courteous flattery grated on him.
‘If he were alive.’
She fell silent at the brusqueness of his reply and her expression took on that tranquil, inward quality. Probably reflecting on ill-mannered barbarians who knew nothing about honour or polite conversation.
‘There’s the town,’ he said, looking into the distance.
Her mouth pressed into a thin line as she stared at the faint outline. ‘I can go on my own from here.’
Time had slipped by quickly. The rush of the morning’s battle and the all-too-brief kiss afterwards had faded away. It was probably better for her if he did leave, but he could at least escort her safely into town as he’d promised.
‘I’ll take you,’ he said.
‘Won’t it be dangerous for you?’
‘No more dangerous than the rest of the empire.’
He hadn’t known how much he missed having someone to speak to. Even if she did ask too many questions about things he didn’t want to be reminded of. But he couldn’t drag his feet any longer. It had taken over a month for him to recover enough to make this journey and there were many obstacles to cross between here and the frontier.
Within the hour, the road led them to the town gates. It was decently sized for a rural city. The streets were paved with stone and wooden buildings rose two floors high, stacked closely together. Even in the simplest of towns, Ryam could see the empire’s wealth. Nothing like the scattered settlements of his homeland.
The main avenue fed into a central market lined with shops. Merchants displayed baskets of fruit and vats of crayfish, along with a collection of handmade wares along the street. Ryam hunched his shoulders and dragged his hood over his head, trying to disappear into the crowd. The townsfolk stopped haggling to stare as he passed. It was impossible to disappear into a crowd when he stood head and shoulders above the average man.
‘Perhaps there is a shipment here headed for Changan,’ Ailey continued, oblivious to how the crowd parted in their wake.
A wooden ball bounced onto the cobbled street and rolled in front of them. A young boy scrambled forwards and crouched at Ryam’s feet with his little fingers clutched around the toy. Suddenly, the boy noticed the hulking shadow over him and craned his neck upwards, mouth agape.
At that, Ryam pulled Ailey into the narrow gap between the shops. The hum of the market crowd continued around them.
‘We can’t just go wandering the streets,’ he hissed. ‘What are you planning to do?’
‘Hire someone to take me home.’
Because he wouldn’t. ‘And if there’s no one?’
‘Then I go alone.’
‘You can’t.’
What would she do? Hire a band of mercenaries who would ignore the fact that she was worth a lot more than that bag of coins she carried?
‘Your father is obviously a powerful man. There must be someone here who can help you.’
‘You don’t understand.’ The mention of her father made her shoulders draw tight. A wisp of hair escaped from the cap to tease around the curve of one ear. She tucked it back impatiently. ‘I cannot trust the city officials. Not in this province.’
What in God’s name was she involved in? ‘Then find a way to send a message to your father or … I don’t know. Think of something better than roaming the countryside with your swords.’
‘Why are you so concerned now?’
‘I went through a lot of trouble to save you.’ It was the best he could muster. Leaving her was the only rational decision, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Not when she was looking at him like that.
‘I need to find a stable. The journey will take too long on foot.’ She nodded slowly as if to convince herself. ‘It can’t be too far to the capital.’
‘You don’t even know, do you?’
She ignored him to peer around the corner of the build ing.
‘Tell me who you’re hiding from,’ he demanded.
It took an effort for her to meet his eyes. ‘There are powerful men plotting against my father. Against the empire.’
With that perfectly vague explanation, she slipped past him to move down the alley, away from the marketplace. He didn’t know what would be worse for her, being seen with him or being caught alone by whoever she was running from. They twisted through the city, skirting along dank lanes of grey brick while the ripe smell of rotting cabbage assailed them. Ailey continued unperturbed as a rat scurried across her path. Its long tail disappeared into a corner.
The stables were located near the outskirts of town across the canal. He was forced to wait outside while he listened to Ailey’s voice through the doorway. She was talking numbers with the stableman.
Guilt gnawed a hole in his stomach as he listened to her. God’s crooked nose. He knew what it was like to be alone and fending for himself, but she didn’t. Ailey came from a wealthy family where she was cared for and protected. When she emerged from the stable, her look of triumph made him feel even worse.
‘I purchased two horses,’ she said. ‘They will be ready to ride by morning.’
‘Two?’
‘How else will you get home?’
‘You shouldn’t have.’
She avoided his gaze, embarrassed. ‘You have a long journey as well. Consider it payment of my debt to you for rescuing me.’
‘There is no debt.’
The flush of her cheeks reminded him immediately of their strange morning and the surprising fierceness of their match followed by her lips pressed softly to his. Bold and demure all at once.
Ailey had a generous soul at the heart of her. He, on the other hand, was the sort who could ruthlessly kiss a woman until she was melting against him and then abandon her hours later to the treacherous countryside.
‘What did you tell him?’ he asked.
‘I told him I was a nobleman’s son.’
He rolled his eyes. ‘You do not look like a man.’
‘He believed my story,’ she insisted, chin raised. ‘Now we must find a place for the night.’
She turned to the tangle of streets behind them. With a deep breath, she plunged back into the maze. He was certain she didn’t feel any safer in this city than he did. At the next juncture the alleyways branched out like crooked fingers. Ailey looked from one to the other, lost. He indicated the correct direction with a flick of his hand.
‘There’s a good reason I can’t go with you,’ he said.
She kept her attention focused straight ahead. ‘You’ve already told me.’
‘I’m more likely to get us both killed than return you home safely.’
‘I’m not completely helpless.’ Plenty of pride in her. Her back stiffened with it. ‘I’ll be safe enough once I’m out of this province.’
‘Just be careful.’
At the next corner, she halted so quickly he came up nearly against her heels. A crowd gathered around a group of soldiers wearing black and red uniforms. A crier dressed in embroidered state robes read from a scroll.
He could only make out bits of it. ‘What are they saying?’
‘It is a proclamation by Li Tao.’
‘Who’s Li Tao?’
‘We have to go.’ She shrank away from the street, but he blocked