Abducted [W&W Book 3]

Chapter 10

It took an annoyingly short time to retrace the distance that Ildri had walked by horse.  When they were nearing the edge of the small town, Ty took the vial from the sack hanging off the saddle and handed it to Ildri.  She sighed, but she took it and drank it.

The potion tasted as if it could not decide whether to taste boring or bad, but worse it coated her mouth and throat with an unpleasant fuzzy feeling.   "That was terrible," she complained.

"I know," he agreed.

"Is anything happening?  What will I look like after this?  How long will it last for?" she asked.

"Everyone looks a bit different, but you'll look a lot older and it only lasts for a couple of days.  It wears off gradually."

She looked at her hands which still looked basically the same as they had before.  "That's why you kept looking younger, right?   And why are my hands still looking normal?  Has my face changed?"

"It'll take a minute or two.  You'll know when it does."

"I don't see why I have to look all old."

"They are looking for a young girl and an old man.  We'll say that you're my grandmother if we need a story.  Hopefully we'll get through without being noticed."

Ildri did not want to be anyone's grandmother, but she supposed that it was as good a story as any.

Then a peculiar prickling feeling went all across her skin.  "That is so odd," Ildri exclaimed as the feeling faded away.

"Now you look totally different.  Let's go."

They continued towards the town and once in the midst of it Ty dismounted and helped Ildri down.  "Try to move like an old woman," he whispered.

"I am," she hissed back.  "And you're really one to talk."

Ty responded out loud.  "There, there grandma, I know you're tired.  Why don't you go and rest in the shade while I tie up the horse and get some supplies."

"But I want to come inside, and I also want to see if there are any travelling merchants," she argued.

"Grandma, you know that you're not as young as you used to be," he said, and then added in an undertone, "The less that they see of us the better.  And it would be good if you would keep an eye on the horse.  Please, Ildri."

"Fine.  We wouldn't want that horse to be stolen or anything.  You go on," Ildri said, and then moved to sit in the shade of the tree that he had indicated.  She felt very irritated at his highhandedness.  Was he worried that she would tip people off that they were more than what they seemed?  She could not help pouting a little while he tied up the horse a short distance behind her.

It was nice and cool with the canopy above her.  At least she got off her feet.  And the birds were singing.  She would rather be inside somewhere safe surround by and talking to people.  She had thought that they had reached an understanding but here he was treating her like a naughty child.

She was growing quite bored by the time Ty came out of the wooden dwelling, carrying a couple of saddlebags which seemed to be filled with things.  As Ildri watched a young woman came out after him, carrying another bag.

They moved close enough that she could hear what they were saying.  Ty spoke to the girl who was distressingly pretty.  "I could have made an extra trip."

"Oh, I don't mind," she said and smiled up at Ty.

"I thank you for the assistance," he said gallantly as he tied the bags on the saddle.