The Riders gathered in Kellin’s room for a meeting. It was a double room; one of the biggest rooms at the Inn. The Innkeeper here always gave them the best rooms available but, then most Innkeepers did. Everyone wanted to please the Riders. They were responsible for carrying messages across the kingdom and over the forest. They were the only ones who could take the short cut over the forest and get letters to through so fast. A letter on horseback would take three times as long. The King and the kingdom relied on them for their quick service. People in every town welcomed them and were always eager to help a Rider on the road.

Tall timbers framed the room. It was comfortable and someone had lit a fire in the hearth. Kellin sat on the edge of the bed as the Riders talked. They were discussing the best way to set up the search. Kellin wasn’t overly concerned. He didn’t care where he had to search. He still thought it was a waste of time.

He was more concerned about Gwinn. He hated keeping secrets from her. In fact, he hated keeping secrets from anyone. It just didn’t feel right and he was no good at it. Kellin wanted to tell her the whole truth about the Riders but Marshal had told him not to. Marshal thought it would be easier for her if she didn’t know anything. Kellin closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. Maybe Marshal was right. How could he tell Gwinn that she would never be a Rider? That she would be stuck in this place forever serving people who treated her like garbage. No one deserved that. Everyone needed someone who cared about them and she wouldn’t find that here.

“Kellin.”

He looked up. “Uh…yeah?”

“Are you paying attention?” Marshall asked him.

“Yeah,” he said. “What did you say again?”

Ethan shook his head and smirked at Kellin. “I think he’s been thinking a little too much about a certain serving girl.”

Kellin’s face flushed. Ethan always gave him a hard time. They had started their training together but, he was already a full Rider and Kellin was still a trainee. “I wasn’t. Shut up Ethan.”

Marshal was annoyed and, he gave them each a cold glare. “I asked you if the horses were all right.”

“We managed to settle them down but I think they’re still uneasy about something.” Kellin turned back to Marshal and answered.

“That seems strange.” Marshal said thoughtfully. “And they didn’t say why they were upset?”

“No, they couldn’t explain it, but they all felt like something wasn’t right.”

“Maybe it has something to do with your little friend.” Ethan offered.

Kellin glared at him. “No, they like her but you should hear what they say about you.” Ethan moved across the room toward Kellin but Marshal held him back. Kellin smiled but then he went on. “It is definitely something else. Maybe we should postpone the search.”

“No.” Marshal said immediately. “We can’t postpone the search any longer. We will continue our hunt for the egg in the morning.”

“Fine, but I still think it’s a bad idea to take them into the Wildwood when they’re acting skittish before we even get there.” Kellin added.

“Don’t worry. They are trained for this sort of thing. You don’t have a lot of experience yet but trust me those horses are a lot tougher than they appear. They’ll be fine.”

Kellin nodded. Marshal was probably right. He did have a lot of experience, more than any of the Riders in the room but something still didn’t sit right with him. Maybe he would check on the horses again before tomorrow and figure out what was wrong with them.

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Gwinn had to help Hal in the common room that evening. It was extremely busy with the Riders and all of their admirers. Gwinn gritted her teeth and dealt with them. After all, there were worse things she could be doing, like getting eaten by a lion, besides it would be easier to keep an eye on them this way. She could see all the Riders enjoying the night’s festivities and none of them were rummaging around in the barn.

After the Riders had their fill of wine and booze, they retreated to their rooms. Gwinn mopped up spilt wine and food scraps. She put the room back in order before heading to her loft and smiled to herself. This might be a thankless job and they might be pigs but she was fairly sure that no one had discovered Alcor.

The horses were startled by her when she walked into the barn and she rolled her eyes at them. “Give it a rest already. There’s nothing wrong.” She climbed the ladder and was relieved to see Alcor waiting for her. She hugged his soft furry hide. “I’m so glad to see you.”

“I’m glad to see you too.” He rumbled. She backed up and looked at him rather seriously. “What’s wrong?” He asked.

“I don’t know how much longer we can keep this up. If you grow any bigger, you will outgrow the loft and we won’t be able to keep you hidden. The Riders will come back and eventually they will find out about you.” She said.

“What are you saying?”

“I think we might have to run away.”

“Now?” He raised his bushy eyebrows.

“No, we need time to plan but, I wanted you to know that we will probably have to leave the Inn.”

“That does not bother me.” He said resting his head on the straw. “But you may not be ready to leave your kind.”

“No.” She shook her head. “I won't miss them.” She settled into the hay next to him and closed her eyes. No, she would not miss them and they would not miss her she thought as she drifted off to sleep.

She woke up early the next morning by an annoying sound. Chaney had come into the barn and was yelling Gwinn’s name. She stuck her head over the loft and saw the redheaded girl skipping around the barn. “What do you want?”

Chaney spotted Gwinn and smiled too broadly to be innocent. “Daddy wants to see you.”

“What about?” Gwinn was still feeling groggy and, she rubbed her eyes.

“I’m not supposed to say but you should get down here quickly before you get in trouble.”

Gwinn sighed. What did he want now? She hadn’t done anything wrong last night and, she had even stayed late to clean up. “I guess I’d better go see what he wants.” She said softly to Alcor. “I’m coming.” She yelled down to Chaney.

She got ready quickly and went down. Chaney was still there. “You don’t have to wait for me.”

“But I want to.” She almost broke out in giggles.

Gwinn gave her a suspicious look but she couldn’t figure out what Chaney’s was up to. The girl was always annoying and Gwinn didn’t trust her even when she was telling the truth. She walked briskly across the yard. Chaney followed on her heels the whole way skipping and smiling. Gwinn thought about turning around and slapping the smile off her face but she restrained herself; just barely.

Gwinn walked into the common room. It was empty. Everyone else was still asleep and, she wished she was too. She looked around but Hal was nowhere to be seen.

“He’s in the office.” Chaney said.

“You can stop following me now.” Gwinn told her.

“Oh no, I don’t want to miss this.” She smiled again and now Gwinn was getting nervous. Why would Hal want to see me?

She pushed Chaney aside put her shoulders back and marched toward the office. Whatever he wanted to see her about she would face him with every ounce of nerve she could muster. When she reached the door, it was slightly ajar and, she pushed it open. Hal was standing behind his desk and Rochelle was there too. A man she did not recognize stood to the side. “You wanted to see me?”

“Yes.” He said. “Come in.”

Gwinn stepped inside but, she felt uneasy. She had expected Hal to be upset. She was pretty sure he was going to yell at her for something but he looked calm. Plus, the man in the room was a stranger and she felt uncomfortable around him.

Chaney wedged her way into the room and bumped Gwinn toward the stranger. She huffed at Chaney and then glanced at the stranger. He was an older man with a scraggly beard. He gave her a greasy smile and she backed away from him.

“You need to wait outside.” Hal told his daughter.

“But I want to stay.” Chaney whined.

“Not this time. Now go on. I’ll make it up to you later.”

She sighed heavily and hung her head. “Fine.”

Gwinn was not sorry to see her go. “What is this about?” She asked once the door was safely closed behind her. She held her hands together and gripped her fingers tightly. There was sweat forming in her palms. “Is this about the plate?”

Hal looked at Rochelle and she looked back at him. They shared some sort of secret that Gwinn was unaware of. “Plate? What plate?” Rochelle turned her face on Gwinn and scrutinized her with dark eyes.

“Never mind, it’s not important.” Gwinn said.

“It better not be.” Rochelle took a few steps toward Gwinn and smiled. Gwinn stood still but, she writhed inside. “We have brought you here for a reason but I’m sure it's not the reason you might think. We have come to a decision.” Rochelle looked at Hal and they both smiled. “We want to get rid of you and this man has agreed to take you off our hands.” She stopped and gave Gwinn time to digest the information. Gwinn paled as Rochelle’s words sunk in. Her shock kept her from talking back. “He is a farmer and in need of a serving girl. He has plenty of work for you to do but I’m afraid you are no longer needed here.”

Gwinn finally found her voice. “I don’t understand. What did I do wrong? Send me back to the convent if you don’t want me here.”

Rochelle laughed. “We tried that, years ago. They wouldn’t take you back.”

Gwinn’s cheeks flushed with outrage. She balled her fists and shouted. “You can’t do this!”

“Yes, we can dear.” Rochelle smiled. “He offered us a lot of money. We just can’t afford to refuse such an offer. Frankly, I’m not sure why he offered us so much for you.” She eyed Gwinn up and down and then added, “well….mostly.”

Gwinn was further outraged by the insinuation and she couldn’t stand the look on Rochelle’s face. She glanced at the farmer again and he gave her another sleazy grin. Her insides turned over and, she wanted to throw up.

“Go pack your things, girl. What few things you have that is.” Rochelle told her.

Gwinn gathered her nerves and regained her composure. The news had rocked her and thrown her off. How could they do this to her but then she remembered how little they cared about her and it didn’t seem so farfetched. She straightened her back and gave the woman a piercing stare. Rochelle was greatly mistaken if she thought Gwinn would go with the sleazy old farmer willingly. “You don’t have the right to tell me what to do anymore.”

“It still doesn’t change anything.” Rochelle laughed.

Gwinn couldn’t take it anymore. She pulled her hand back and slapped Rochelle across the face as hard as she could. The woman stopped laughing and grabbed her cheek. There was a red welt spreading across her face. “You’ll be sorry for that.”

It was Gwinn’s turn to smile. “No, I won’t. No matter what happens to me, I can assure you that I will never be sorry for that.” Rochelle pressed her lips together in anger and Gwinn’s smile broadened. She turned quickly and started for the door. She gave the farmer one last look. He was no longer smiling but, he still looked sleazy. She shivered. She would never go with him. Gwinn had already made up her mind. She was going to run away there was no other option now.

Gwinn slammed the door and left the three of them standing there. She raced down the hallway and across the common room. She needed to hurry before they caught on; before they realized she was running away and not packing up to go with the farmer. When she reached the common room, it was empty. It was still early and none of the guests had come down yet.

Merith was sitting on her perch above the bar when she emitted a high-pitched shrilling noise. Gwinn ran over to her. The last time she heard that sound it had not been good. “Are you all right? Is something wrong?”

“Yes, very.” Merith chirped.

“What?”

Merith began shrilling incomprehensively and Gwinn sighed. “I don’t have time for this.” She looked over her shoulder. There was still no one in the room. “You can come with me.”

“Where? To the barn?”

“No, I’m leaving the Inn for good.” She held her pocket open.

She eyed Gwinn’s open pocket. “Good.” Merith swung into the pocket without another sound and then Gwinn was running again. She didn’t have time to lose. When she raced into the barn, she skidded to a halt. Kellin was standing in the barn and she almost ran into him.

“What are you doing in here?” She asked short of breath.

“You ask me that a lot and my answer is always the same. I’m checking on the horses. I’m still worried about them.”

“Oh.” Damn it. Why did he have to be here? She just wanted to make a clean getaway. She looked at the loft and paused.

He followed her gaze and looked at the loft curiously. “That’s all you have to say? You’re not going to tell me that they’re fine again?”

“What? No…I…”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “Is something wrong?” He looked at the loft again, all of her anxiety seemed to be focused there.

“Well…” She began but Merith shrilled again.

Kellin put his hand over his ear. “What is that?”

Gwinn pulled the furling out of her pocket. “She’s upset and I don’t know why.”

“I knew there was something wrong.”

She rolled her eyes. “I don’t have time for this. I have to go.”

“Why? Do you have chores to do?”

“No, I’m leaving.” Gwinn said. “And you’re stalling me.”

“Oh, I am? You are? Wait, what?”

She didn’t wait for him to digest the information. She stepped around him and went straight for the ladder.

“Are you…” He began but just then Merith shrilled louder than Gwinn had ever heard her before.

It startled her so much that she dropped the furling. “What in the….” But she wasn't able to finish her sentence when she saw what walked through the door of the barn. There was a hideous beast with bony limbs, long claws, and large bat like wings. It stood a three feet above her head even with its knees bent. She looked up and saw its sharp teeth and strong jaw. She flinched. It spotted her with its beady eyes and hissed at her. “Where is it?”

She took a step back and asked. “Where’s what?”

“Where is the creature?” Gwinn was close enough to smell its breath and, it smelled rotten. Another one of them walked into the barn and sniffed around.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She said to it.