She took her time over breakfast, dawdled talking to Ben and to Eleanor, chatted with Maida when she picked up her dinner, and made her walk up the road into more of a stroll. The storm clouds still threatened, but the wind had died down and she felt less chilly than the day before. She closed her fingers around the iron key that weighed her pocket down and remembered why she was actually going to the fort. Today she would try to investigate the other storage towers. Somewhere, there had to be whatever contraband Harroden had sent. It was almost funny that the Baron was responsible for giving her the freedom to engineer his downfall. The fort looked different that morning; she realized, as she approached, there were no guards at the gate, and the gate itself stood open. Her first thought was The Ruskalder have invaded, then she laughed at herself. She would definitely have noticed if Ruskalder warriors were loose in Barony Steepridge. Still, she slowed her steps and listened. Everything seemed too quiet, even for Thorsten Keep, which usually sounded like a sullen bear grumbling its way toward hibernation.
