"The Sleeping Giant is this way," Shay said waving for me to follow him.

"We know where it is," I objected. "You don't need to show us."

But Shay wasn't listening. He kept walking toward the unmistakable sign for The Sleeping Giant Inn. I rolled my eyes and jogged after him. Archer and Kharjo had managed to both fit on Shadowmere and would be meeting us there. Archer had insisted on making a stop by Whiterun to tell the Jarl what was happening.

"Come on Rapier!" Shay called from the porch. "We don't have all day."

"I swear I will shout you over the railing when I'm that strong," I threatened, leaping over the stairs and landing next to Shay.

Shay just laughed and held the door for me. I stepped into the inn and almost knocked over a chair.

"I should have warned you about that," Shay said quietly. "I put that there."

I shot him a reproachful look and walked up to a woman wearing a light blue dress.

"Hello," the woman said with a smile. "I'm the innkeeper, what can I do for you today?"

"My friends and I would like to rent the attic room," I said, noticing that Archer and Kharjo had just come in.

The woman tried to hide her surprise, but didn't do it very well. "We don't have an attic room, but you can have the one on the left. Make yourselves at home."

I frowned. "Alright."

I turned to the room on the left and walked in. Archer, Shay, and Kharjo crowded in after me.

Shay, Archer, and I squished onto the bed and Kharjo sat in the only chair.

The room was small. The only furnishings were a cupboard behind the door, a bed, a table in the back right corner with a chair, and a chest at the foot of the bed.

"That was Dolphin," Shay said, frowning. "I knew she was the innkeeper, but why did she look so amazed when you asked for the attic room. She doesn't strike me as the adventuring type."

"It's Delphine, Shay," Archer corrected. "Get it straight."

Just as Shay was about to say something else, the woman came in. "So you're all Dragonborn?"

"Nope," I said. "Just me and this guy in the funny robes." I slapped Archer's back.

The woman didn't laugh. "I believe you'll want this?" She held up an intricately carved horn.

I stood and held out a hand. She placed the horn in my palm. I looked at it closely. It was carved from a dark wood, or perhaps it was painted, with gold designs and rough carvings. Around the wide part of the horn were the words, Jurgen Windcaller. "I believe I do want this," I said. I slipped it into a pouch on my belt.

"You wanted to talk to us?" Kharjo asked.

"No," the woman said. "I want to talk to the Dragonborns."

"You talk to us, you talk to them," Archer said stubbornly. "No exceptions."

"Fine. Follow me," the woman looked at me and Kharjo. "I'm Delphine by the way."

"How many more times will I need to hear that?" I growled under my breath. Then louder I said, "Good for you." I knew she probably wanted our names, but I didn't trust her that much yet.

We followed Delphine into the other room. She closed the door and walked over to a wardrobe and opened it. It was completely empty. I was about to ask why she'd just opened a useless wardrobe when she pushed the back aside.

There was a flight of stairs leading down. Delphine started down with everyone crowding down behind her. I went last, leaning against the wall when we reached the bottom.

Delphine and Archer instantly started talking. I didn't pay any attention. None of it seemed to do with us and I knew Archer would say it in fewer words if I asked him to.

"-Kynesgrove," Delphine said, getting my attention in less than a second. "There's a burial mound up the hill to-"

"To the east," I finished. "I've been up there."

Delphine looked at me in mild surprise. "Good, then I won't need to tell you where to go and what a dragon burial mound looks like."

"So, what are we waiting for?" I asked impatiently.

Delphine shot me an annoyed look. "We need to get there."

"Exactly why we should be leaving now. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm going to start on my way. I would like to get there before Alduin does," I said."

"I honestly thought you weren't paying attention," Shay said with a smile.

"I wasn't. I know what Alduin is doing though."

"How do you know?" Archer asked.

I looked down. "I asked Master Borri about it."

"And he answered you?" Archer looked surprised.

"Not exactly. He did that sharing knowledge thing and tried to pet my tail."

"He tried to... never mind. Rapier's right. We should get going."

Delphine sighed and started for the stairs. "I'll need to get my traveling gear on first. Meet you outside."

She left and I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. "Thank goodness she's gone. I don't like her much."

"Why not?" Archer asked. "She's like you."

I rubbed my forehead. "Yep. That would do it."

I heard Delphine's muffled voice upstairs. "I'm going to visit Kynesgrove, you're in charge while I'm gone."

"We should probably get going," Kharjo said. "She doesn't seem like the kind of person who would actually wait for us."