The Colorless Land

Chapter 7: The Man in the Black Cloak

The man, however, seemed unfazed; his tone now turned to one of long-suffering amusement. "My poor man, you should listen to fewer ghost stories behind that bar of yours," he said. "Or perhaps you should stay away from your own ale; you must be hearing things double. There was one voice, and that was mine. Everything else is the sound of the horses and the overbearing imagination of your frightened mind."

There was a moment's pause. Then the old man gave another huff, and the light turned away. "As you please!" he said. "Can't be too careful these days, sir. So if I may give you some advice, you hurry up and leave for your room as well!" Footsteps moved away towards the door, and Jolette caught him muttering, "Still don't trust this man as far as I can throw him."

The light and footsteps disappeared. Jolette and Edmian were left with the man who had covered for them.

"Well," he said, turning back around. "Do you trust me a little more now?"

Jolette crossed her arms. "How do we know you didn't just send him away 'cause you want to kidnap us or something?"

"You don't."

Jolette blinked; out of all the responses she had not been prepared for this one. "Huh?"

"You can't know for sure," the man whispered, slipping back into the stall. "Not unless I show you something I can't show in an open place like this. The old man will be coming back soon." He nodded over his shoulder. "You two can't stay here all night. Will you not trust me long enough to follow me into a safer place?"

"Absolutely not!" Jolette declared, but Edmian said, "I will."

Jolette whipped around, flabbergasted. "Say what?"

"He has protected us," Edmian said quietly. "He knows about us, and he protected us. And he isn't one of...one of..." He shuddered. "One of them."

"There are other bad people around in the world!"

"I...I know." Edmian shrank in on himself, and Jolette hastily looked right and left to see if she had alerted anyone. "But he...he doesn't seem that way. I can't explain it. He just...he..."

"He feels right," Jolette finished his sentence. "Is that what you're trying to say?"

Edmian nodded.

Furrowing her brow, Jolette hesitated, looking back and forth between Edmian and the man. Edmian wasn't one to trust strangers easily, especially not adults. She knew that better than anyone. If he of all people trusted this man, did it not mean something? Should she not give his intuition a chance?

"If it makes you feel any safer," the man offered, "I promise to you I won't try to lock you in, bind you, or otherwise hinder you from running away. And if I do, you have every permission to scream and stir up the building until help arrives."

Edmian cracked a small smile, but Jolette squinted. "Help from who? The people you tried to warn us about?"

The man stared at her, then he softly began to laugh, a warm, friendly sound completely unlike his previous whispers. "You're a sharp one, girl," he said. "I couldn't possibly hope to lure you into a trap, even if I tried."

She crossed her arms, but her suspicions wavered. Maybe, she thought, she was beginning to understand how Edmian felt, even if she still very much didn't want to go with a man she barely knew. In spite of all her common sense, part of her wanted to believe he had a good heart.

"Fine," she said, sticking out her chin in spite. "But if you try anything, I've got a kitchen knife, and I'm not afraid to use it."

"And I have military training," said the man, but he smiled. "Now let's hurry. Pull your hoods low into your faces and follow me quietly."