and was asking for a better saw to do it with, and he came to me last. Said the others hadn’t been able to help. But I can ask them anyway, if you’d like.”
“Yeah, do that,” said Bran. “What d’yeh reckon, Arren?”
“Well, it doesn’t look like we have any other choice,” said Arren, carefully getting down off the anvil. “How much is this going to cost?”
“I’m not sure,” said the blacksmith. “But the saw won’t be cheap, and I’ll have to pay the courier . . .”
“I’ll borrow money,” said Arren. “I’m not letting you pay for this, Bran.”
“We’ll see how it plays out,” Bran said diplomatically. “Now”—he looked at the blacksmith—“yer gonna keep this to yerself, got that?”
“Can I ask why?”
“No.”
“Fine. But can you tell me where the collar came from? Who put it on you . . . sir?”
“I don’t know,” said Arren. “Someone.”
“I just want t’ know why,” Bran said later, when they had left the blacksmith’s workshop and were walking back toward Arren’s home. “Why’d they do that to yeh? Who were they?”
“I know why they did it,” Arren said bitterly. “They wanted to humiliate me. Break me. Make me give up.”
“It’s them smugglers again,” said Bran. “Must’ve been.”
Arren turned the idea over in his mind, and then dismissed it. “I would have recognised them. This was someone else. Bran, I—you’re wrong. It’s not my imagination. There are people trying to hurt me, and they did this to me. And I’m afraid—I’m afraid they’ll do worse. I’m afraid for you. What if they go after you? I mean, Gern can’t have died by accident. It can’t be just a coincidence. They had him murdered because they know I told him something I shouldn’t have.”
“But why?” said Bran. “What are yeh hidin’ that’s so important?”
“I can’t tell you,” said Arren. “I already told you why. But you’ve got to protect yourself. Don’t go anywhere on your own.”
Bran touched the hilt of his sword. “I can look after myself. But look, is there anyone else who could’ve done it?”
Arren remembered the two men from the Rat. Maybe it had been connected with them. “I—I don’t know.”
“Look,” said Bran, “I can’t do nothin’ unless I got more. Unless I know where t’ look, who t’ question, I’m out. If yeh really need protection, then for Gryphus’ sake, just tell Lord Rannagon. He can help yeh.”
Arren said nothing.
“Well,” said Bran, “meantime, I’m takin’ yeh to a healer.”
“No,” said Arren. “I don’t need it. I’m fine.”
Bran gave him a slightly irritated look. “Arren, yeh look like yer half-dead. Don’t tell me yer all right; I wasn’t born yesterday.”
Arren stopped and leant against a wall, covering his face with his hand. “Bran, please, I can’t. I can’t let people see me like this. I’m—I only left my house at all to make sure you were all right. I thought someone had come and killed you while I couldn’t walk properly; I had to know you were alive. But if—I can’t stand it, Bran. I just can’t. People staring at me. Calling me things. They don’t treat me like I’m human. Since Eluna died I’ve—I’ve been thinking about killing myself.”
Bran grabbed his arm. “Arren, for gods’ sakes!”
“Don’t make me do it, Bran,” said Arren. “Being called a slave everywhere I go—I just can’t cope with it. Not now. I have to go home and rest. I’ll be fine.”
“Arren, yer sick. If yeh don’t get help . . .”
“I’m going to get better,” said Arren. “I really am. The bruising’s gone down, and there’s no way to treat broken ribs anyway. They heal up on their own. As long as I take it easy for a bit, I’ll be fine. If I went to a healer, she’d just poke me for a while and then say I have to take it easy for a few months.”
“Look me in the eye an’ say that.”
Arren looked him in the eye. “I’ll get better on my own. Honestly. And if I don’t start getting better, then I’ll go to a healer. All right?”
“Well, fine,” said Bran. “But I’m gonna come by tomorrow and visit yeh. I’m goin’ to keep an eye on yeh till I’m sure yer all right. Go ahead and say no if yeh want to, but I ain’t listenin’.”
“I won’t,” said Arren. “That would be—well, I’d appreciate it.”
17
Unspeakable Crime
True to his word, Bran came to visit next day around noon, and brought a large box of food with him. He looked horrified when he