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Quartz snorted, jerking hts She stood in front of a stable I blinked at the stable boy

"Want me to rub her down?" he asked

"No thanks, I’ll do it" I dismounted Quartz had picked an inn The stable’s ays, clean stalls and the fresh scent of sweet hay boded well for the rest of the place "You’re spoiled rotten," I said, scratching her behind the ears

"Excuse me?" the boy asked He hovered nearby

"Here" I handed hi it up in her stall please"

When he returned, he helped ht I fed herfor the innkeeper I paused outside the hed Quartz had a warped sense of humor Or perhaps she could read my mind? Either way, I hoped the Second Chance Inn had a vacancy

The next , I woke at dawn The town’s soldiers trained everyto keep in shape, and I planned to join them I wrapped uards’ headquarters Located right next to the Councilor’s Hall, the station also housed criminals before they were processed

When I arrived, I scanned the sweaty faces of the guards Even in the cold -sleeved tunics over the fence, training in short sleeves The sight made me shiver Steam puffed from their mouths as they heckled each other More men than women worked on sword drills and self-defense, which h she ht, she looked tiny compared to her partner, Nic A brute of a nized , I had to adone well After all, I had been arrested for disobeying the Council’s orders He had just been doing his job

Pressed against his dahed "Phew, Nic" I pulled away "You stink"

"Hello to you, too," he said with a growl But couldn’t hold it for long Wrinkles e brown eyes which contrasted with his sharp too-many-times broken nose

"By the end of the cold season, we use hi of welcoence and huht, I’ll bite A weapon?" I asked

"He hates bathing during the cold season So by the end he reeks so bad, we’ll send hi, and, withinWorks better than a stink bomb"

"Ha, ha," Nic deadpanned "You certainly don’t s out Besides, I hate being wet and cold"

"Me, too," I said We launched into stories of woe, trying to outdo each other on who had been wetter and colder during our various adventures

"No way the Northern Ice Sheet is colder than Briney Lake," Nic said "One tihs--"