The Road To Avea

by Lynn Lorenz

  "After lunch, you're going on your first patrol," he reminded her.

  "I've been so busy that I lost track of the time. Let me just wash, and we can walk up together." As soon as she said it, she looked around the room in question.

  "The door over there is your office." Stefan still hadn't moved from his spot. His black clothing made his shape stand out even more against the light from the hallway.

  Through the door, she found a small office space and behind another door was a small, dingy bathroom with a sink and toilet.

  "Quick, miss, let me do your hair." Tandy now held a brush in her hand.

  "I will not primp for him. All I need is soap and a towel." Her voice was a quiet whisper.

  "Of course, miss. A simple braid will do." Tandy grinned as her reflection.

  The soap appeared on the washstand within moments. Sarah washed her hands and her face, then patted them dry with the towel. She unpinned her hair and ran her fingers through it to shake off the dust. Tandy stood on a chair and quickly brushed and braided Sarah's hair.

  That didn't count as primping. She was just making herself presentable. For lunch. Not him.

  Sarah dismissed Tandy and stepped back into the room. The inspector stood leaning on the podium. He turned and stared at her. His gaze heated her, but this time, she fought it off.

  "You changed your hair," he remarked as he straightened.

  She waited for the petty flattery that she expected from most men, but none came. She wasn't sure if she was relieved or disappointed.

  "Aye, I did," she replied. At least he'd noticed.

  Stefan held the door for her and swept his arm in a courtly bow. She passed next to him and caught his scent--clean, male, with the faintest scent of his shaving balm.

  His gaze held hers, and she felt very vulnerable, exposed, as if he could read her thoughts. Head down, she moved past him, completely confused. She renewed her determination to keep her distance and her thoughts from this man.

  * * * *

  At lunch, Sarah found herself seated across the table from Stefan and next to Rolf. There was a new group of patrollers eating at the other end and at several other tables, but Thatcher was not present.

  "So, Sarah, did you get your room set right?" Rolf asked.

  "Aye, with Tandy's help."

  "From what I saw, you didn't need anyone's help." Stefan held her eyes until she dropped her gaze and concentrated on her soup.

  Rolf looked at Sarah, then to Stefan. "What are you talking about Stefan?"

  Stefan leaned back, his eyes never leaving Sarah. "It seems our fledgling patroller doesn't need a wand."

  Sarah forced down the spoonful of soup she'd swallowed and then looked up at him. She didn't think he'd bring that up, at least not in such a public place.

  "Nonsense." She shook her head. "Of course, I need a wand." Sarah hoped the look she gave Stefan would be understood and he'd let it drop.

  "No wand?" Rolf's head came up and his head turned to look at her. "Really? That's pretty powerful majik, Sarah."

  "Really. It was nothing. A trick Tandy taught me."

  "What other tricks can you do?" Stefan stared at her from across the table.

  She shrugged. "That's it. Sorry, but I'm pretty inexperienced in majik, as you know." Stefan looked as if he didn't believe her.

  "I can help you with that," Rolf said. "If you've got some time, I can tutor you on some of the more advanced majik."

  "That would be great, Inspector." She gave him a big smile. That saved her from having to ask him. Across the table, Stefan frowned. "I could really use some help with teleporting. I can't seem to get the hang of it."

  "There's a trick to that, all right. That's why it's advanced majik and damned difficult to master. Don't feel so bad, Sarah." He shot her a smile. "Look, if I'm going to be working with you, can't you call me Rolf? I'm afraid I've already taken the liberty with your name."

  "Thank you, Rolf." She returned his smile.

  Stefan's gaze bounced between them. She could feel his disapproval, but she wasn't sure what caused it. Probably just her in general, since her entire existence seemed to offend him.

  "Patroller Tallow will be on patrol today, Rolf. Perhaps another day."

  "That's fine. Anytime you're free, Sarah, just let me know and I'll make time for you." He gave her such a warm smile that she couldn't resist smiling back.

  "Sounds good. Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I need to get my uniform on and report to duty." She stood, nodded and left the table.

  * * * *

  Rolf leaned back, crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow at Stefan. "I hope you're taking notes, Stefan. That's how it's done." He smirked.

  Stefan leveled his gaze at Rolf. "Notes?"

  "If you'd been faster, it could be you giving those lessons to our new recruit." Rolf pointed his fork at Stefan.

  "Rolf." He straightened. "May I remind you about the patrol's policy on fraternization?"

  Rolf leaned forward. "Ah, that's the beauty of it. Training is not fraternization, Stefan. It's more insidious than that. It's subtler. You should study the art of subtly...it might get you farther."

  "I have no intention of fraternizing or getting farther, as you say." He flung his napkin on the table, pushed his chair back, and stood.

  The men at the far end of the table looked their way, then, at a glower from Stefan, turned their attention back to their food.

  "Stefan, really, don't go off pissed. Just say the word and I'll back off." Rolf's voice softened and he cocked his head.

  "Oh, you'll graciously back off? Even if I was interested, and I'm not, I wouldn't need you to back off, Rolf." Stefan gritted the words out, his knuckles going white as he gripped the back of his chair.

  "That's not what it looks like to me."

  "Just what does it look like?" Stefan's eyes narrowed.

  Rolf lowered his voice. "You want her." He took a bite of bread and chewed.

  Stefan stiffened as if slapped, then spun on his heels and left, leaving Rolf with his eyebrows raised and a slow smirk spreading on his face.

  * * * *

  Rolf walked the line of officers as he inspected their uniforms. He carried the duty roster on a clipboard tucked under his arm. Sarah stood at attention with the other patrollers in the courtyard of the castle, one of five men and two women going out on the two until midnight duty shift.

  He nodded to Stefan, who stood to the side of the line. As shift commander today, a role Stefan usually filled, Rolf assigned the teams. Stefan would accompany them to work with Sarah.

  Rolf stopped and studied each patroller, insuring correctly worn uniforms and properly holstered wands. Their patroller level wands had enough strength to do basic majik--stun, conjure their equipment, and, if the patroller's own majik powers were strong enough, wound an adversary.

  "Check your communications mirrors." Rolf would never again fail to check his, and he pulled it out with the rest of them. He flipped it open with one hand and looked into it. A second later, the station's symbol, a black bear on a green background appeared, signifying a valid connection. Rolf snapped the case closed. The others, having received the same image, closed their cases.

  "Once you have your assignments and are dismissed, proceed directly to your duty," Rolf instructed. "Be sure to make your scheduled check-ins with communications."

  He called out the assignments with the officers working in pairs. At last, he addressed Sarah. "Watkins and Tallow, lake patrol." Sarah and a man at the end of the line nodded.

  "Dismissed," Rolf barked out.

  The patrollers headed off to their duties.

  "Tallow, Watkins, wait here," Stefan ordered as he eyed Watkins.

  Watkins and Sarah looked at each other, shrugged and returned to where they had stood.

  Stefan walked over to Rolf. "Watkins?" Stefan looked at Rolf, who fought to hide his smile.

  "Aye, Watkins. I thought he'd be good for Tallow." Rolf nodded to
ward the patrollers still standing at attention. Good for you, too, Rolf thought.

  "But he's so..." Stefan seemed to search for the right words.

  "Good looking?" Rolf offered with a smirk. Gareth Watkins was handsome and well built, from the top of his thick, wavy blond hair all the way down his six-foot length. Every pub in the district and all the maidens knew him.

  "That is not what I meant to say," Stefan snapped out.

  "Young and virile?" Rolf offered.

  "No! I meant that perhaps one of the women would be better suited."

  "I'm handling the rosters. She goes with Watkins." Rolf replaced the roster under his arm and walked over to Sarah and Watkins, leaving Stefan fuming.

  "While you are on patrol, Inspector Bane will accompany you, in order to train Patroller Tallow. Inspector, they're yours." Rolf turned on his heel and left the courtyard, the clipboard under his arm, his hands in his pockets and grinning like a fool.

  * * * *

  The castle of Avalon stood on a hill overlooking a long, deep lake that ran for five miles from the castle at one end to the city of Avea at the other end. Around the lake was a path used by the patrol and those who lived in the district. Quicker than the roads that wound through the hilly countryside, the path was so narrow most of its length could only accommodate a single horse or foot traffic.

  The officers patrolled the path on horseback, so Sarah found herself swinging up into a saddle at the castle's stables. She hadn't ridden since she lived with Emily on her farm, but as she sat the horse and got the feel of the saddle beneath her, she felt at ease.

  However, her skirt was another matter. It bunched around her legs. Lucky for her, the riding boots she wore were tall, but the men had a distinct advantage in their trousers. She made note to speak to Thatcher, or maybe Mercy Loch, about suggesting a change of uniform for the women. The skirts were a clear disadvantage on patrol.

  Trotting along, Sarah followed Watkins, with Stefan behind her. Watkins rode well, handling his horse with ease. She couldn't help but notice his broad shoulders and strong legs as he gripped the sides of the horse, sending his instructions to the animal. Her gaze slid from his broad back and focused on the trail, then wandered back. She had to admit, he was a handsome man.

  At a wide spot in the path, Watkins reined in his mount and dropped back to ride next to her.

  "Patroller Tallow, I was hoping to meet you. I understand you're our new trainer." He smiled. Dimples appeared in his cheeks and there was a sparkle in his clear blue eyes. Sarah was sure many a maiden had fallen to his good looks and charm.

  "Yes, I am, but not in majik. I'll be teaching new fighting tactics." She wasn't eager to give away what was to come and lose the impression she hoped to make on the officers.

  "Perhaps I could get some private lessons?" He stared into her eyes with a sultry look that would make lesser females weak.

  "I'm sorry, but between my classes and patrolling I'll have little free time." She tried to urge her horse forward, but Watkins kept up with her.

  "It's not often I get to patrol with so beautiful a partner." He lowered his voice and leaned closer to her.

  "Patroller Watkins, this is my first patrol. Please turn your attention to the task at hand."

  Watkins let out a laugh and shook his head. "Hard won, are you? I must warn you, I'm up to the challenge." He gave her a lop-sided smile and one cheek dimpled.

  Sarah felt a ripple of reaction and knew she'd have to be careful. She could see the fire that burned in his eyes, and she was the dry kindling he wanted to ignite.

  Glancing over her shoulder, she caught Stefan's frown.

  "Watkins! Tallow!" he called out. "Halt at the path."

  They reined in their horses and waited. Would he reprimand them for speaking, or worse, for flirting on duty? Sarah groaned inwardly. He already thought she was ill suited to wear the uniform, but now, she'd given him more reason to believe her a poor choice.

  Stefan reined in his mount next to her. "We'll go up and check on the estate. Lord Blake has filed a complaint that a neighboring farmer is stealing his prize bull's services."

  Watkins looked at Sarah and raised his eyebrows. Sarah shrugged in return. Well, she thought, this is a rural district. Did she expect jewel thieves or bank robbers?

  Sarah fell into line behind Stefan, with Watkins in the rear. They reached a small road where a young girl of about ten paced back and forth, worrying her skirts in her hands.

  "Patrollers! Please stop Lord Blake!" The young farm girl was frantic.

  "What's going on?" Stefan reined in beside her.

  The girl's small hands clung to his boot as she looked up at him. "He says he's going to have Father arrested for breaking the fence." In tears, she wiped her nose with her sleeve. "And beat him if he doesn't pay!"

  "Where are they?" Stefan asked.

  "Up the road, in the pasture," she choked out, pointing down the dirt road.

  Stefan whirled his horse around, leaned forward, and kicked his heels. His horse took off down the road. Watkins and Sarah kicked their mounts into action and followed.

  They came to the path and turned down it, just behind Stefan. He came to the pasture's wooden fence. Reining in his horse, he was out of the saddle, standing on his left leg in the stirrup before the horse came to a complete halt. Jumping off, he ran to the fence and leapt over it, pulling his wand as he approached the small group of people in the field.

  Watkins had cleared the fence just as easily. Sarah dismounted and ran to the fence. Struggling with her skirts, she realized if she lifted them up, she'd surely expose more than she should, so she gave up trying to go over and she bent down and squeezed between the poles. Damn this skirt.

  Holding her skirts up so she wouldn't trip, Sarah arrived at the scene. Four people had squared off in the pasture. An older man lay on the ground, his head bleeding. A young woman of perhaps seventeen knelt next to him as she shielded him with her body, her arms held out in defense.

  The other two men stood apart. The older of the two had a cane in his raised hand, and the younger attempted to keep him from attacking the fallen man.

  "Halt! Now!" Stefan commanded.

  At the order, the older man held still. The young man jerked the cane from his hand and tossed it to the side.

  "Arrest him, Inspector." The older man pointed to the man on the ground.

  "No!" screamed the girl. "Lord Blake struck my father. He's injured." Her eyes glared at Blake.

  "Father, be reasonable," the young man said, his hands out, trying to keep his father back. "It's only a bull, for the One God's sake. A few cows, what does it matter?"

  "It matters a great deal, Cole. If you're going to run the estate, you must learn you can't let common farmers cheat you."

  "Silence!"

  Everyone froze. Even the girl stopped crying at his command. Sarah felt the rumble of Stefan's deep voice to the very core of her body.

  Stefan stood between the two parties. "Patroller Watkins will take your statement, Lord Blake, and Patroller Tallow will take yours, miss." He looked at the young girl who was now pressing a cloth to her father's head. Before she could protest, Stefan knelt and took the cloth from her.

  "I'll see to your father, child," he said.

  She nodded and rose.

  Sarah walked off to the side and the girl followed. "Your name, please." She conjured a parchment pad and pen.

  "Flora Murphy, ma'am."

  "Now, tell me, from the beginning, what happened," Sarah said.

  "Well, it's like this. His lordship has a prize bull. He claims our cows somehow broke the fence to get to his bull. But that's not the way it works, is it? Anyone with sense knows it's the male that does the chasing, isn't it?" She pushed strawberry blonde hair back from her face as a soft breeze blew it around her head.

  Sarah admired her farm-fresh beauty, milky skin and blue eyes. "Go on."

  "His bull broke the fence and got to our cows, and now he wants Father to p
ay the stud fees. But we have over twenty cows and can't afford it."

  "Where's your bull?" Sarah asked.

  "Dead, three months ago, struck by lightning in the field." She looked stricken. "We can't afford a new bull, and without one, our cows won't calve in the spring. No calves to sell, and we'll soon lose our farm."

  "I see." Sarah glanced over the girl's shoulder at Watkins as he questioned the two men. The younger was about twenty, good-looking and tall. A glimmer of an idea formed as she watched him glance at the girl several times, a worried look on his face.

  "Do you know Lord Blake's son?" Sarah followed her hunch.

  "Of course. Cole and I played together as children. Mother cooked for His Lordship, and I was at the manor house every day as a child. But, when Mother died four years ago, that stopped." She twisted her skirt in her hand, glanced over to Cole, and bit her lip.

  Sarah went over to Watkins, taking notes from Lord Blake. "Patroller, do you mind if I borrow young Cole for a few questions?"

  Stefan, kneeling next to the farmer, caught her eye, and gave a slight nod to encourage her.

  Cole followed her back to Flora.

  "Now, Cole, you know this girl, do you?" She studied him.

  "Aye, Flora and I have known each other since childhood." His eyes never left the beautiful girl.

  Sarah saw the naked desire in his eyes and the girl was no better at hiding her feelings. Pitching her voice low she asked, "Why did you break the fence, Cole?"

  His face drained of color. Flora looked at him in surprise, telling Sarah that she wasn't in on the scheme.

  She put it to him. "You thought if the bull broke through and serviced Flora's father's cows, the cows would calve, they wouldn't be forced to sell the farm and Flora wouldn't leave, right?"

  The girl's eyes filled with tears. "Oh, Cole, look what you've done! Father's going to be arrested. The magistrate will make him pay, and we'll be penniless!"

  The young man hung his head, on the verge of tears himself, all his plans gone horribly wrong. Sarah felt sorry for him.

  She turned to Flora. "Do you love him?"

  Flora swallowed. Cole's head jerked up, expectation in his eyes.