“You’d better,” Crow grinned at Penelope playfully as she took him by the hand. “We’ve known each other long enough now that it would be disappointing if you didn’t.” He fell in step beside her on their way to the inn, while Naida did the same on the knight’s other side and Rayner followed along behind them, silent as always. As they stepped inside, he lifted his gaze to look over the space, which was becoming more familiar to him as they traveled through the kingdom. It was the same place they had stopped by on their first trip to Younis, and it was where they had rested going to and from the outer villages a month ago. Like everything else in his new life as a nobleman, he wasn’t sure how he felt about becoming used to such luxurious accommodations.

The only thing that hadn’t changed was the lingering stares of the other people at the inn. As they stepped into the restaurant, he noticed heads turn in their direction right away. The feeling of so many eyes on him made the viceroy’s skin prickle, but he wore a mask of nonchalance on his way to an empty table with the others. He would have preferred to dress down for the trip through Brerra, so they could travel without drawing so much attention to themselves, but unfortunately, as long as he and the knights were wearing such eye-catching uniforms for the parley, he had a feeling they were going to be gawked at no matter where they were. Nobles loved to stick their noses where they didn’t belong in order to feel important, after all.

Trying to ignore the intruding stares, Crow sat down next to Penelope at the long table, and Naida and Rayner took seats on the opposite side. “I’ll say,” the princess sighed in agreement, shifting her weight back and forth on the wooden bench as if it was the most comfortable chair she’d ever reclined on. “If we have to ride for that long every day until we get to Younis, we’re going to be walking funny when we show up.”

“At least we’re not on our way to Gorm,” Crow pointed out, leaning forward to rest his arms on the tabletop. “That trip would have been even longer.”

Almost as soon as the words left his mouth, another voice spoke up from behind him. “Good evening,” a bar wench bowed to the group with far more respect than the viceroy was used to receiving from the general public. “It is my honor to serve you all today. What would you like to eat?”

Crow eyed her with veiled amusement. He wondered if she would have treated them the same way if she hadn’t thought they were a group of important dignitaries. “I’ll have veal and a pint of mead,” he answered.

“Stew and cider for me,” Naida grinned.

“I’ll have the same but with ale instead of cider,” Rayner said. Crow glanced at him. Given how quiet the knight had been until now, he hadn’t expected him to have such a rich voice when he spoke.

The wench nodded and turned to Penelope, studying her with subtle intrigue, “And for you?”