Now, Jamie, don't rub his nose in it," I managed, trying to keep my voice light. "The poor soul is helpless enough as it is."

He grinned at me. "If I didn't know better I’d think you had a soft spot in your heart for him."

"Soft enough to flatten him," I replied. "But I didn't kick him when he was down. Perhaps you're right, I must like him better than I thought."

Jamie finished his drink. "There now, that'll keep me on the road until nightfall. Time I was off." I followed him out into the yard. All three of the lads were there, idly chatting, and holding Shadow and Jamie's Blaze along with their own mounts. Jamie turned to me. "Now, then, my girl, I'll bid you farewell," he said. "Mind what I've taught you. Keep your wits about you, and try not to kill that Bors if he cormes pestering you again."

I laughed, as he knew I would. "I promise I'll only wound him." I reached out to him and he gathered me in his arms and held me close. I was taken with a trembling. "Oh, Jamie," I whispered. He did not speak for a moment, only pulled me to his heart and embraced me with all his strength. "Lanen, daughter, go you safe and keep you safe, and come safe home to me," he whispered, his voice rising at the end as his throat tightened. . .