The Raven Ring by Patricia C. Wrede Page B

was important to keep your plans quiet. I told her we hadn’t had a chance to talk much yet.” Daner gave Eleret a long, speculative look. “What are your plans? Or would you rather talk after dinner?”
    “After dinner,” Eleret said. She picked up her mother’s kit bag, then bent and retrieved her own from under the bed. “Preferably after dinner and several miles outside Ciaron.”
    “But—” Daner looked at Prill and then back to Eleret. “I thought you didn’t intend to leave until tomorrow. And it’s already late; we won’t get very far.”
    “If we leave behind the person who searched my room, it’ll be far enough.” Without thinking about it, Eleret checked her weapons—throwing-knife in easy reach through the slit skirt pocket on the left, raven’s-feet poking sharply through the fabric of the pocket on the right—then shouldered the bags. “I want a head start on everyone, if I can get it. Didn’t Climeral tell you I might want to go tonight?”
    “Yes, but…” Daner’s voice trailed off and he sighed. “All right, if you insist.”
    Prill giggled. “I’ll bet you didn’t believe Climeral. I’ll bet you thought she didn’t mean it. Honestly, Daner—”
    “I said all right,” Daner snapped. The tips of his ears were turning red.
    “You don’t have to come with me,” Eleret said. After his warning about Jonystra, she was willing to admit that Daner had some intelligence, but she was still not convinced that she wanted him for a companion on the trip home. If he backed out, she wouldn’t even have to feel guilty about not taking Climeral’s suggestion.
    “Not come?” Daner’s expression went blank in shocked surprise; then his eyebrows rose in insulted indignation. “And let a girl like you travel all alone, with who knows how many villains waiting for you? Don’t be absurd!”
    “In that case, let’s get started,” Eleret said, and turned toward the door.
    “What about your bags?”
    Eleret gave Daner a puzzled look. “What about them?” she asked, indicating the two kits hanging over her shoulder.
    “I mean the rest of your things,” Daner said gently. “You don’t have to leave them behind just because you’re in a hurry, you know.”
    “I’m not leaving anything,” Eleret said, still puzzled. “What are you talking about?”
    Prill giggled again. “He’s talking about his sisters, that’s what he’s talking about. They can’t go anywhere without at least six trunks’ worth of dresses and cloaks and veils and things. Freelady Salven’s a Cilhar, Lord Daner, not a court lady.”
    “I’m beginning to think I don’t have the slightest idea what that means,” Daner said, looking at Eleret’s bags with patent disbelief. Eleret thought of Jonystra’s dress and almost smiled. Perhaps she wouldn’t have to worry about the woman as much as she had thought. Traveling with trunks full of clothes would certainly slow her down.
    “He’s right about one thing, though,” Prill said. “You shouldn’t carry your kits out in plain sight like that. Anyone who sees you will know you’re leaving.”
    “Not if they share Lord Daner’s opinions,” Eleret said. “But I can’t be sure they will.” She frowned, thinking. She had her dagger and her raven’s-feet, and she had the raven ring. The bags of money Commander Weziral had given her were still tied in uncomfortable lumps inside her sash. She wouldn’t like to lose the things in the bags, but she could get along without them if she had to. But if she didn’t have to… She turned to Daner. “Will you carry them? If you drape your cloak a bit more toward the front, you can keep them out of sight a lot better than I can.”
    “Drape my cloak…” Daner sounded as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “It’ll ruin the line!”
    Prill dissolved in laughter. Eleret looked from her to Daner. “The line?”
    “The way it hangs,” Daner said uncomfortably. “It’s cut to fall back across