Book 4. Chapter 26
The small town of Talra was only a half hour walk from the Order's castle, and since Brin actually walked, he was the last to arrive. He'd only been cooped up in that castle for a couple weeks, and he'd only been officially enlisted for a few days. The other guys had gone months without a day of freedom, so they were a fair bit more eager.
Brin didn't know what they were so excited for. Talra was tiny. About two dozen small homes in a ring around a mostly empty town square. The only thing worth seeing at all was the Inn and the Tavern and both of those buildings were new; probably built this spring to cater to the soldiers who'd begun to swarm the area.
According to Cid, if the Lance didn't make too much trouble today, they'd be allowed to take their next free day in Fortmouth, which was an hour away on horseback. Brin would make sure there wasn't trouble, because he needed to make more glass weapons and he couldn’t do it here. Forget having a glassworks; Talra didn't even have a smithy.
When he got to town, he found the rest of the Lance milling around uselessly, probably unsure of what to do now that they were here. Honestly, what did they expect? Brin actually had business here. After all, Sion was in town.
The house wasn't marked by anything in particular, but Brin found it easily with an Invisible Eye. He marched up and opened the door without knocking.
Inside, Sion jumped, startled and turned around. His expression relaxed when he saw it was Brin.
"Ah, you startled me. How embarrassing, because I even knew to expect you." Sion nodded to Marksi, who'd also ran ahead. The dragonling was laying on a dining table, nestled around a plate full of grapes. When he saw Brin, he pulled the plate closer to himself, as if worried Brin would try to steal them.
Brin laughed and shook his head. "I could've guessed. So what's going on here?" He gestured at the room, which was covered with Sion's luggage and traveling boxes; there was no way he was going to unpack everything in this tiny house. He had one suitcase open and appeared to have been going through clothes when Brin had startled him. The only other thing that looked to have been opened was a case of papers and documents. Many of them were already covering a nearby writing desk.
The house was an old, lived-in cottage for country commoners, but Sion thrust his arms wide as if welcoming someone to a lavish mansion. "Do you like it? I decided to purchase accommodations for myself, for as long as I am to serve as a go-between between your Order and my family."