CHAPTER 95 Better Battle with a Grimalcat

CHAPTER 95

Better Battle with a Grimalcat

Rufus

After an amazing night and an even more amazing sleep cuddled up together in my room, we had breakfast and then I escorted Bronwynn to her big show. The contests for the morning had finished with time to spare. She played five songs, a mix of her own and some popular pieces in Peldeep like Sir Eglamore and Tammy’s Tavern. She was fantastic, as expected, and I watched the performance from the comforts of Vivian’s Vermillian Eatery.

Afterwards, we decided to head out right away for the Dark Enchanted Forest. But before that …

Bronwynn had deliberately taken time away from her bonded companion, paying the inn to take care of Donna for the entirety of the time she’d needed space. The mare, for her part, had stayed in her stall without much trouble. As I understood it, that was a first for the murder horse.

I wouldn’t call her a murder horse to her face, of course, but I would admit to thinking it.

“Donna?” Bronwynn called out to the mare.

I took a step back while the two of them talked it out. There wasn’t much I could add when I only heard half of the conversation.

“I know.”

“I’m still angry. And unless you can explain—I thought so.”

“It did mean a lot to me. I’m still upset, but I’m trying.”

“No, I’ve definitely made Rufus apologize … Oh, stop it! Just wait until you find a mate.”

“Alright, we can try. What did you even get—”

I shook my head, knowing the answer to that one already .

“ Enchanted carrots? Really? ” Bronwynn frowned, and a hint of anger hitched in her voice. “You chose enchanted carrots over me ? No, I do think that’s unreasonable! I thought this had something to do with your obsession with independence …”

By this point, she’d started walking Donna out front of the inn. The mare sniffed at my … her … our bard.

“It is an obsession. It took me forever to convince you to bond, and I was happy to let you wander off and have your own life. I didn’t realize you were delivering packages for poisoners! What if you got caught—Never mind, don’t answer that.” Bronwynn petted her horse on the side of her head. “But still. You’re going to have to talk to Momo about this.”

The horse turned and butted her head against Bronwynn’s hand, rubbing the bridge of her nose.

“Slake said he’d help, and Rufus is the lead investigator, so I’m sure … I’m sure it’ll be fine .” She didn’t sound fine, but I wasn’t going to interrupt Bronwynn in the middle of her own pep talk.

Donna had no such compunction. She whinnied.

“ I don’t know, alright? ” Bronwynn snapped, and I decided it was a good time to come in as tactical support. I sidled up beside the bard and softly placed a hand on her shoulder.

She turned to me and faked a smile. “It’s fine. I’m just not sure how our trips are going to be going forward. I don’t want to restrict Donna or stop her from having the freedom she needs … but I don’t know if I can trust that she won’t be out there taking jobs and not telling?”

The mare huffed and stuck up her nose, eyeing us.

I had no idea what she was replying, but that didn’t stop me from saying, “Your family let her join the guild on contract because they felt the same way you do; Donna is her own horse and has the right to her own life outside of being your bonded companion. You have never put a stop to her before, and never asked what she was doing.”

The horse stomped her foot in what I imagined was agreement.

“But,” I continued, “she hurt you, and your family realized that the two of you have to work this out. So Marigold took Donna off the contract list, and she won’t be able to take any new jobs until you come to an agreement.”

Donna blew out a breath of air.

Bronwynn reached up and covered my hand with her own. “Thank you, that helps. And no , we haven’t come to an agreement!”

Bronwynn squeezed my hand once before pushing it off her shoulder. I didn’t mind; she needed to summon the wagon.

She waited until there was enough space to bring it out of her storage ring, and then started strapping Donna into the breastplate and girth .

“If it helps,” I told the horse, “you’ll probably have your answers after we meet Momo.”

“That reminds me. Do you know what Slake’s plan is?” Bronwynn checked everything once over just in case.

“Slake is going to meet us later.” I waved at the stable hand and tossed him a copper coin for a tip. The lizardkin lad had just been standing there the whole time while we spoke, politely waiting to see if we needed assistance. He bowed, and I hopped into my seat on the wagon. “I think he’s spending the day with Their Royal Highness. I heard the fox ask Slake if he was free today.”

“What would they do with a grimalcat?” Bronwynn joined me on the driver’s seat.

“The same thing we did when Slake traveled with us, I imagine: give pets and get mauled?”

It was nice not having to worry about maneuvering my tail between the seat and backrest. And it was nice not having a full coat of fur under the afternoon heat.

Sadly, I hadn’t packed a hat.

“Good point.” Bronwynn picked up the reins, but Donna started moving before the bard could guide her.

“You know,” I said as we traveled over the bridge heading toward the northeast city exit by the military district, “it’s unfortunate that we had to leave so soon.”

“Why?” Bronwynn asked. She set her reins down and pulled her lyre harp out of its case. Instead of playing a song, she summoned a cleaning kit from her storage ring and prepared to give her instrument a fine tuning and maintenance.

I smiled, staring over my shoulder at the great Emerald Palace on the other side of the city. Its beautiful ornate towers shone under the bright sun. “I’m sad we’re going to miss the fireworks display, and Their Royal Highness showing off why they’re still the ruler of Peldeep.”

Bronwynn gently wiped her instrument clean, and then pulled out a bottle of oil. “The last time I saw Their Royal Highness use their skills, I was four. They pushed back a level forty-eight kraken that had decided the inner harbor was a great place to make a lair.”

I whistled slowly. Kraken were giant sea monsters that looked like squid the size of a building, with ten extra tentacles. They were very territorial and prone to eating things. Like people.

We left the city and started the gentle incline toward Hearthcrest. I thought about Madame Potts’ Cast again, and wondered if that wasn’t the reason why Their Royal Highness had invited Slake to join them …

Any battle would be a better battle with a grimalcat.