A Muddle of Magic. Alexandra Rushe

up at the towering creature. “May I call you Tiny, then?”

      “You can call me whatever you likes, your lordship—jes don’t call me late to supper.” Tiny ducked his head. “Beggin’ yer pardon. That be sumpin me mam says. Giants being peckish, don’t you know.”

      “So, I hear. What brings you to the Citadel, Tiny? Other than Raine, of course.”

      “Shads, Your Worship. They done got me in a frazzle.” Lifting one huge, square foot, the giant showed them a thin place on the bottom of his shoe. “Wore a hole in m’ sandal squishing the pesky fellers.”

      Raven’s expression sharpened. “Shads, in Finlara?”

      “Oh, no—they be in Udom, Yer Royalness. I be right fashed with killin’ ‘em, so I decided to wait at the gate for Raine. Knowed they wouldn’t pester me so close to the city.”

      “Very wise. Shads are not welcome, by and large, at the Citadel, but how did you know Raine would be here?”

      The giant shrugged. “Tiny jes’ knows things sometimes, Your Worship.”

      “It’s true,” Raine said. “He knew about the eaters.”

      “Aye.” Tiny shuddered. “Nasty buggers, eaters. Filled their bellies with Shads, and then started in on the warrior. Gnawed the purdy clean off ʼim, but he got better.”

      “Mauric told me the tale,” Raven said. “He says you saved his life.”

      “Glad to do it.” Tiny looked around. “Speaking o’ which, where be the warrior? I’d uh thunk he’d be here. Like a mama rock bear wiv her cubs, when it comes to Raine, don’t you know.”

      “We left him south of the city,” Raven said. “We’re going that way now, if you’d care to accompany us.”

      “Aye, I’d like to see the warrior.”

      “Then see him you shall, but, first, tell me more about these…er…squiggies. Why were Shads in Udom, do you think?”

      “I’ve puzzled and puzzled on it, Your Worship. Can’t say fer sure, but I reckon them Shads found out, some way t’other, that Gertie and I be friends. Come after me, in hopes of catching her.” The giant’s huge brown eyes were wide and guileless. “Fer the reward money, see?”

      “Or they were after Raine. It’s no secret the Dark Wizard wants her.” Raven rubbed his chin. “If you were seen in her company, the news would have traveled fast.”

      “Them floaters,” Tiny groaned and sat down on a large stone cattle trough on the side of the road. “They saw me on the river. Oh, Kron, Rainey. I done led them nasty squiggies to you.”

      “It’s all right, Tiny,” Raine said. “The rowan has granted me sanctuary.”

      Tiny lifted his head. “He has?”

      “Yes. Chaz, too. He and Gurnst—the helmsman of Raven’s ship—are on their way to the city now with the cargo. We don’t expect them before dark.”

      Tiny hiccupped and wiped his cheeks. “I’d be plum tickled to see the little ʼun, and no lie.”

      “He’ll be glad to see you, too, Tiny, but you may not recognize him. Chaz has grown. A lot.”

      “Shot up, sudden-like, has he?” Tiny said with a wise nod. “Mayhap, he be part giant. We grows like ʼat, don’t you know.”

      “Tiny, you are brilliant,” Raine said. “I’ve racked my brain, trying to figure it out. I’d decided it was Flame’s influence—dragons being magical creatures, but what you say makes sense, too.”

      Tiny got to his feet with remarkable swiftness for a creature so large. “Rainey Stewart, never say you gots a dragon?” He looked around eagerly. “Where do he be?”

      “South of the city with Mauric,” Raven said. “The rowan doesn’t want us to bring him into the Citadel before dark.”