[Envinyatar]

The words that fell from her lips did not match the fleeting expressions on her face. She was vague about her experiences with horses, hesitant. He had seen her, though, with her horse, and they seemed comfortable in each other’s company. The horse did not shy away or act uneasy when she approached.

Derufin smiled to himself, his eyes glinting with sudden knowledge. She had not always stepped on the right side of the law when it came to her dealings with horses. That’s why she kept the details hazy! What better person to bring in on the side of the Dragon’s stable than one who already knew all the tricks of the horse trade, the lawful . . . and the expedient . . .

‘Well, Niniel,’ he said sitting back in his chair and taking a swig of his ale. ‘You seem willing enough, and able bodied. Uien and a friend it seems are taking care of the horses tonight. Why don’t you come to the stables early tomorrow morning and I’ll see what you can do, show you the routine. I have several things I must get done myself, and I could use a pair of willing hands with the horses.’

He chewed thoughtfully on the whole grain bread that had come with his soup. ‘One other thing – though I wouldn’t want to take more of your time than you can give. Once the horses are seen to, we need to see to the railing on the Inn’s front porch. There’s a section of it that needs replacing. Can you handle a hammer and nails . . .?’