The Viscount and the Witch Read Online Free Page B

nothing to cook. He likely built it out of boredom while he waited for Albert and Hadrian to wake. Most people would have done it to stave off the cold, but Hadrian had never seen Royce affected by the temperature, neither cold nor hot.
    “Morning,” Albert said as Hadrian sat up, shivered, and moved to the fire with the rest of them.
    He scrubbed his face with his hands and wiped his eyes clear. The day was cloudy and the valley filled with a thick mist. Hadrian enjoyed mornings like this, quiet and serene, like a drowsy pause a lazy world was taking. He crouched to catch the warmth of the fire while dodging the smoke.
    “So, where were you two headed before misfortune dropped you here with me?” Albert asked. He lay sprawled next to Hadrian, like a dog before a hearth.
    “Up north. A place called Medford,” Hadrian replied and began brushing hay off his shirt. “Royce has someone up there he wants to visit. Ever hear of it?”
    Albert nodded. “Capital of Melengar, royal seat of King Amrath and Queen Ann. They have two children, boy and girl. What’s their names…begins with A’s—all the Essendon’s names begin with A’s—Alric and Arista. Yes, that’s them. Close friends of the Pickerings. Have you ever seen Belinda Pickering?”
    Both Hadrian and Royce shook their heads.
    “She’s a fine beauty, but her husband has a bit of a temper. He’s very protective of her and good with a sword. But if you ever get a chance to see her, it’s worth chancing a look.”
    “You know a lot about these people,” Royce said.
    Albert shrugged. “I’m noble. We all know each other. There are many parties, balls, and feasts. Not to mention the holidays and weddings. Most of us are actually related.”
    Royce tapped his fingers to his lips. “Nobles have a lot more money than merchants.”
    “Well not all, clearly.” Albert made a wry smile, then the smile dropped and his eyes lit up. “Yes…yes they do. And they also have problems—problems that could use creative solutions. Court is a very interesting place, a bloodless battlefield where rumors can ruin lives and embarrassments can be worse than death. Many would pay great sums to avoid…or cause…such humiliations. The trick is discovering who needs what done and arranging for meetings.”
    Royce nodded. “I suspect nobles won’t speak to the likes of us.”
    “Of course not. They would never stoop so low as to confer with a commoner, much less a dubious one. They prefer to do business with their own kind. You would need a go-between, a representative, but he’d have to be noble.”
    “Too bad we don’t know anyone like that,” Royce said.
    “Well…with a haircut, shave, some new clothes—”
    “And no more rum,” Royce said.
    Albert grimaced. “But—”
    “No buts. You can stay here and die or work for us, and if you work for us, you work sober.”
    Albert rubbed his bristly chin. “That really should be an easy choice, shouldn’t it?”
    Hadrian spoke up. “Exactly how are we going to provide all this? Have you forgotten that we’ve lost everything? At the moment we’re not much better off than he is.”
    Royce smiled and stood up. “Details. Details. Are you two ready to go?”
    “I suppose you’ll want to hunt down that witch of a woman and kill her?” Hadrian inquired with a tone of distaste as they all began to walk up the slope of wildflowers.
    “You know,” Albert said, “for a soldier you don’t seem to care much for killing.”
    “I’ve seen enough of that to last three lifetimes. And I don’t relish the thought of hunting a woman, or like knowing what he’ll do when we find her.”
    “We aren’t going after the witch,” Royce said.
    “Really?” Hadrian asked. “But what about our horses and gear?”
    “Look.” Royce pointed up the remainder of the hill at the house. There, standing tethered to what was left of the porch, were their horses.
    “I don’t understand.” Hadrian trotted the rest of the way and