After retrieving her armor and thanking the reeve for his quick hospitality, Irene found Sammy just where she left him. She scratched the horse behind his ears and quietly uttered, "Forgive me. We have another journey ahead of us."
However, his tail swaying and eagerness made her realize he had energy to spend. It made her feel less guilty to put him through it again, but compared to their first trip together—the trip to the far north—Irene knew that was the least he had been through.
She had never removed her saddlebags, so all she did was tighten them before mounting her loyal steed and squeezing her knees so he would head to the end of the village. It was going to be a cold evening, and she would be thoroughly soaked by the time she made it to the Duke's Tower, but it was well worth the 'trouble' on the other end.
