CHAPTER 48 A Thing for the Beastman

CHAPTER 48

A Thing for the Beastman

Brownie

“I—” Rufus coughed lightly. “My position is usually the one giving counsel … so it’s not expected. No.”

Of course, Brownie hadn’t meant to bring up the conversation from their first dinner date, but it seemed like such perfect timing to do so. She still remembered the way he’d seemed so lost when he’d talked about his place in the world. That his friends and family, his entire life , was predicated on his job title … a title that he could lose any time someone beat him at the winter solstice.

A title that General Knolith and a myriad of others were desperat e for.

Brownie wondered what the previous commander general of the Dark Lord’s army had done in his day-to-day life. She was pretty sure it didn’t involve coaching the entire Dark Enchanted Forest through their marital struggles …

“Well, I think you’re incredible,” Brownie said. She noted with pleasure his tail was wagging even as he turned to look at her with his usual calm facade. Her fingers itched to pet him again, but she resisted. “You’re great at your job, you’re honest and kind and friendly, and always trying to make the world a better place everywhere you go … and I admire you.”

She didn’t mean the last to sound like a confession, and she blushed as she realized it could be interpreted that way. Before he could reply, she continued. “Anyways, that’s why I think you should give yourself more credit.”

Donna chuffed in agreement. The mare turned her long neck to eye the beastman and blew out of her nostrils at Rufus before returning to face the front. Rufus closed his mouth, holding back the reply he’d been about to give. Instead, he said, “As always, you’re right. Thank you.”

His tail was still giving away the effect her words had had on him, and Brownie let the following silence build between them as they carried on down the road. It was a slightly awkward quiet, but it wasn’t bad. What was bad was how close she’d come to complimenting her way into confessing, to outright telling Rufus she had a thing for him … Worse, that she now realized she definitely had a thing for the beastman.

Irrevocably. It was there.

And based on everything so far, she thought he might like her back. But she wasn’t sure. Yet.

Maybe he was just being nice to her. Maybe he took all his travel companions out for dinner. Or not. She already knew he complimented everyone equally, so what if she was his favorite bard? That just meant he liked her music .

A memory flashed. If he hurt her . The words Rufus had so vehemently spoken in Thistlecrick. The words that made her toes curl and her heartbeat quicken. The words that had made her start thinking about him as something more . He was handsome, his voice was smooth and lovely, and they shared so much in common. But even so … their dates so far had been circumstantial. Their entire situation was circumstantial.

Some small part of her mind told her she should throw caution to the wind and just ask the beastman then and there. If Rufus was traveling with her all the way to Peldeep, they were bound to run into her family—and her cousins would see right through her in a heartbeat.

That gave her a good point of reference. Peldeep. If she hadn’t outright asked the beastman to court her by the time they reached Peldeep, then the least she could do was ask him to let her lavish glorious pets on his soft fur. Maybe he could be persuaded to turn into full beast form again so she could rub his tummy.

The inappropriate thoughts kept her distracted until Donna interrupted her with a loud snort. There, up in the sky high above, was a hat.

Neither Brownie nor Rufus could fly, so they simply watched the accessory bob about in the air until it crested a hill out of sight.

They shared a look, and Rufus offered, “I bet if we …”

Brownie shook her head. Even one so usually ready for adventure knew that chasing flying hats was an effort in time . “That sounds like a lot of work, and we are coming up on the border soon.”

Just a quarter hour at Donna’s breakneck horsepower speed had taken them across most of Servalt. Her horse raced faster than the wind when she wanted to. Usually, Donna insisted on traveling at their current slow pace. When her bonded horse wasn’t being chased by ruffians, she enjoyed a nice casual saunter.

A few minutes later, Donna sent Brownie another nudge through their bond. Something was up ahead. The bard immediately spotted the reason her horse wanted her attention, and it wasn’t the hat or anything else she was expecting to see on a quiet Servalt county road .

A familiar figure was standing in a triumphant pose on the road. They were facing the opposite direction to the wagon, but Brownie would know those long strands of braided green hair anywhere.

“Rufus?”

“Yes?” The beastman was obviously distracted with his own thoughts and not paying attention to the road ahead.

“I found out where Gerda the Bridge Troll went.”