time,” Julian said.
“We’ve the rest of our lives for that, thanks to you.”
Julian glanced at Robin, hoping the man would help him with an excuse to leave, but he just shrugged. Thanks for the support, Julian thought.
They left the prison and Daniel wouldn’t stop speaking. It was probably the most interaction he had in two years with someone who wasn’t a guard. As they walked out of the prison, Wilkes gave a kind nod and whispered an apology for threatening his life earlier behind the pub. Julian accepted it and they were on their way, back to Homestead.
Julian and Robin nearly had to jog to keep up with Daniel. His excitement of finally being able to hold his wife without a set of bars between them had taken him over. The man couldn’t stop talking about his plans, how much he loved Martha, who Julian gathered was Daniel’s wife, and how good it was to finally get out of that disgusting prison. There was no way in the world Julian would be able to kill Daniel for the information. The man was as innocent and pure as any soul Julian had seen. To even consider the possibility of killing him for the memory orb was terrible.
On the outskirts of the town, Julian and Robin stood by silently as the homecoming played out. Daniel and Martha hugged, kissed, cried and thanked Julian over and over without stopping. When they had finally calmed from their surprise and elation, the couple invited Julian and Robin inside for hot drinks while Martha began preparing a warm meal at once. Julian protested several times, but neither Martha nor Daniel would hear it. Daniel had been freed and that was all that mattered. After the excitement and disbelief began to dissipate, Daniel’s face became hardened and he turned to Julian.
“Do you know why I was imprisoned?”
Julian shook his head, not fully knowing why Daniel had been chosen for such a fate. “I wish I did,” he answered. “Did you ever do anything deserving of imprisonment?”
Daniel shook his head vigorously, but Martha was the one to answer. “Of course he didn’t. Some men came during dinner and placed him under arrest,” she said as she stirred the pot in front of her. “Next time I saw him, he was in the prison and we were never told why.”
“They took me to a cave in the forest,” Daniel said. “I don’t know where exactly. They drugged me, so I was out of it. I suppose I was there for about three days or so, but I can’t really say. Next thing I know, I wake up in a jail cell and I have this scar on my chest.”
“Do you know what that is?” Julian asked.
“No idea. I woke up and it hurt like something awful. I’ve had chest pains ever since then, though.”
Julian glanced at Robin. He wasn’t sure if he should let the man know what had happened to him or leave him in the dark. Would there be a point in telling him that there was a memory orb attached to his heart? That it contained valuable information that could help in the war against the Stühocs, but the only way to get it would be to kill him? Julian shook the thought from his head. Of course it would do no good to tell him. There was nothing to be done. Telling him would only burden the man with information he didn’t need. He needed to enjoy the freedom that had been stolen from him. The search for proof was finished. Now his only option left would be to question the Dunarian Council individually, but he knew it would produce no results. Maybe it was time to finally cut off all ties with the Dunarians and focus on a campaign with Canor and Farlaweer against the Stühocs. The Dunarians would have been a valuable asset, but with the possibility of betrayal, he couldn’t afford to trust them. Not now since the proof was unreachable.
They ate their meal, letting Martha and Daniel do most of the talking. Martha mostly filled Daniel in on what was happening around Homestead, and Julian was content to sit back and listen. He had not been able to sit and enjoy a meal for a long time. He noticed that Robin seemed happy to be there as well, but in their fleeting moments of contentment, Julian knew it had to end.
He stood and Robin did the same. “I’m afraid we won’t