Chao arched an eyebrow. “Oh? Do you mean I could not appear more foolish?”
As Sun’s cheeks flamed, Albern laughed aloud. “I think she meant you could not make a fool of yourself,” he said. “This one’s head is full of courtly graces, but she is new to tavern conversations. Forgive her.”
Chao’s mouth twisted in a wry smile. As she stepped around from behind the bar and towards the stairs, she paused. Slowly, she reached out a hand to Sun. Sun tentatively took it and found her wrist wrapped in a grip like iron.
“It is a pleasure to know you, Sun of the family Valgun,” said Chao. “Forgive my doubtfulness before. I look forward to our partnership.”
“As do I,” said Sun, barely able to choke the words out.
Chao smiled, and then she gave Albern a nod. Finally, she turned and climbed the stairs towards her newly chosen room. Sun and Albern remained in the common room to clean up some of the mess they had all made. After a while, Sun looked over at him.
“Why all this, Albern? Why did you pick me? I thought it was for an adventure. Now you have me running a tavern. What is the purpose behind it all?”
Albern’s lips puckered. He went behind the bar, took up a rag, and began to wipe off the small splashes of ale they had spilled.
“What I told you before is true,” he said. “I saw a young child of nobility who seemed to hate her life, and I felt sympathy for your plight. But you are right. There is more behind it.
“I have told you that Mag was happiest in Northwood, with her inn, and with Sten. So many dark things happened after that. And I felt she deserved a return to that happiness. I thought this might be a way to give her such a gift.”
He stopped wiping the bar and looked up at her. Sun met his gaze, but her breath caught in her throat.
“But that does not explain you, of course,” said Albern. “I wanted to make sure you care about Chao. Because I wanted you to want to stay here with us and hear the rest of the story. I need someone else to know the whole truth of it. I cannot tell the whole world everything—that would be violating Mag’s trust, and I vowed to her I would never do that. But one person should know everything, right down to the last. And I told you the story the way I did, jumping back and forth throughout Mag’s life, so that when you met Chao, you would care enough about her to help me keep her secret.”
Sun nodded. “I will,” she said. “I swear it.”
“Thank you,” said Albern quietly. “At first, I thought the burden of this story was mine to bear alone. Then, when I learned the truth about Mag, I thought she would remember our deeds long after I had been laid beneath the dirt. But now …”
He gave a vague gesture towards the stairs. Sun nodded.
“Now, you are the only one,” she said. “The only one who remembers everything.”
“It is a heavier burden than I thought it would be,” said Albern. “So I thank you, Sun, for the help you have been on the road so far, and for being willing to listen to an old man’s story.”
Sun lifted the broom and pointed it at him like a sword, frowning. “Willing? You would do better to call it demanding. I want you to resume the tale tomorrow, bright and early.”
He eyed the stairs again. “I will not do so in Chao’s presence. But whenever we have a moment alone, yes. I will continue the tale.” He smiled at her. “And I will do so with pleasure.”
Sun lowered the broom again and began to sweep. “You better had.”
Sun had trouble falling asleep that night. Her mind was so full of thoughts from the day’s incredible events that she could hardly close her eyes for a moment before opening them again, replaying the stories in her mind.
Eventually, she gave it up and went downstairs. She was not quite sure whether she wanted a drink or to walk around, but she certainly did not want to lie restless in bed, comfortable though it was.
She stood in the center of the common room and looked around. A tavern. And she was a one-third owner of it, along with Albern of the family Telfer, and Mag, the Wanderer. If she could have told herself even a month ago that all this would happen, she would have called herself a liar.
Footsteps sounded behind her. Sun turned to find Albern standing there, blinking at her in surprise.
“I cannot sleep,” said Sun.
“Nor can I,” said Albern.
“I keep thinking about the tavern, and about …” Sun glanced at the stairs. “About the story.”
“Do not trouble yourself,” said Albern. “She is asleep. I confess I do not face the same problem as you. My thoughts are still, but simple pain is what keeps me awake.”
“I am sorry to hear that,” said Sun. “Yet I suppose it is a good thing for me. I had a question. There is one answer you promised to give me earlier, but now I do not see how you can. You keep telling parts of the tale from Kaita’s perspective. And you said you learned the details later. I thought you must have captured her, or interrogated her, or something. But Kaita died. So … how do you know what happened to her in such detail?”
Albern’s expression grew dour. Instead of answering, he walked to the bar. Sun followed, plopping down on a stool. Albern pulled two large mugs of ale, and then he turned to hand one to Sun.
“Have a drink,” he said solemnly.
Rogan approached the cave, the Lord at his side. Together they climbed over the boulders and stalked through the darkness of the tunnel. Though it was pitch-black,
