Page 120 of To Kill a King

She lifted her face to meet his gaze. “No. But I will be, thank you.”

The corners of his mouth dipped. “Are you sure? Anything I can do?”

“No. Wait. Yes. I need somewhere to stay for the next few nights. An inexpensive, but safe place. Any recommendations?”

“How cheap?”

She peeked at her last two coppers and bit her lip. “A copper a night?”

The man exhaled in a rush as he dragged his hand over his face. “You won’t find an inn for so little, with things being the way they are now.” He leaned to the side, glancing into his stall. “You have nowhere else to go?”

She shook her head.

“You any good in a fight?”

She nodded.

He studied her, obviously searching for weapons. Aliya crossed her arms and met his gaze with a hard glare of her own.

“I’ll tell you what, girl. There’s a cot back here. I’ve got a wife I haven’t seen in the last week because of all the looters coming into the market at night. If you can stay here, protect the business from thieves, and everything is still intact in the morning, I’ll feed you breakfast. Deal?” He stepped forward and held out his hand.

She smiled, flashing him a wide grin as she shook it. “Agreed. Thank you.”

The man nodded and the ghost of a smile passed over his face. “The wife’ll be happy to see me, I think.” He dropped his voice. “Hope I’m not making a mistake.”

Popping some bread into her mouth, she groaned as herbed butter coated her tongue. “I promise, your stall will be safe.” Her stomach would guarantee it.

The next morning, Aliya rubbed her eyes and stretched as the owner, Pat, walked in.

“Good day. Any excitement last night?”

Pushing herself off the cot, she threw a glance at the sword he’d left her after she’d demonstrated she could handle the blade. At least she managed to clean all the blood off. “A little. A few kids looking to score some quick food. They ran away when they realized someone was still here.” And that she’d been armed. Pat probably wouldn’t have problems with looters again for a good long while.

And, since she hadn’t slept much, Malkov hadn’t had the chance to slip into her mind.

The owner nodded. “Excellent.” He turned to study the counter and crossed his arms over his chest. “So, what would you like for breakfast? Steak? Eggs?”

Aliya’s mouth watered. Both? Just for protecting his market stall? “Yes, please.”

With a chuckle, he ignited the griddle. “May as well eat it before they start rationing, right?”

She raised an eyebrow. Limiting food? One more reason to end the war as quickly as possible. “Did you surprise your wife?”

“Oh, ho, ho! Did I ever! I was in trouble until I told her I hired someone to guard the restaurant for the night, and I’d promised to pay with breakfast, not money.” The side of his mouth pulled up in a smile that lit his eyes. “Then, well…it was a remarkable evening.”

She smiled. At least he’d had a decent night. She missed Elessan. Their last night together would live in her memories, too.

Pat threw some meat on the skillet, where it sizzled and spat little drops of oil. “Pork chops okay?”

“If they taste as good as what you gave me yesterday, I’ll take whatever.”

He raised a playful eyebrow at her. “Anything?”

There was something in his tone… “Maybe?”

He burst out laughing. “Be careful what you say, girl. Another cook would give you rat without a second thought.”

Aliya gagged, slapping her hand over her mouth. “Seriously?”