Clover smiled, a teasing glint flashing briefly before her curiosity took over. “So, how did you sleep?”

  I shrugged, adjusting my pack as I started down the path toward Starkfell. “Better than I expected, but not well.”

  She frowned, tilting her head thoughtfully. “I wonder why it worked better the night before.”

  Rubbing my jaw, I bit back a yawn. “Probably because I was completely wiped out after discovering Gregory. That, or the power I drew on was too draining to stay awake.”

  The first night, falling asleep had been easy, though the nightmares constantly woke me. Last night, in contrast, had been peaceful—if brief.

  Clover drifted closer, her thumb brushing the bags under my eyes. “If that’s the case, I’ll have to find ways to wear you out before we camp. This isn’t healthy.” Concern shadowed her expression, though under different circumstances, she might’ve turned the comment into a flirt.

  I took her hand, squeezing lightly. “I know, but for now, this is the best I’ll get.” I pulled out the stuffed bear I’d worked on through the night. “At least I had enough time to finish this.”

  I’d had to fill it with dried grass after all, but thankfully, the hide was thick enough that none pushed through. The bear itself… Well, I was no master craftsman and it showed.

  It was crudely stitched, but sturdy enough to last. Some button eyes would truly complete it, but that was a concern for later.

  Its soft black fur caught the morning light as Clover shook her head.

  “Let’s not make a habit of midnight crafting, shall we?” she said, though her smile softened. “There are teas that help with deeper sleep. Once we reach Starkfell, I’ll ask the herbalist about them. I need to speak with her about the Veridanis anyway.” Her gaze flicked to mine. “Just a heads-up—Starkfell is full of beastfolk. Not all of them are refugees. The herbalist and the captain of the guard are both locals.”

  She hummed. “Thistle—the herbalist—will probably be friendly. Warwick, though…” Her face darkened. “He’s seen too many raids on beastfolk tribes to trust outsiders. Don’t be surprised if he’s wary of you.”

  I shrugged. “After living in Dawncrest, I’m used to suspicion. At least his has a reason.”

  Clover tipped her head, “There is that.” Under her breath, she added. “Can’t wait to get you and the sweetlings away from that pit. First thing I’ll do when this is over.”

  Warmth curled through my gut, followed shortly by unease. There was still a conversation on the horizon…

  I pushed aside the looming conversation and nodded. “We should tell Warwick about the tavern owner right away. He sounds like the type to keep an eye on things.”

  If luck was on our side, he might handle the problem while we retrieved the Veridanis.

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  I’d never been particularly lucky, but there was a first time for everything, right?

  Clover’s thoughtful hum broke the silence. “Warwick and the mayor are usually nearby. We can discuss it with both of them, then see Thistle and the merchant.”

  She sighed, rubbing her neck. “After that, I’ll check on the refugees. I’d prefer to give you a day to rest, but if that’s not possible, we’ll leave immediately.”

  Exhaustion lined her face and I squeezed her hand. “Let me know if I can help.”

  Surprise flickered across her face. “You have medicinal knowledge?”

  “Just the basics,” I admitted. “But I’m a fast learner. If I can take some of the burden off you, all the better.”

  Besides, I’d need to do something while she was working. If the people were as wary as she expected them to be, having a random human wandering around would put them on edge.

  The beastfolk might distrust a wandering human, but a human helping the sick? That was far less threatening.

  Clover considered me for a moment, then smiled, her gaze softening with affection.“I’ll take you up on that later. For now, some patients are uneasy around humans. They make an exception for me, but I don’t want to cause unnecessary stress.” She kissed my cheek. “I appreciate the offer, though. Want to start learning about herbs on the way to Starkfell? I need to gauge how much you know.”

  I shrugged. “Honestly, I only know basic first aid, thanks largely to my siblings. After one of them got hurt, I learned to stitch wounds. I meant to learn about salves, but I… never got around to it.”

  Her brow arched. “Why do I feel like you’re omitting something there?”

  Heat rose to my face and I looked away with a grimace. “Dawncrest’s only herbalist is Janice, an elderly woman. She’s friendly enough, but her daughter is a little too friendly.” Remembering our last ‘chat’, I scowled. “She’s one of the people who thought I should leave my siblings behind.”

  Clover’s lips thinned. “Great. I hate her already.”

  I focused on the road, shaking off the sour memories. “She’s nothing compared to the seamstress.” A shiver ran down my spine. “She’s married, but she disguises her groping as taking ‘measurements.’ Nothing is more uncomfortable than that.”

  Her husband had almost challenged me to a duel over his wife’s honor after one session. Only Clyde’s intervention stopped that from getting ugly.

  Clover’s eyes flashed dangerously. “Is that why your regular clothes are in tatters?”

  Embarrassment surged again as I nodded. “Yeah. After the last time, I decided to mend them myself.” I winced. “You can see how bad I am at it, but better to deal with my poor patch job than her pawing at me.”

  Clover took a deep breath, her gaze hardening. “You’ll never have to deal with that again, my personal guarantee.” Her eyes darkened with old memories. “In Highgate, I saw too many people–men and women alike–be taken advantage of like that because they couldn’t speak out. Not without risking their job or life. I refuse to allow those harlots to put you in that situation.”

  Before I could respond, she looped her arm through mine, her grin sharp and vengeful. “I’m going to enjoy dealing with every last one of Dawncrest’s harlots.”

  A chuckle escaped me. “Far be it from me to trample your fun. Just remember to leave them breathing. We don’t need you getting a bounty.”

  It would be nice not worrying about Mariam’s wandering hands the next time I needed a seamstress.

  Clover kissed my cheek again, her tone playful. “I’ll have you know, I’ve yet to do anything so heinous as to incur a bounty… though it’s truly only a matter of time.” She shook her head. “Those are thoughts for later. “Let’s focus on your first lesson in medicinal knowledge. We’ve got a long trek ahead.”

  I nodded, letting her voice wash over me. She was right, there would be time for the rest later.