of before. I salute you, madam, as your tactics obviously worked.”
“I think it was the kindness that worked.” She wore a sad smile as she stared at her plate, idly moving a piece of fruit around and around. “He doesn’t know how to respond to kindness, it’s such a stranger to him. Being able to laugh and joke with us was just the final clincher.”
“Ah, I see.” His deep voice softened slightly. “But then, I suppose you have experience in dealing with dark guild members.”
She looked up at him askance.
“Your enforcer Wolf has all the markings of a former mercenary. I assumed that he was once in a dark guild as well. Am I wrong?”
This man…just how good were his eyes? “No, you’re not.”
“How long has he been with you?”
“Ten years.”
He pursued his lips in a soundless whistle. “A long time. Do you plan to keep Rune with you that long?”
“That’s entirely his decision to make. I promised to help him leave the continent in exchange for his help. What he does after we leave Island Pass is up to him.”
“Hmmm.” Jarnsmor let the subject rest there and instead switched topics. “The Blackstone guildmembers will be safe here while you go and investigate. I sent my own message to Darrens assuring him of such. When you do go to Orin, I request that you leave your physician Conli behind. He’s been very helpful to us in caring for people.”
She translated the ‘request’ for ‘demand’ without a problem. “Of course. I’d doubt I’d be able to pry him away at this point anyway.”
“Good.”
ӜӜӜ
With Jarnsmor preparing the ship, Siobhan went to tell her people the news and get them in motion. She saw people in the halls and the gardens, all of them on their own pursuits, and told them as she passed. They all assured her they’d be ready, and she had no doubt of it.
Siobhan found Wolf and Conli, the last two, in the common room just outside of the Blackstone area. Since people were likely sleeping—the heavily injured tended to sleep more than not—Siobhan didn’t hail them but simply waved to get their attention as she walked across the room. Wolf and Conli paused in their conversation and looked up, waiting for her.
“I just spoke with Jarnsmor,” she said in a low tone. “He’s arranging a ship for us and we leave for Orin in the next few days.”
Wolf nodded in satisfaction.
Turning to Conli, she added, “He did request that you stay and tend to the Blackstone members.”
“I intended to,” Conli assured her.
“I thought as much.”
“And Grae?”
Siobhan blinked, then slapped herself on the forehead. “Oh, right! I’d nearly forgotten how badly he gets seasick. I’ll have him stay here with you.”
“And Rune?” Wolf asked her, a trace of bitterness in the question.
Siobhan stared blankly at him, not understanding what he was asking.
“You intend to bring him along with us?” Wolf elaborated patiently.
She cocked her head. “Why wouldn’t I? Oh, did you catch up with him last night?”
Wolf grumbled something inaudible, which she took to mean ‘no.’
“Well, if he’s still in one piece, then why wouldn’t I bring him along? It would be awkward to leave him here in Sateren, after all.”
He didn’t have a response to that, just looked away, a resigned sigh escaping from his mouth.
“You don’t need to worry, Wolf.” Conli had an odd quirk to his mouth, as if he were biting back a smile.
“Worry?” Wolf repeated in a growl befitting his nickname.
“Siobhan isn’t a love interest for Rune,” he clarified. His expression warred between being sympathetic and amused. “He doesn’t see her that way.”
Wolf went very, very still. His eyes focused sharply as he studied Conli’s expression as if trying to read the man’s mind. “Oh? You seem to be quite certain of this. If that’s so, then what does he see her as?”
“A mother.”
Even Siobhan felt surprised at this answer. Mother? Absurd! Rune was only eight, nine years her junior. The very idea was preposterous.
Seeing the disbelieving expressions aimed his direction, Conli started defending his opinion, ticking things off on his fingers as he went. “He checks in with her before he goes anywhere. He eats when she tells him to. He comes and shares little things with her like a child showing off. Shall I continue?”
Trotted out like that, she had a hard time refuting anything. But…but still… “A mother?”
“Wolf, you’ve experienced life in a dark guild.” Conli cocked his head slightly, tone a simple statement of fact. “You know better than I