Crow climbed onto the horse after Penelope and shifted in the saddle so he was sitting comfortably behind her. He slid his arms around her middle, enjoying their closeness once again as they headed into the town. While he now felt safe from William, he remained on alert for signs that any of the Younisians they passed by noticed the staff or bow he had tied to the stallion. They were quite literally hiding in plain sight by taking the main road. All it would take was one noble to catch a glimpse of their stolen cargo or even of Penelope’s face, and there would be trouble. He couldn’t afford to relax as much as he had been during their ride through the forest.

[i]And we still haven’t caught a trace of those other people who supposedly want to stop us,[/i] he remembered as he glanced cautiously down a side street. It had been a while since the mercenary had attacked them, but the silence just set him on edge. He didn’t like how their unknown enemy was able to strike from the shadows and disappear again just as quickly. It was much easier to deal with a threat that made itself known. [i]At least we can be prepared,[/i] he thought. [i]We know they’re still out there, so we won’t let our guards down again.[/i]

He turned towards Penelope when she asked where they should spend the night, pondering her question for a moment before replying tentatively, “As risky as it is, I think an inn is our only option here. Without the forest for cover, we can’t camp outside without getting caught by a patrol. The only other thing I can think of is sleeping on a roof, but there’s no way we could hide the horses if we try that.” He leaned into her and sighed, gazing out at the town as he mulled over the dilemma.

After a moment, he turned back to her again, “We can stay at an inn, but we’ll need to hide the staff and bow in the stables. I’ll do that while you and William get a room for us.” He glanced up at the sky, where the sun was beginning to sink towards the western horizon, and went on in a quieter voice directed mostly to himself, “I just hope we can find somewhere to rest before it gets dark.”