Page 30 of The Iron Hex

“We’ll find a room and then get you some fresh clothing,” Hugo said curtly as he hopped off the horse and led him to the stables behind the local tavern.

Before Eira knew it, she was on the streets of a strange town with a particularly quiet and gruff Hugo, who was somehow carrying several bags from the stores where she had found clothes. Eira wasn’t sure how much coin Hugo had, but he hadn’t complained as she purchased the items she wanted, which had been nice. He had, however, insisted on her getting a pair of riding pants, despite Eira’s complaints about how it was improper.

“It’s also improper to be on the run from the Iron Retinue, but here we are,” he had responded. Which, for the record, was rude.

Eira handed him one of the paper bags she had just left a nearby bakery with, leaving herself with one.

“I got you something to eat.” Eira smiled brightly.

“I’m not hungry,” he grumbled, grabbing the bag.

“Just eat,” she demanded. “We haven’t eaten anything substantial since yesterday, and you lost a lot of blood.”

She watched him crack open the bag and tilt his head, face lit by the golden late-afternoon sun in a way that made her breath catch. She wondered for a moment if anything had happened between them when he was guarding her family, or if she’dwantedanything to happen. If not, she reasoned, Viscountess Eira had terrible taste in men.

“Pistachio?” he questioned, a note of wonder in his voice.

“Yes, it’s not too sweet—and since you’ve been in a foul mood since we got here, I didn’t want to overwhelm your senses,” Eira jabbed at him gently.

“Pistachio is my favorite,” he marveled, reaching into the bag and pulling out the nut-encrusted pastry.

“Oh,” Eira answered, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. “I didn’t know that.”

“You did, actually,” he said, taking a bite, his eyes rolling into the back of his head as he did.

“Right,” Eira said. It didn’t take much for Eira to feel strange, and she was learning that any mention of who she allegedly was made her uncomfortable. It was new, yes, but every time something small like this happened, it made her believe Hugo’s story more and more. It couldn’t all be coincidence. Part of her, and she wasn’t sure how big that part of her was, didn’t want it to be true. The other part... well, it wondered if it was the missing piece that had been looming over her for the past few years in Cilirien. Eira hadn’t thought about what to get him at the bakery; she’d just... picked something without thinking.

If this was how memory magic worked, she could suddenly understand why it had been outlawed. This experience was discombobulating and distressing, like she had an itch she couldn’t quite reach to scratch.

They headed back to the inn and Eira quickly hopped over to the bar, trying to lift her spirits with some sort of sweet drink to enjoy in their room. “I’m just going to grab a quick drink for upstairs!” she said to Hugo as she turned to the barmaid.

“Oh!” the barmaid said. “Darlin’, you’re back.”

“Pardon?” Eira said, watching Hugo’s head incline as he slowly headed over to her, guard dog energy emanating from every pore.

“I’m sure you wouldn’t remember a little old barmaid like me,” the woman chuckled.

“I am so, so sorry, madam, but I think you have the wrong woman,” Eira replied. “I just want to grab whatever juice is fresh for our room.”

“I most definitely do not. I’d remember you from anywhere. You and that rabbit! Where is it?”

Eira started sweating... Had she been here before?

“My wife has had a busy few years, haven’t you, darling?” Hugo chimed in, looping an arm around her waist.

“Yes, I have,” Eira answered mechanically, emptiness in her mind where the memory of this woman should be.

“Happens to the best of us,” the barmaid said as she poured a jug of a translucent yellow juice. “I’ve got apple today.”

“How long was I here?” Eira asked, unable to stop herself.

“You and that friend of yours and that rabbit were here for a few weeks,” she said, handing over the jug. “Your friend kept to herself mostly, so quiet, but you were so much fun. Made the shifts go by nice and easy.”

My friend?Eira looked to Hugo, who locked eyes with her.

“What did this friend look like?” Eira asked carefully.

“Dark hair, olive skin—oh, did y’all have a falling-out orsomething? Or did something happen to her? Did she hit you on the head and that’s why you forgot about lil’ ol’ Jess?”