Kiri woke to a wonderful smell. Fresh, pungent, sweet. She swept her legs out of the bedroll and rose to her feet in one swift motion. Her stomach growled. Obeying its urging, she sought out the source of the smell. Garon and Daia were both up and awake, seated at the table by a tray of little cakes that wouldn’t have looked out of place at one of Mala’s parties, but were a surprise to see at a Swiftway waystation. Twelve little white-and-brown pinwheels were laid out, impressively made fresh without the use of proper kitchen. Judging by the scent, the brown was from cinnamon. Kiri swung a chair around and scooped one up.

“This is delicious!” she said around a mouthful of food. “Where did you get the sugar?”

“I used Garon’s honey,” Daia said. “I know it’s not really appropriate travel food. But they’re all I know how to make. A lady’s maid doesn’t cook much. Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” Kiri said. “I didn’t expect to be getting any good food for a while.”

“Thanks,” Garon grumbled.

“You know what I mean,” Kiri said. “I’m glad you made them, Daia. They’re so good! But where did you get the cinnamon?” There was no way Garon brought that.

“Oh, I always carry that,” Daia said. And she produced a small glass bottle, half-filled with fine brown powder, from the folds of her skirt. “I like to add it to my tea.”

Kiri nodded mutely as Daia put the bottle back away. It was luxuries like that, casually carrying a valuable spice just because it makes your tea a little tastier, that really set the wealthy apart. Daia didn’t seem to realize that it wasn’t something most people could do. It would take Kiri a month of work to buy that much cinnamon. She certainly wouldn’t carry it on a journey where it might be easily lost.

Terin was still sleeping, and they didn’t want to wake him since he needed his rest to recover from his injury. Daia insisted they save some cakes for him. Fair enough, Kiri thought, regretfully eyeing the last three cakes.

The horses needed tending, so Kiri went out to do that while Garon and Daia cleaned up. When she returned, Terin was up, and the cakes were gone. She really shouldn’t have hoped he would not like them.

“You should travel on with us,” Garon said. “It would be retracing your steps, but you’ve already passed the turning to Hilland.”

“I thought Enrick would find us if we went that way.” Daia frowned.

“You will be safe with us,” Kiri said. “And unless you want to go all the way to Laed, you have to turn back.”

“I’m ready to be home,” Terin said. “And we’re as likely to run into Lord Fel as Enrick.”

“I would feel better if you’re with us,” Garon said. “Until we bring you back to Lord Fel’s company. To ensure your safety.”

“Where are you going?” Terin asked. “We don’t want to inconvenience you.”

Garon’s face went blank. It was at that moment, half-panicked at what Garon might say, that Kiri realized they ought to have come up with a cover story. Garon was a terrible liar, but he might do better if he was prepared. Luckily, she was used to lying.

“We’re taking a message to Belir,” she said. “So it won’t be out of our way to bring you on to the crossroads.”

“Both of you?” Terin said. He squinted his eyes at Kiri, who apparently didn’t seem like a good choice for a messenger to him.

“The message didn’t make it the first time,” Kiri lied smoothly. “So my Lord is making sure of it this time.”

“So we’re not the only ones who have danger following us,” Terin said.

“Bodyguard,” Kiri jerked her thumb towards Garon. “You’ll still be safer with us.” That part was true enough, even if she was lying about why. It just wouldn’t do to tell them that she, not Garon, was the reason they would be safe. They would never believe it, anyway.

Daia relented, so the plan was to go with Garon and Kiri until they encountered Lord Fel, who would be looking for them. Lord Fel was probably looking for Enrick and the spy as well. Garon and Kiri knew he was never going to find at least one of his lost party members, but at least they could help these two. It might mean Terin and Daia would have to go through the crossroads a second time before they were finally on their way home. Terin’s wound did not seem infected and he seemed much more aware and alert now that he had slept and eaten. They should be all right.

~

The Crossroads at the meeting of the Swiftway and the Desert Road was tucked into a natural hollow in the land, a broad circular valley surrounded by a small ridge. It was a strange shape, unlike anywhere else Kiri had been. At the crest of the rise leading into the grassy hollow, Kiri could see both roads laid out as clear as a map before her. The Desert Road cut across nearly perfectly north to south. It was named for the desert it reached in the north, but the south way led to Aga, Hilland’s capital, where Daia and Terin lived. The Swiftway cut across at an angle, tilted to the north from where Kiri looked. The crossroads stone stood where the two intersected, a tall black plinth glinting in the late-afternoon sun. And off the road a little way stood the next waystation. This one was even grander than the last, and the attached stables looked large enough to hold thirty horses. Unlike the previous station, this one was not off the usual merchant’s ways. All who went between Belir and Hilland came this way, and anyone having business with the desert as well. The chimney at the top of the waystation was puffing out a long gray cloud.

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“Someone’s here,” Daia said. “Maybe-”

“They know we’re here already,” Garon said. “We’ve been sitting here for too long.”

“The setting sun is right behind us,” Kiri said to Daia. “It would be hard to miss us up here. We might as well go in.” She reached over and squeezed Daia’s hand, and then urged her horse down into the hollow.

They were still out of earshot from the waystation when a tall man came running out to meet them. He ran straight to Daia and caught her horse’s reins.

“What a relief!” he said. “We feared the worst, after--” he shook his head and glanced at Terin. The two men nodded to each other. “You must come speak with Lord Fel.” He took two steps toward the waystation, leading Daia’s horse, then spun around to Kiri and Garon as if he’d only just noticed them after his relief at seeing Daia and Terin. “Who are they?”

“These two are Kiri and Garon, from Laed. They’ve helped us,” Terin said.

Kiri flinched inwardly at her real name being used again, but managed to nod gracefully as the man thanked them and introduced himself as the head of Lord Fel’s guard. Neal would not be impressed with her attempt at espionage. He would be annoyed if her lack of subtlety gave his double-game away. Oh, well, even if her name became known to Lord Fel’s court it wouldn’t mean anything to them.

The guard led them back to the waystation. A few people met them there, including two women who greeted Daia with hugs and relieved words, and a man who took Kiri and Garon’s horses. Terin moved to help him with the other two, but the guard captain stopped him.

“You’re injured,” he said. “And the lord needs to speak with you. Ladies.” he snapped his fingers, and the ladies immediately moved to take the other horses. Daia, who had been smiling greeting the other women, now stared at the ground in front of her feet as they were led inside. Kiri understood her apprehension. When she had been working for Lord Westfall, it had always been intimidating being brought before him.

Lord Fel, who had almost certainly been waiting for them, was engaged in the same pretended indifference Kiri remembered from Lord Westfall. Why did these lords feel the need to pretend they didn’t want to see you when they summoned you? He sat at the head of a table, looking over a map. A woman sat at his elbow, pushed back from the table so that she had space for the needlework in her lap. She was dressed far too nicely for travel. No doubt that was his wife. Lady--something, Kiri didn’t care what. If she needed to address her, calling her simply “my lady” would work just fine.

“My Lord,” the captain said loudly, and Lord Fel looked up as though he hadn’t noticed them until then. “Daia and Terin have returned, assisted by Kiri and Garon of--” he stopped.

“Laed,” Garon reminded him.

“Thank you, captain,” Lord Fel said. “Leave us.” The captain bowed and left. They weren’t alone in the room, but apparently Lord Fel didn’t mind the teen boys standing stiffly at the windows, probably squires, or his silent wife, who didn’t raise her eyes from her needlework.

“I am relieved to see you returned safely, Daia,” Fel said once the captain had gone. “My lady wife has been anxious.”

“Are you all right, Daia?” his wife added.

Daia nodded.

Fel laid a hand on his wife’s arm, as though holding her back, and went on. “I see that Terin is injured. Was it your husband Enrick who attacked him, Daia?”

“How did you know?” she asked. “I mean yes...but he’s gone mad. He isn’t himself.”

“Unfortunately, we know. He attacked us as well,” Fell said. “The captain was forced to kill him to defend us.”

Daia’s breath went out in a rush and her face went pale. She swayed. Kiri threw an arm around her to support her and the lady looked like she wanted to rush over, but her husband’s comforting hand became a restraint.

“Poor girl!” the Lady said.

“You say madness, but he spoke of a reason,” Fel said. “Is there any truth to Enrick’s accusations?”

“No,” Terin said.

“I was not speaking to you,” Fel said. “Daia?”

“None,” she whispered. “He was sick.”

“I thought not,” Fell said. “It is not reassuring that we do not know the cause of his madness, but that is the way of madness too often. It has little reason.”

Daia leaned against Kiri, which seemed to draw Lord Fel’s eyes to her.

“So, Kiri and Garon of Laed, you helped these two?” he asked. “I owe you my gratitude.”

“We have merely accompanied them on the road,” Garon said. “We did not want to leave them until we saw them safely into your hands.”

“I thank you, nonetheless,” said Lord Fel. “You will stay here with us tonight, and take the evening meal.”

“Thank you, my Lord,” Garon said.

Lord Fell snapped, and one of the squires stepped forward.

“See to their accommodations.”

Kiri went along with Garon and the squire. She had to pry Daia off her, and the woman wouldn’t let go at all until the Lady stepped forward and pulled her away. She felt like a traitor leaving Daia at all. And a fraud. They hadn’t helped those two at all, not really. And Lord Fel was still missing someone, someone she and Garon knew he would never find. And they could never tell him.

~

Garon’s skills at lying were put to a hard test that night. If Terin had been suspicious of their story, it didn’t compare to Lord Fel’s skepticism. By the end of the meal, he knew they were lying, and knew they knew that he knew. But he didn’t call them out on it, and that was good enough for Kiri. He probably realized they were spies, or working for the Thief Lord, but apparently he didn’t consider it his problem if they were not going to trouble his people or interests. After an hour’s uncomfortable questioning, he seemed satisfied that, whatever they were up to, it had nothing to do with Hilland or his people. Maybe it was the fact that that wasn’t quite true that kept him questioning so long. But they meant him no harm, and he finally believed that, at least.

The food was delicious, rich with expensive spices. That was to be expected since Hilland was sometimes called the Spice Hills. Everyone else seemed used to the heat, but Kiri and Garon went through a lot of water.

They left in the morning, when the sun was only just beginning to lighten the sky. Garon had told the Lord they planned to make an early start the next day. Kiri had not thought he meant this early. She yawned behind her hand and looked back at the waystation. The only person up was the guard they said goodbye to on their way out. She wished she could do something for Daia, but she didn’t even know the woman. Daia was with friends now, they would help her more than anyone else could. Kiri looked up at Garon. He had turned his horse, a little way up the slope that led to the hollow’s outer ridge. She smiled, and he looked puzzled.

“What are you so happy about?” he asked.

“I’m just glad you’re here,” Kiri said.

Garon grunted and turned back, quickening his horse’s pace a little with a click of his tongue. Still smiling, Kiri set her mare on his horse’s trail.