sword spear, ready to fight. Denney was reaching for her short sword, too, but her hand shook as she did so. She was in no condition to fight. Siobhan made a snap decision and sheathed her swords before turning back and taking Denney into the circle of her arm, giving the comfort that Denney so desperately needed.
Hammon stepped forward to take her place, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Tran and not looking any more calm than the dark giant. In fact, his features looked hard with anger.
Drunkard, not able to take a hint, pointed angrily in Denney’s direction. “That woman belongs to us! We owned her mother, and by birth rights, she belongs to us!”
“Why?” Hammon asked with soft menace. “Because she’s an illegitimate child? That’s it, isn’t it? Because she’s a half-blood, and a love child, you think you can do whatever you want with her?”
“By the laws of the land, we can!” Drunkard snapped, his hand finally reaching for the sword strapped to his side.
Hammon moved so fast that even Tran could barely keep up with his speed. The haft of the sword spear snapped out, hitting the man’s wrist with a sickening crunch. Drunkard gasped in pain, the sword dropping from his numb fingers. Hammon wasted no time in following up that attack with another sharp strike to the man’s head, striking him squarely in the temple.
Drunkard’s eyes rolled up in the back of his head as he slowly sank to the ground, out cold.
The other man didn’t stand much of a chance either. Tran didn’t even bother to draw a weapon, just lashed out with a fist and hit the man squarely in the gut. When he folded over, choking, Tran grabbed him by the back of his head and rammed the man’s face into his knee. It surely broke his nose, as blood spewed everywhere. With a disgusted snort, Tran tossed the man aside like a dirty rag.
Hammon spat on their bodies. “You are boils, malcontents, nothing more than rump-fed measles!”
“You know, Hammon, I believe that’s the first unforgiving thing I’ve ever heard you say.” Siobhan felt more than a little surprised at it, too. He was such a gentle, soft-spoken man most of the time. To hear such vehemence coming from him startled her.
“I’m angry.” He didn’t even try to apologize for his words. “Even I get angry, Siobhan.”
“Oh, I never doubted that. But this is the first time I’ve actually heard you get angry at someone or something.”
“Ahh.” He shrugged slightly. “My father taught me that the tongue should have three gatekeepers: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary? If it’s not one of those three, it’s best not to say it.”
“Wise council,” she agreed. Considering his father’s reputation, she had to wonder just how well he heeded his own advice. Or perhaps this was one of those matters where a father wanted his son to follow what he said rather than what he did.
She shook the thought off. “For now, let’s go back to the inn.”
ӜӜӜ
Tran knew where people were searching and they gathered up Wolf, Beirly and Fei as they retreated to the inn. Everyone took in Denney’s shaken expression and closed in ranks around her, but tactfully didn’t ask any questions.
They’d made it all of three feet inside the inn’s main room when Conli spied them. He took in the iron grip that Denney had on Siobhan’s arm, and the waxy complexion of her face, and came out of his chair so quickly it fell in his wake.
“Denney?!”
Denney reached out for him, arms latching around his waist, and for the first time, she breathed out in relief like a drowning man finally putting his feet on solid ground. Conli returned the embrace just as firmly, his eyes locking with Siobhan’s, silently demanding an answer.
She didn’t feel it right to say anything now, not with the room already half full of people and more coming in behind her. Instead, she turned her head and caught Sylvie’s attention. “Get us a back room to talk. Private one. Now.”
Sylvie took in the atmosphere around them with a glance and gave her a wave of the hand in acknowledgement before hunting down the innkeeper. In moments, she was back, silently encouraging everyone to follow her.
The whole guild trooped after her, most of them uneasy and wondering what was going on, all of them concerned with how uncharacteristic Denney was behaving. The dogs especially were sticking close, constantly nosing at her sides, although it took