Knightqueen: hope you enjoy this!
Conte's Secret
Chapter 4
A week later, she rode through Tortall. Bitter fury marked her face, and two stripes of blood down her cheeks: she grieved for more people.
Her mare slowly walked the streets until Serrina dismounted and walked her tiredly through the streets. Pickpockets danced around her but she had nothing of value to steal, so soon she walked alone again, her eyes dreamy with nightmares.
She made her way towards the distant palace, her heart pining for the inn she'd called home, pining for the man who'd been like a father to her: the king of thieves who was now dead.
Following a guard's directions, she dismounted from her mare and led the mare to the stables. "There you go, Amara," she said softly as the horse's sweated sides heaved with exhaustion. "You've done such a splendid job, you've outdone yourself and I am so grateful!"
"You'll be wantin' a stall?" the stable groom called, backing out of another stall where a young stallion stamped hooves nervously at the scent of Serrina's mare.
"Yes," she called gratefully, keeping a wary eye on everything.
"I heard Baron Cooper was visiting here," she told the stable groom as he forked some hay into an empty stall, and she led her mare inside.
"Aye," the stable groom replied. "But why d'you need to know?"
She scooped a bucket through the water trough, took it back to her mare and rummaged through her only bag, took a brush from it and began sweeping it through her mare's dusty coat. "I've ridden five nights trying to find him," she said flatly. "I have a message for him from a dead man."
"Ah," the stable groom said.
She turned to face him. "You're Stefan, aren't you? My liege told me about you. One of George Cooper's...Baron Cooper's closest friends and finest men to have served him."
Stefan ducked his head. "Mebbe, mebbe not," he muttered.
"Can you tell me where he is?" Serrina insisted. "It's vital that I see him."
"With Sir Myles," Stefan said abruptly. "Make sure to knock first. Otherwise they'll both have you hung for eavesdropping on a highly secret meeting."
She nodded, finished running the comb along her mare's coat, stood back, gave it a critical eye, then swung her satchel back on her shoulder, set off.