They’d picked up a small number of fellow travelers who wished to accompany the caravan for protection against brigands. To hear Norton speak of it, they usually had a few fellow travelers because traveling the road in small groups could be fairly dangerous. The Hyllises’ collapsible stove had been set off to one side to cool and the girls were serving food off the little trailer while Tarc helped his parents pack up for the road. An older man appeared beside the trailer. He wasn’t in the food line, but Kazy turned to him and lifted an eyebrow anyhow. He said, “I hear tell the cook wagon in this caravan claims to have an honest healer woman with them. Is it you guys she’s with?” Kazy only nodded. “Where is she?” Kazy pointed over at Eva, industriously packing up their kitchen supplies. The man shuffled slowly that way. It seemed to Kazy the man walked as if it hurt to go faster. She wondered why he wasn’t using a crutch. When the man arrived at Eva’s side, he stopped and leaned against their wagon, looking as tired as if he’d walked a long way.
