Into the Void

Teldin nodded. "I can't wait too long."

*****

Aelfred accompanied Teldin and Julia halfway back to the harbor, then left to go about his own business. "I've got to talk to someone about repairing the ship," he explained. The female officer seemed lost in her own thoughts, and she and Teldin finished the walk in silence.

As they reached the harbor, the small tender was just coming alongside the dock, packed with familiar faces. There was "Bale Estriss" and two officers from the Probe. Vallus Leaf-bower was accompanied by Horvath and Miggins. Teldin was most pleased to see Ria

The tender's passengers disembarked. The ship's officers strode away immediately, with the avowed intention of arranging for the Probe's repair and resupply, then finding a tavern. Estriss wandered off to pursue his investigations, and Vallus Leafbower faded into the night without mentioning where he was going-"Probably going to see his mistress," Ria

Miggins and Horvath headed off in search of a ship's chandlery to find the materials they needed for their proposed modification of the hammership's sea sail. Julia climbed into the tender.

That left Ria

"As well as can be expected, I suppose," he replied. He glanced at the sun, which was hardly a finger-span above the horizon. "Coming into town for evenfeast?"

She shrugged. "What are your plans? "she asked. "Are you set on going back to the ship?"

He gri

"Maybe I do." She turned to Julia. "You head on back," she suggested. "I'll keep an eye on Aldyn."

Julia scowled at Ria

Ria

Teldin shrugged. "You know this city, I don't," he pointed out. He smiled. "I do remember an offer to show me around."

"Evening isn't the best time for sightseeing," she said with a grin, "but let's see what we can see."

They started up the hill into the city proper. As they walked, it seemed natural to Teldin to slip his arm around Ria

The street Ria

"This is called the Processional," Ria

The road began to climb a little more steeply. Teldin felt under-used muscles complain in his calves. He tried to match Ria

"There's a tavern around here, I think," she answered. "If I can just remember the side street, and if it hasn't closed since I was last here."

"We passed some i

Ria

There were fewer lighted windows here, but fifty feet away Teldin saw ruddy firelight washing out into the street from an open doorway. A wooden sign hung above the door, but he couldn't make it out.

" 'The Pig and Whistle,' " Ria

Teldin stopped in his tracks. He hadn't even thought of it before. "I don't have any money," he admitted. That wasn't quite true; he did have some coins, but they were steel Kry

She fixed him with an amused glance. "Don't they use money on Waypoint?" she asked ingenuously, then chuckled at his uncomfortable reaction. "Don't you worry, I've money enough. This time the girl can buy the sailor a drink." She led him through the open doorway.

Teldin had visited i

This was his first trip to Rauthaven, but Teldin knew this little pub. It was virtually identical to any number of village taverns around the Kalaman region where he'd grown up. Everything-the smoke-discolored ceiling, the feel of sawdust underfoot, the smell of peat smoke mixed with ale-was exactly as it should be. An overwhelming sense of homesickness, of loss, washed over him.

Ria

"It does," he explained.

"But too much." She squeezed his waist again. "I understand. Come on, we'll go somewhere else."

She tried to turn back to the door, but Teldin stopped her. "Oh, no," he said, "I do like this place. Anyway, you promised me a drink, and you're not getting out of it that easily."

Her smile returned. "And I thought I was off the hook," she said jokingly. "All right. Why don't you find a seat while I get the drinks?" With a final squeeze, she headed for the bar.

Teldin looked around the room. Most of the tables were occupied, but there was one-in the back corner-that was empty. Carefully he threaded his way over to it.

The table had no chairs around it-presumably they'd been "requisitioned" by the occupants of other tables-but there was a wooden bench with cloth-covered seat bolted to the wall. It's small, but there's just enough room for two, he thought as he sat down, as long as we don't mind sitting close, Teldin thought he could handle that.

Ria