The food was amazing. If nothing else, Eques Lestan knew how to feed his audience. Ezo had no taste for fine wine. He couldn’t tell by drinking if it was aged properly or what notes he was supposed to taste - he was sure they weren’t talking music but that’s all he understood - but the wine was well paired with the food courses that were brought before them and it was all delicious. Musicians played throughout the meal and a troupe came in to perform a short play about mistaken identities and love. Ezo caught Alvrey’s gaze during the play and he rolled his eyes, sharing his opinion that Jaroh’s players were far superior. Alvrey’s answering smile said she agreed.

After that people began to mingle. And by mingle, he meant they seemed to fall upon him like a mudslide.

“You are, of course, the elementalist that Eques Lestan was speaking of this morning,” a man said as he stood in front of Ezo’s table.

Ezo had stayed seated as much as possible because they seemed to stream to him even worse when he tried to move around. As much as the earlier part of the evening had been enjoyable, as soon as the players had gone Ezo quickly grew tired of the same trite conversations.

“There are two of us here,” Ezo said as he looked over at Kammon who was, once again, ignoring anyone that approached by filling his wine glass. “I’m not sure how you’d know which of us he was speaking of?”

“The Calamity is well known in Pramas,” the man said without looking at Kammon.

Ezo was done with this. Next would be some insinuation that the eques was looking for men of good standing and had given Ezo’s description to them so they would know him at first glance.

Then they would work the conversation around and make innuendos about people who leave before the job is done, trying to get a rise out of Kammon. It would fail miserably, but Ezo had traveled with him enough to see the minute tightening of the mouth and the way his fingers clenched just a tad harder. The only sign that these men’s words were even heard.

Finally, there would be a comment about the sort of life a man like him, untethered, could make in the right place.

“Kammon should be known,” Ezo said, standing up and bracing a hand on Kammon’s chair. “The stories I’ve heard, and the things I’ve seen are… memorable.”

He turned to walk away and find Alvrey - they might leave Kammon alone if Ezo wasn’t standing next to him - when he realized he was face to face with Eques Lestan. The man himself had come to meet Ezo.

“Elementalist.” The man had a hyena’s smile.

“Eques Lestan,” he said, remembering to bow properly.

He saw Kammon stand and turn to face the eques with him, but the man ignored him, even when he gave the requisite bow. “Elementalist, let us walk for a moment.”

Ezo wanted to say no, but Kammon had reminded him often enough that the night belonged to the eques and they had agreed to dinner so that Ezo could hear him out. He had just never realized how awful it would be to live in a city like this. He liked the idea of setting down roots at some point, but a place like this would stifle him.

He wanted to follow Kammon’s example in this - enjoy the food and wine and let everything else fade away - but their words grated. Even more so because Kammon listened to every comment and kept silent. The eques walked away from the tables and out onto a veranda. His entourage followed, as did Kammon.

The veranda was lit by magic and Ezo wanted to roll his eyes at the waste, but it was to be expected. It had been the same inside. Instead of candles, he could feel elementalists around the room keeping the small fires lit. It was a show of power and opulence. Would that be the sort of work he would ask of Ezo? To keep pathways lit when wax and a few moments to set the flame were all that was needed? To play trophy to a man’s greed and arrogance? What did these people do all day long? Were they allowed to explore their own works, or did the eques demand all of their attention?

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“There has been talk of a wild elementalist, roaming our countryside,” Eques Lestan said as he strolled slowly from one ivy-covered pillar to another with a wine glass in one hand. There was no magic in Lestan, but at least four of his retainers not only had magic but had it called at the ready.

Ezo looked back at them, then past them to Kammon who walked a few steps behind. He had no magic at the ready, but Ezo knew the man was ever prepared for battle.

“Do not worry about them,” Lestan said with a grin. “They are… overzealous with my protection.”

Or ordered to put on a show of force that would make Ezo nervous. The way the men looked back at Kammon it was clear they knew they were no match for him. Ezo didn’t think he’d have much trouble with them either. They didn’t know that though.

“I didn’t realize there was a need for protection so far from the borders of Distria. Surely, you are safe in Pramas,” Ezo said.

“There is always danger in the world. Those of us in power are frequent targets from foreign agents who would disrupt the ruling of Distria.”

Ezo almost laughed. Kammon had said the city thought it was bigger than it was. Eques Lestan certain thought himself far more important than his position granted. Not even the Council in Dezra seemed as arrogant. “I suppose. I’m from a small village though and walled cities and politics are far from my way of life. I will count myself lucky to have seen it before I travel on though.”

“And what do you plan, Elementalist?” Eques Lestan asked. “Do you mean to leave the city soon?”

Ezo looked over his shoulder and was surprised to see Kammon had fallen behind and was talking to Tamis and Mathis. The boys listened intently, then ran off back toward the feast. When Kammon looked back at him, their eyes met and he nodded his head once. Ezo wasn’t entirely sure what that was about, but he felt settled suddenly. Like some burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

“If you are concerned, you do not need to travel with the Disavowed.” The eques misinterpreted Ezo’s look and there was a slight smirk on his lips as he spoke. “The War-Sworn are useful men to have on your side, that is to be certain, but there are few cases as sad as that of Kammon Harbinger.”

“I don’t understand,” he said, stopping to face the eques.

The eques turned and looked at Ezo. “A soldier called to battle, who leaves the battle. There can be no greater dishonor than that of the Disavowed. He was once a man of power and authority. Now he is nothing more than a homeless vagabond, working for coin. You don’t need to suffer that fate.”

“That fate?”

“There is a place here, for good men, strong elementalists who are loyal.”

It was the last straw for Ezo. He’d never been good at keeping his tongue, but he could almost feel Kammon’s pain as the eques called his service into question. “Where is your loyalty, Eques?” he asked. “Where is your loyalty to the men who kept your borders safe while you hid behind these walls?”

“Ezo,” Kammon called to him, but Ezo was beyond angry.

“You use magic like it’s a game, a toy, something shiny to display when you should use it to help your people! Where were your elementalists when the roads were unsafe and your people couldn’t make it to your walls safely?”

“Ezo, stop!” Kammon grabbed him by the arm and pulled him around and away from the eques. Magic sprang at them as he spun, but a blast of air broke the weak wall of earth that had come toward them from the eques’s men. The men fell backward, most sprawling on the ground, including the eques.

“You would attack the eques!” one of the men roared.

“You did this!” Ezo yelled. “We defended ourselves. Don’t act innocent.”

“Ezo, we need to leave now!” Kammon grabbed him and pulled him down the veranda.

“Don’t let them escape!” Someone called out.

They took off running and Kammon didn’t need to keep hold of his arm anymore. “What about Alvrey?” he asked.

“I told Tamis and Mathis to get her out quickly and quietly. I was worried something might happen.”

“Why?” he asked as they sped between rows of perfectly manicured rose bushes.

“Because I’m affecting you too much.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Kammon frowned at him. “They were using me to get to you. I warned you.”

“We can’t go back to the Inn,” Ezo realized.

“Alvrey will get our things before the eques can think to send people after them.”

“Then where are we going?”

“The players have to be waiting past the north gate. We’ll meet them there.”

“And the gate?”

“We’ll burn that bridge when we get to it.”