The pillars of creation

Tom shook his head.

"But we promised her money for watching our horses," Jennsen said. "She would say when she would be back so she could be paid."

Still looking at his feet, Tom said, "She told me she was owed money for watching the horses. I paid her."

Sebastian pulled out money, counted out silver coins, and held them out to Tom. Tom refused it, but Sebastian insisted, finally tossing the money on the table to settle the debt.

Jennsen choked back her desperation. Betty was gone.

Tom looked heartbroken. "I'm sorry."

Jennsen could only nod. She wiped her nose as she watched Joe and Clayton saddling their horses for them. The sounds of the market seemed distant. In a numb state, she hardly felt the cold. When she saw the horses she had thought…

Now, she could think only of Betty bleating in distress. If Betty was even still alive.

"We can't stay," Sebastian answered softly to the pleading look she gave him. "You know that as well as I. We have to be on our way."

She looked back to Tom. "But I told you before, about Betty." Desperation drove into her voice. "I told you that Irma had our horses and my goat, Betty. I told you-I know I did."

Tom couldn't meet her eyes. "You did, ma'am. I'm sorry, but I just forgot to ask her. I can't lie to you and tell you anything else or make an excuse. You told me. I forgot."

Jennsen nodded and put a hand on his arm. "Thank you for getting our horses, and all the other help. I couldn't have done it without you."

"We have to get going," Sebastian said, checking his saddlebags and securing the flaps. "It's going to take time to work our way through the crowds and out of here."

"We'll give you an escort," Joe said.

"People get out of the way of our big draft horses," Clayton explained. "Come on. We know the quickest way out. Follow us and we'll get you through the crowds."

Both men pulled a horse over so they could step up on a barrel and mount up bareback. They deftly guided the huge horses out of the narrow way between the stands and barrels without so much as jostling anything. Sebastian stood waiting for her, holding the reins to their horses, Rusty and Pete.

On her way past, Jennsen paused and gazed up into Tom's eyes, sharing with him a private, wordless moment among all the people around. She stretched up and kissed his cheek, then held her own cheek against his for a moment. His fingertips just touched her shoulder. As she drew away, his wistful gaze stayed on her face.

"Thank you for helping me," she whispered. "I'd have been lost without YOU."

Tom smiled then. "My pleasure, ma'am."

"Jennsen," she said.

He nodded. "Jennsen." He cleared his throat. "Jennsen, I'm sorry-"

Jennsen, holding back her tears, touched her fingers to his lips to silence him. "You helped me save Sebastian's life. You were a hero for me when I needed one. Thank you from the depths of my heart."

He stuffed his hands in his pockets as his gaze sank to the ground once more. "Safe journey to you, Jennsen, wherever you may go in your life. Thank you for letting me join you for a small part of it."

"Steel against steel," she said, not even understanding why, but it somehow sounded right. "You helped me in that."

Tom smiled then, with a look of intense pride and gratitude.

"That he may be the magic against magic. Thank you, Jennsen."

She patted Rusty's muscular neck before putting a boot into a stirrup and boosting herself up onto the saddle. She cast the big man a last look over her shoulder. Staying with his things, Tom watched as Jennsen and Sebastian followed Joe and Clayton out into the sea of people. Their two big escorts, yelling and whistling, moved people out of the way, creating a clear path ahead. People stopped and looked when they heard the commotion coming, then stepped aside at the sight of the huge horses.

Sebastian, flashing a heated scowl, leaned toward her. "What was the big ox babbling about magic?" he whispered over at her.

" I don't know," she said in a low voice. She let out a sigh. "But he helped me get you out."

She wanted to tell him that Tom might be big, but he was no ox. She didn't though. For some reason, she didn't want to talk about Tom to Sebastian. Even though Tom had been helping her to rescue Sebastian, what they had done together for some reason felt very private to her.

When they finally reached the edge of the marketplace, Joe and Clayton waved them a farewell as Jennsen and Sebastian urged their horses ahead at a gallop, out onto the cold, empty Azrith Plains.

CHAPTER 30