Authors: Ashlyn Macnamara

Destined for a King (27 page)

“What can ye tell me of him? I'd hoped to send news to our parents.”

“What's his name?” If this girl wasn't lying, she'd give Owl's true name and not the alias he used among the Brotherhood.

“Allard.”
Truth.

“He is with my older brother. In fine health the last I saw of him. You may call me Swift.” Honest or not, Jerrah wasn't about to bandy her true name before an essential stranger.

“Artis.”

Jerrah pushed to her feet. A quick scan of the road proved her luck to be holding. For now. “I need to keep moving.”

“Ye need help hiding.”

Jerrah let her gaze travel from Artis's purple hair to the turned-up tips of her bright pink boots. Everything about her screamed,
Look at me, and remember what you see.
“
You're
going to help me hide?”

“I can change yer appearance. They're looking for a warrior, not the daughter of Freehold drapers delivering cloth and dyes to the capital.” She reached out and tugged at a bright red tress of Jerrah's hair. “I can change this to whatever ye likeâpink, green, blueâ¦”

“Brown. Dull brown.”

The corners of Artis's mouth turned down. “That's so uninteresting.”

“I don't wish to be interesting.” She didn't wish to be memorable. She didn't wish to stand out in a crowd. “I wish to pass unnoticed. Also, I can't pay you. I've nothing to offer beyond protection, should we meet more soldiers.”

Artis waved a hand, setting the gold bands about her wrist to clinking. “I think I've worked that part out.”

Jerrah took a step closer. “Yes, tell me about that. How did you get rid of them?”

“I had only to mention my delivery to Lady Damaris.”

“Who is she?”

“Besides the person who ordered a cartload of sheer Freehold cloth and dyes, I don't know. But the name certainly gave 'em a fright.”