Into the Mountains of Mastria

Chapter 14

Varick

A slight knot has worked its way to the pit of my stomach. The closer to Fallmore we get, the larger the knot seems to grow. Now only minutes from entering the town's gates, its presence looms over me threatening to crush me. I keep my eyes forward and my grip on the reins steady, regardless. If I let my anxieties seep out of me, then Cordelia may notice and I can't have that.

Just yesterday I was joyously anticipating our arrival. We would finally be free of Jonas, giving me the alone time with Cordelia that I so desperately crave. That moment with her by the campfire was torture, but knowing that I would soon have her all to myself had comforted me.

But after last night I can't help but wonder just how alone we will be. The strange fawning from Jonas has been a bit of a wake-up call. I honestly forgot that I have become a bit of a minor legend over the decades. You really don't think twice when one of the girls in the brothels swoons over your reputation, it is their job after all. Not that I shy away from the attention, either. It has never really mattered one way or the other until today.

My fingers tighten around the reins, my nerves finally getting the better of me. Jonas is leaning into Cordelia, sharing every story about me he can conjure. I can't tell if the kid is trying to help or thinking he found a loophole to keep close to her. Both scenarios are equally annoying. I don't need his help to garner Cordelia's interest. I was doing just fine before we picked him up.

The real issue is if everyone finds out about Cordelia before we arrive in Bheinn Réalta. It will be much easier to convince Kalen and the other elders to let her stay if they don't know about her ahead of time. Cadmon might even side with me if he isn't given time to really think about it. Thanks to Alister's ridiculous stunt, outsiders are rarely welcome. It is probably the one thing we all agree on.

Fallmore is big enough that maybe we could just slip in unnoticed. Except that I have a huge monster head attached to the cart, that will bring plenty of attention to us. Turning it in for payment will also garner attention. And with the festival going on, there will be plenty of travelers from all over inside the city. Running into a familiar face at an inn would not be good.

I draw out a long sigh, resigning myself to the original plan. I'll find Graeme Galley, the Lord of the land who takes residency in Fallmore, and use the beast's head as a bargaining chip for Cordelia to accompany me. I am hopeful Lord Galley won't have any issues with me having a traveling companion.

Lord Galley has always been an ally of mine, insisting I stay in his estate when I pass through. He doesn't live outside the city in his keep like others in his station, instead choosing to plant himself slightly off center on the inside. It has been a decade, easily, since I last saw Fallmore, though. The jobs I have taken on in the last few years seem to always take me around the city.

That knot begins to tighten again as a new worry piles on. If he doesn't let us stay, then I don't actually have a back-up plan. The inns are all probably full because of the Solstice, as much as I hate to admit it. The only way this will work is if Graeme still thinks kindly of me. Maybe the gods will show me a little mercy.

The line to get inside the city walls stretches for a half a mile, at least. It isn't unexpected of a city like Fallmore to have a traffic issue right before the Solstice. No one can get in without passing through security which can take a bit of time on a normal day, festival security is no doubt much stricter. House Galley has always been cautious when protecting the city, Graeme being no exception.

Fallmore is centrally located between the borders of Vallistaril, Thelssiar, and Mastria making it a prime location for merchants and bards to stop. The other big draw is the Adhradh An Go Leor, the city's temple which caters to the worship of multiple gods because of the number of travelers who pass through. No other place accommodates such a variety of devoted worshipers.