Millennial Mage novel · Chapter 5 of 24

Chapter 5: One Bed, One Husband

The inn at Quillon had one room left.

The innkeeper said so with the shame of a man who knows what he is selling.

"One bed," he said. "The carters have the barn."

"We'll take it," said Teo.

"We will?" I said.

"The gray man is downstairs asking about a woman with a pad of paper.

He is also asking about a man with a notched sword.

He is not asking about a married couple."

"We are not married."

"We are for tonight."

I looked at him.

"You have thought about this."

"I have had about forty seconds."

The room was small, with a slanted ceiling, a washstand and a bed that I could have crossed in two steps.

I put my bag on the floor.

Teo shut the door and leaned on it with his arms folded, listening.

I took off my glasses and rubbed my eyes, and when I put them back on he was looking at my hair.

"The pencil," he said.

"It stays."

"I wasn't going to take it."

"You were looking at it."

"I was looking at you," Teo said, plainly, and then he cleared his throat. "Sorry. It's been a long few days."

"It's fine."

My heart was going fast, and not from the hunter.

Boots came up the stairs.

Two sets, heavy, one stopping at each door down the hall.

A fist knocked on a room two doors away, and someone swore.

"Get on the bed," Teo whispered.

"What?"

"You're a wife, and we are in bed. He will not look at us twice."

"He will if we're not doing anything."

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