The Book of Terrus: A Land of Sunlight

Chapter 23 - For Her

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The next morning when Lhara came downstairs for breakfast, she was both surprised and relieved to find Jath sitting at a table in The Lighthouse's common room next to Reyson. Both wore their old, faded travel clothes again, and Jath looked like he hadn't slept much. Dark circles ringed his eyes, making them look even more eerily colourless when he looked up from the glass of water he was nursing. Even so, despite the events of yesterday and his abrupt absence, a genuine smile brightened Jath's face when he saw Lhara.

"Good morning," Jath greeted Lhara and Yidu as the two of them took their seats at the table. "We ordered eggs and sausage a little while ago...they should be ready soon."

Lhara would not be so easily distracted. "Where did you go, Jath? We were worried!"

Jath's smile faltered momentarily, only to return, now with a distant, rather fixed quality to it. "I was out walking. Blue Stone is a beautiful city, and it's been quite a while since I was last here so there was a lot to see."

Before Lhara could press Jath further, Reyson interrupted. "Good, then you should know exactly which way it is to the marketplace. You and Lhara can go buy us supplies for the trip to Hashodi, and trade in those fancy dinner clothes for proper travel gear. I need to stay here and study the maps of The Night Forest."

The innkeeper arrived at the table just then, bringing a tray laden with food and a frown. Clearly the man still expected trouble from his four unusual guests, and had no intention of letting off on his scrutiny any time soon. As plates were passed around, Reyson shot Lhara a meaningful look. Lhara rolled her eyes. So, this was Reyson's plan; to have her use a trip to the market with Jath as an opportunity to spring Darenel Tremaris's offer on him.

"And what am I supposed to do all morning?" whined Yidu, already halfway through her first sausage. "Our room upstairs is boring...especially if Lhara's going to be out and gone!"

Reyson gave Yidu an exasperated glance. "Just your presence at the restaurant last night has probably already set tongues wagging all across Blue Stone. We need to lay low for the few days that we're here. Find some way to entertain yourself."

Yidu snorted. "Tssk, and Jath doesn't stand out!?" When Jath winced and Reyson glowered, Yidu changed tactics. "Fine. Maybe I'll go introduce myself to the cleaning maid then. I saw her hanging towels out to dry in the back yard this morning...very, very pretty, with nice hips."

Setting down his egg-laden fork, Reyson placed both hands on the tabletop and leaned in, a warning look in his eye. "I will repeat myself; we are NOT here to cause a scene. Nobody looks twice at two girls together in Moaan, but this is Blue Stone. Things are different here. You are to stay inside this inn and out of trouble until Lhara and Jath return, is that clear?"

"Yas Dad. Bury my bones, this is all very rich coming from a man who spent the whole trip here from Utunma playing coy with the First Mate."

"Ebn is too friendly for his own good." Reyson's tone could have frozen Aryna Lake solid. "And you are too nosy for yours. You will stay upstairs, in that room, and if I catch you elsewhere, I'm putting you on the first dingy back to Undor. Understood??"

Lhara and Jath sat across from one another in awkward silence while Reyson and Yidu bickered, both determinedly fixated on their breakfast. At one point, when Yidu reached across the table and stole Reyson's last sausage out of pure frustration, Lhara couldn't resist sneaking a peek up at Jath. He met her eye, and with a helpless little shrug shook his head. Lhara snickered before turning her attention back to her eggs. Then she remembered the task which Reyson had set her, and just like that all the warmth went out of the golden September sunrise filtering through The Lighthouse's curtains.