brought back for her. Their northern route brought them closer and closer to the heart of winter, and the air became progressively colder.
Rialt surprised her by sitting her down and braiding her hair in a winding knot that went around her head. He’d laughed at her and Sarvell’s surprise and said, “When a man grows up with four sisters, he picks up a few tricks.”
It was hard to disguise her because she was so memorable. Changing her appearance had been easy enough, but her blindness was impossible to disguise, and it would be something that everyone would take note of. Sarvell suggested that when in sight of other people, they would act as if she were the victim of a recent fever that had robbed her temporarily of sight and strength. It wasn’t the best disguise, but they’d planned to avoid civilization as much as possible anyway.
The real problem was the news Sarvell brought back with him. The only two highways leading from Thornock into Ramath were heavily guarded and everyone was being examined closely. Crossing the border would be nearly impossible without being caught.
After dressing in her new clothes and burning the old ones, they sat and planned what to do next.
Sarvell blew out an irritable breath, saddle creaking as he leaned forward. “I know there’re a few back roads we could take as well, but I’m not very familiar with them.”
“Do no even think it, man,” Rialt denied almost before he could finish. “Those roads are near overrun with bandits. Folks think to cheat the road guards from their toll by taking other ways and they make rich pickings for bandits. It would be asking for trouble.”
“Then we have to use the main roads,” Sarvell concluded with a bone weary sigh. “Alright. I thought you might say that, so I took a look around when I was in town. My father has friends that run a caravan through here, and two of them are putting together a caravan train right now. It will be slower to travel with them, but it will get us through the checks.”
Nowhere in that had he said he’d already talked to them. Jewel was taken aback at his surety that these associates would help three wanted people. “You’re so sure they’ll help to smuggle me across?”
“Oh certainly,” he assured her as if he didn’t doubt it for a moment. “And spend the next twenty years bragging about it. My father likes them because they can get merchandise into…unattainable markets.”
“Smugglers, he means,” Rialt translated for her helpfully.
Despite herself, her interest piqued. “I’ve never been smuggled before. This should be interesting.”
Sarvell laughed outright, the sound warm and rich on her ears. “I don’t know what response I was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t that! Well, Jewel, they’ve never smuggled a person before either so I’m not sure how this will work. I just hope we can get you into the city without arousing suspicion.”
“Her hair be as dark as mine,” Rialt observed thoughtfully, “but her skin be more fair, like yours. Despite your fair hair, Sarvell, I think she would pass better as your sister than mine.”
“Which would make you, what?” Sarvell responded, tone intrigued. “Family bodyguard? Sent along to help me with her?”
“Eh, it be a workable enough story.”
“I certainly can’t think of a better one,” Sarvell acknowledged. “Alright. Jewel, you are now unofficially a Sorpan. I actually have a younger sister, so anyone that’s heard of my family won’t think it strange. Rialt, you’d better hand her to me.”
“Are you well known for being protective of this sister?” Rialt asked the question as if he already knew the answer.
“Well…yes.”
Jewel sat close enough to hear Rialt’s soft snort of amusement.
Rialt put a hand at the small of her back and led her closer to where Sarvell sat on his stallion, mounted. With no apparent effort, he put both hands at her waist and lifted her up. Sarvell accepted her with the
Rialt surprised her by sitting her down and braiding her hair in a winding knot that went around her head. He’d laughed at her and Sarvell’s surprise and said, “When a man grows up with four sisters, he picks up a few tricks.”
It was hard to disguise her because she was so memorable. Changing her appearance had been easy enough, but her blindness was impossible to disguise, and it would be something that everyone would take note of. Sarvell suggested that when in sight of other people, they would act as if she were the victim of a recent fever that had robbed her temporarily of sight and strength. It wasn’t the best disguise, but they’d planned to avoid civilization as much as possible anyway.
The real problem was the news Sarvell brought back with him. The only two highways leading from Thornock into Ramath were heavily guarded and everyone was being examined closely. Crossing the border would be nearly impossible without being caught.
After dressing in her new clothes and burning the old ones, they sat and planned what to do next.
Sarvell blew out an irritable breath, saddle creaking as he leaned forward. “I know there’re a few back roads we could take as well, but I’m not very familiar with them.”
“Do no even think it, man,” Rialt denied almost before he could finish. “Those roads are near overrun with bandits. Folks think to cheat the road guards from their toll by taking other ways and they make rich pickings for bandits. It would be asking for trouble.”
“Then we have to use the main roads,” Sarvell concluded with a bone weary sigh. “Alright. I thought you might say that, so I took a look around when I was in town. My father has friends that run a caravan through here, and two of them are putting together a caravan train right now. It will be slower to travel with them, but it will get us through the checks.”
Nowhere in that had he said he’d already talked to them. Jewel was taken aback at his surety that these associates would help three wanted people. “You’re so sure they’ll help to smuggle me across?”
“Oh certainly,” he assured her as if he didn’t doubt it for a moment. “And spend the next twenty years bragging about it. My father likes them because they can get merchandise into…unattainable markets.”
“Smugglers, he means,” Rialt translated for her helpfully.
Despite herself, her interest piqued. “I’ve never been smuggled before. This should be interesting.”
Sarvell laughed outright, the sound warm and rich on her ears. “I don’t know what response I was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t that! Well, Jewel, they’ve never smuggled a person before either so I’m not sure how this will work. I just hope we can get you into the city without arousing suspicion.”
“Her hair be as dark as mine,” Rialt observed thoughtfully, “but her skin be more fair, like yours. Despite your fair hair, Sarvell, I think she would pass better as your sister than mine.”
“Which would make you, what?” Sarvell responded, tone intrigued. “Family bodyguard? Sent along to help me with her?”
“Eh, it be a workable enough story.”
“I certainly can’t think of a better one,” Sarvell acknowledged. “Alright. Jewel, you are now unofficially a Sorpan. I actually have a younger sister, so anyone that’s heard of my family won’t think it strange. Rialt, you’d better hand her to me.”
“Are you well known for being protective of this sister?” Rialt asked the question as if he already knew the answer.
“Well…yes.”
Jewel sat close enough to hear Rialt’s soft snort of amusement.
Rialt put a hand at the small of her back and led her closer to where Sarvell sat on his stallion, mounted. With no apparent effort, he put both hands at her waist and lifted her up. Sarvell accepted her with the
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