Irrelevant. Why did he even waste thought on such things he had no control over?
And standing here, staring out at the water, was a pointless waste of time. Plus, his boots were getting wet.
Without further delay, Magnus climbed back on the horse and headed back in the direction of the castle.
By mid-afternoon, he was still a few hours east of the City of Gold when he came upon a village and realized he was hungry— starving, actually. After only a moment’s hesitation, he entered the village. He’d chosen to wear a simple black cloak that didn’t easily give away his royal identity. He kept the cowl up over his head, effectively shielding his face. And it seemed to work. From under his cloak he glanced at the villagers milling about the busy little town; no one seemed to recognize him. Very few even glanced in his direction.
It did not surprise him. Only a handful from this kingdom had ever seen the prince up close or away from the side of his more infamous father.
He could work with that.
Magnus tied his horse to a pole outside a busy tavern and entered the dark interior, wasting no time before he approached the barkeep. He ordered cider and a plate of meat and cheese, sliding three pieces of silver across the counter in payment. The barkeep, a man with a thick beard and bushy eyebrows, set to filling his order. While he waited, he looked around. There were two dozen others in the tavern, eating and drinking, laughing, and making conversation.
He tried to remember the last time he’d been among commoners without being recognized. It had been . . . never.
This was new.
When his plate of food arrived, he began to eat. The food was not unpalatable, and, if he were being honest, it was better than that he was used to back home in Limeros.
Or perhaps he was simply hungry today.
When he was halfway finished, a sound cut through the buzz of conversation in the tavern. It was a woman quietly sobbing. He stopped eating and glanced over his shoulder. At a nearby table, a man faced a woman, holding her arms and talking quietly to her, as if comforting her.
One word of their emotional discussion cut through to him apart from all the rest.
“. . . witch . . .”
He froze, then turned back around to face forward. The barkeep moved past and Magnus reached out to grab the man’s arm. “Who is that woman at the table behind me?”
The barkeep glanced over to where Magnus indicated. “Oh, her? That’s Basha.”
“Why does she cry? Do you know?”
“I do. I probably shouldn’t, but I do.”
Magnus now slid a piece of gold across the counter. “Is she a witch?”
The man’s jaw tensed, but his focus was on the piece of gold. “It’s not my business. Nor is it yours.”
The gold was joined by a friend. Two pieces of gold now sat upon the counter next to Magnus’s half-eaten plate of food. “Make it your business.”
The barkeep was silent only for another moment, but then he swept the coins off the counter with one smooth motion. “Basha’s daughter was taken to King Gaius’s dungeon only days ago, accused of witchcraft.”
Magnus fought to keep his face expressionless, but the news that his father had begun arresting witches here in Auranos . . . he’d had no idea. “She’s accused. But is she able to access elementia?”
“That’s not for me to say. You should talk to Basha yourself if you’re so interested.” He produced an open bottle of pale Paelsian wine. “Trust me, this will ease your introduction. It’s the least I could do for my wealthy new friend.”
“Much gratitude for your assistance.”
Perhaps this day wasn’t a complete waste of time after all. A skilled witch might be able to help Lucia more than any healer ever could. Magnus took the wine and moved toward the old woman seated next a fireplace that blazed despite the heat of the day. Her companion had his arm around her now. The woman was in tears, her eyes red from both sorrow and drink.
Magnus placed the bottle of wine in front of her. “Much sympathy, Basha. The barkeep told me of the recent troubles with your daughter.”
Her gray eyes flicked to him with suspicion for a split second before she pulled the bottle closer, tipped it into her empty glass to fill it, and drank deeply. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand. “A gentleman amongst us. How welcome. Please join us. This is Nestor, my brother.”
Nester was also clearly drunk, and he offered Magnus a crooked grin as the prince sat on a rickety wooden stool. “Basha wants to seek audience with the king himself to ask for Domitia’s release. It’s an excellent idea.”
“Oh?” said Magnus, unable to hide his surprise. “You really think so?”