按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Master Hillman gave two quick； deep bows。 ‘Of course； Master Rybnik； of course。 And thank you。’
He swept the coin off the table so fast Zedd could scarcely see it go。 After he left； Zedd dug into the lamb roast； watching the people and listening to the singing as he chewed。 Near the end of the meal； Master Hillman was back； placing his broad； round back between Zedd and the crowd。
He set two small purses on the table。 ‘The silver； Master Rybnik。 Nineteen in the light brown one； and twenty in the dark。’ Zedd slipped them into his robes as the other set a heavier； green purse down； sliding it across the table。 And the copper in this。’
Zedd smiled his thanks。 And the tea？’
The big man slapped his forehead。 ‘Forgive me。 In handling the exchange； I forgot。’ One of the noblemen was waving a hand； trying to get his attention。 He snagged the arm of a serving girl ing from the kitchen with a tray of mugs。 ‘Julie！ Fetch Master Rybnik a pot of tea。 And quickly； dear。’ She gave Zedd a smile and a nod before rushing on with her tray。 Smiling； Hillman turned back。 ‘Julie will see to it； Master Rybnik。 If there is anything else I can do； please ask。’
‘Why； yes。 You could call me Ruben。’
Master Hillman chuckled absently and nodded。 ‘Of course； Master Rybnik； of course。’ He rushed off toward the nobleman。
Zedd cut another piece of lamb and stabbed it with his fork。 He liked the name Ruben。 He shouldn’t have told the man any more of it than that。 While he pulled the meat off the tines with his teeth； he watched Julie cross the room； weaving between the crowded tables。
He chewed as he watched her plunk down mugs around a table of raucous men all wearing longcoats。 As she set the last one before the last man； he said something to her。 She had to lean over to hear above the din。 The men suddenly burst into laughter。 Julie straightened and thumped the man on the head with her tray。 As she strutted away； he pinched her。 She yelped but hurried on。
As she went past Zedd’s table； she leaned toward him and smiled。 ‘I’ll be getting your tea for you right now； Master Rybnik。’
‘It’s Ruben。’ He flicked a finger toward the table of noisy men。 ‘I saw what happened。 Do you have to put up with that all the time？’
‘Oh； that’s just Oscar。 He’s harmless； for the most part。 But he has the foulest mouth I’ve ever heard； and I’ve heard my share。 Sometimes； I wish that when he opened his mouth to spew some of his filthy talk at me； he’d get the hiccups instead。’ She huffed a wisp of hair back off her face。 ‘And now he wants another mug。 I’m sorry。 I talk too much。 I’ll get your tea； Master Ryb 。。。’
‘Ruben。’
‘Ruben。’ She gave him a pretty smile before hurrying off。
Eating while he waited； Zedd watched the table of noisy men。 A small wish。 What could it hurt？ Julie returned with the tea and a cup。 As she set them on the table； Zedd crooked his finger； urging her to bend closer。
She leaned over； tightening the apron strings behind her back as she did。 ‘Yes； Ruben？’
The wizard gently touched a finger to the underside of her chin。 ‘You are a very lovely woman； Julie。 Oscar shouldn’t speak to you in foul language； or touch you again。’ His voice lowered to a slow； powerful whisper that almost seemed to make the air sparkle。 ‘When you give him his ale； speak his name； and look him in the eyes； as I look into yours now； and you shall have your wish as you have spoken it to me； but you won’t remember asking it； or that I have granted it。’
Julie blinked as she straightened。 ‘I’m sorry； Ruben； what did you say？’
Zedd smiled。 ‘I said thank you for the tea； and I asked if anyone here has a team of horses； and perhaps a carriage for hire。’
She blinked again。 ‘Oh。 Well 。。。’ She looked around as she pulled her bottom lip through her teeth。 ‘Half the men in here； well； half the men who aren’t dressed as fine as you； are drivers。 Some hire out。 Some haul freight and are regulars； just passing through。’ She pointed at a few tables。 ‘They 。。。 and they； might hire out。 If you can sober them up。’
Zedd thanked her and she went to get the ale。 He watched as she carried it back across the room and set it in front of Oscar。 He leered up at her with a drunken grin。 She stared into his eyes。 Zedd saw her lips speak his name。 Oscar opened his mouth to speak； but hiccupped instead。 A bubble floated from his mouth； up into the air。 It popped。 Everyone at the table erupted in laughter。 Zedd’s brow pulled together in a frown as he watched。 That’s odd； he thought。
Every time Oscar opened his mouth to speak to Julie； he hiccupped； and bubbles floated up。 The men roared with laughter； accusing her of soaping his ale。 They all agreed that if she had； it would serve him right。 She left the men to their laughter when the lone man in the booth caught her attention。 She nodded after he asked for something and then headed for the kitchen。
Julie paused at Zedd’s table； giving a nod back toward the lone man。 ‘He might have a team。 He smells more like a horse than a man。’ She giggled。 ‘That wasn’t kind。 Forgive me。 It’s just that I can’t get him to spend any money on ale。 He wants me to bring him some tea。’
‘I have more than I can drink。 I’ll go share mine with him。’ He winked at her。 ‘Save you a trip。’
‘Thanks； Ruben。 Here’s another cup； then。’
Zedd put the last large piece of roast in his mouth as he surveyed the room。 The men had quieted down； and Oscar had stopped hiccupping； as they all listened to the bard singing a sad song about a man who had lost his love。
Zedd picked up the teapot and cups； and started from his table。 He cursed under his breath when he remembered his hat； and swept it up； noticing the cane and snatching that up； too。 He deliberately passed close to Oscar； looking him over carefully。 He couldn’t figure out why he had hiccupped bubbles。 Zedd gave a mental shrug。 The man seemed normal enough； now； if a little too drunk。
The wizard paused next to the booth with the single man。 He held up the pot and cups。
‘I have more tea than I can drink。 Could I share it with you？’
The man watched with a forbidding scowl from under bushy eyebrows。 Zedd smiled。 The man did indeed smell like a horse。 He unfolded his huge arms； slid the coiled whip to the side of the table； and pointed for Zedd to sit before folding his arms again。
‘Well； delighted； thank you。 I’m 。。。 Ruben。’
Zedd tossed his hat on the table and lifted his eyebrows in invitation to reply。
‘Ahern；’ he said； in a deep； resonant voice。 ‘What do you want？’
Zedd placed his cane between his knees with one hand and with the other tugged at the heavy robes as he sat on the bench； trying to pull a thick fold from under his bony bottom。 ‘Well； I just wanted to share my tea； Ahern。’
‘What do you really want？’
Zedd poured the man tea。 ‘I thought perhaps you might need some work。’
‘Got work。’
Zedd poured tea for himself。 ‘Really？ What sort？’
Ahern unfolded his arms and sat back in the booth； ap