Read Dark Moon Defender (Twelve Houses) for Free Online

can’t afford to pay much, but you’ll pick up tips,” the stableman said. “Lot of fancy folks riding through Neft, hoping to meet up with one of the Daughters, or even the Lestra. Lot of merchants and traders coming through, too. They’re not stingy people.”
     
     
    “I need a place to stay, too,” Justin said.
     
     
    The man gestured back toward the recesses of the building. “If you can’t find anything better, there’s the hayloft. You can bed down for a few nights. Longer, if you like.”
     
     
    It wouldn’t do to be restricted to one location like that. Justin had to be free to move from point to point, with no one having a strict accounting of his hours. He kept his expression just shy of a sneer and said, “I have some coins in my pocket. I think I can pay for a bed.”
     
     
    “Well, sleep on it if you want, but I could use the help,” the stableman said. “I’m Delz.”
     
     
    “Justin. Let me go find dinner and look for a room. I’ll be back in the morning, one way or the other.”
     
     
    “Golden Boar, just up the street, has a good dinner pretty cheap,” Delz said.
     
     
    Justin nodded. “Appreciate it. We’ll try there. Come on, Cam.”
     
     
    A few minutes later they were seated in the Golden Boar, which was dark, crowded, and not particularly clean. The place had an appetizing smell to it, though, so someone knew how to cook, Justin decided. Their waitress was young, yellow-haired, and smiling, but Cammon started laughing as soon as she took their orders and departed.
     
     
    “What?”
     
     
    “She thought you were handsome. Would have liked you to flirt with her. But you didn’t even notice her.”
     
     
    Justin was surprised. He never overlooked anybody. He couldn’t—a Rider always had to assess every stranger for threat and ability. “She was about five feet two inches, probably weighed less than a hundred pounds, light hair up in some kind of bun. Moonstone necklace. No visible weapons. Didn’t look very smart. I noticed her.”
     
     
    Cammon was laughing even harder. “Right. She wanted you to think she’s pretty. She wanted you to smile at her, talk to her a little bit. Be interested in her.”
     
     
    Justin grunted. “Too much work.”
     
     
    “That woman or all women?”
     
     
    “All women.” He thought that over. “Well, not Senneth. She doesn’t need anyone taking care of her and making a fuss over her.”
     
     
    “Kirra?”
     
     
    “She wants people to make a fuss over her all the time!” But he had to think that over, too. “Although she doesn’t need anyone to take care of her. But she’s more trouble than anybody.”
     
     
    “Well, that might be a way to disguise your reason for coming to Neft, and staying,” Cammon suggested. “Find a girl you like. Or pretend to find a girl.”
     
     
    “Right. Then I’ll have even less time to be looking around.” He grinned. “Anyway, I just left some woman behind, didn’t I? How faithless do you want me to be?”
     
     
    Cammon smiled. “I think it was a good story. It’ll get around.”
     
     
    “What was up with Delz? He fall in love with a marlord’s daughter?”
     
     
    “I didn’t pick up the whole tale. Just some thought that there was a woman he cared about, and no one believed he was good enough for her. Seemed like he’d respond if that was your own situation.”
     
     
    “Though I’m glad it’s not.”
     
     
    Cammon laughed. They talked idly till the waitress brought their food and a couple of glasses of ale. Mindful of Cammon’s gaze, Justin gave her a smile, but was annoyed to see her dissolve into giggles and blushes. So then he looked away, concentrating on his food till she left again, slowly as her feet would take her.
     
     
    Women. The first ten years of his life had been filled with them when he had lived with his mother and three sisters in the hovel that someone called a boardinghouse and was more properly a brothel. But there had