“You’re definitely sure it was her?” I’ve finished most of my food now, saving the waffles for last. It’s all such amazing food, the hole in my centre has long since been plugged again but I’m not about to stop, this isn’t about just satisfying my hunger any more. Now I’m just pigging out, really. But with food this gorgeous it’s worth it.
Kesla’s mellowed somewhat since their return, and while I’m sure seeing me up was at least part of what’s improved her mood since, I’ve no doubt her own selection of the varied food on offer has had something of a soothing effect on her too. That being said, she’s still trading the odd sharp look with Art, who’s been watching her with something like smug amusement since we all sat down together to eat and catch up on the latest developments. Clearly he’s got something on his mind that she’s picked up on, and I have a feeling it’s irking her, but she’s not backing down from him right now. In truth, I think they both enjoy it, anyway.
“Oh yeah, it’s her.” Kesla cuts one of her sausages in halt, then halves this piece before spearing one morsel on top of the other and transferring it to her mouth. She gives it a long, indulgent chew, waiting until she’s done and swallowed before continuing. “I got a damn good look before they were gone the other night. An’ I’m good with faces. Couldn’t have forgotten her if I tried.”
“So that’s it, then.” Gael’s definitely perky about this particular news too, but they’re invested, so I’m not surprised. “We know where they are, right? So what’s the plan?”
“Well now, hold your horses, young ‘un.” Kesla chuckles a little as she spears another bisected morsel of sausage and pokes it into the rich amber-yellow yolk of her remaining fried egg, giving it a good swirl. “There’s still a lot we gotta be sure ‘bout before we commit on this.”
I’m starting to hate watching them deflate, every time they get excited it’s so sweet that when their little bubble of happiness is burst it’s so thoroughly disheartening. “Oh … but –”
So I just jump to their defence as quickly as I can, determined to challenge Kesla now, as much on their behalf as the simple fact that, honestly, I mostly agree with them too right now. “Like what, exactly? I mean, honestly I think it sounds pretty compelling. You saw her, she’s there. Plus we have what Kurnev told us, that that’s where that huge bloody orc goes too. If she’s there too it feels a whole lot more likely they’re using it as a base of operations, rather than just some loose coincidence.”
Gael looks my way now, and I can see they’re glad for my backing them up right now. I try not to seem too smug as I give them a smile to perk them up a little more. Then I turn and find Kesla’s watching me pretty close again, more critical now.
I’ll admit, looking back at her now is a lot more interesting because after all the time we’ve spent together I was getting used to her look, and now she’s changed it up again. Sometime since I was out she clearly found the time to take care of her hair, having shaved her undercut right back again, but now that it’s grown longer on top it’s a good deal more unruly. She’s been cleaning it more diligently too, because the thick, tight black curls are a good deal bouncier and more sleek than they were before as they hang over the right side of her face where she’s swept them. It’s a very striking look, which suits her extremely well, but I’m also finding it rather distracting.
“Honestly, you’re probably right, but I want to make sure before we go storming in there and tear up a dockside bar purely on hearsay. There were a lot of weapons in there, even if this Jammund fellow does have a strict no-naked-blades policy, so he’s got a lot of fighters. If he is involved it’s gonna be a hard fight, maybe hard as the one we had the other night.”
“Yes, all right, but still –”
“And you got pretty tore up that night, Shay. You gotta admit, that was a close call for you. I don’t wanna run the risk of something like that happening again. One of us already died once, I don’t want it happening again.” She’s looking at Gael again as she says that, and I can see the reminder’s cutting as deep as it’s intended to. Part of me wants to stand up and punch her teeth out for that alone, but I push it down hard. I don’t want to ruin what trust and respect we’ve built in the time we’ve had since Ashsong.
The table’s quiet for several long moments, and Kesla uses that as an excuse to get back to her food. After a little consideration my own sense of smell gets the best of me as much as the look of those waffles still waiting for me to dig in, so I follow her example, picking up the miniature pitcher of syrup and pouring a generous helping of it over the top of the stack. I’m just cutting into it when Thel decides to pipe up, the first time she’s spoken since she sat down after congratulating me on my recovery, actually. She’s been as hungry as me, it seems, having made very short work of her own trayful of substantially packed food.
“So what’s the deal with this Jammund guy, then?”
“Far as we know, just an old sailor. Used to captain a ship when he was younger, this is his retirement. Once upon a time he was a damn good smuggler but he called it a day once the Terror’s crackdown on unregulated imports got to be too much hassle.” Darwyn takes a bite of her sausage sandwich, then when she sees everybody looking at her she winds up pausing mid-chew. “What?”
“You rattled all o’ that off pretty smooth.” Kesla’s grin’s subtle. “Almost like you had it prepared.”
Darwyn frowns at her while she’s chewing, waiting until she can swallow before she answers: “Yeah, cuz I did. Figured somebody’d probably ask.”
“Smart.” Thel sets down her cutlery so she can pick up her mug, filled from Dumoli and Yeslee’s pitcher. “You lot had your eyes on ’im, then?”
“Far as we had to, is all.” Darwyn clearly looks like she’d rather just be allowed to continue eating. “Guild manages most o’ what goes on land-wise, but when it comes to import an’ export over the water we tend to hire out to the smuggler crews. Ain’t a whole lot of us particularly keen on getting our feet wet, if you will. Long as they don’t try an’ undercut us by sneaking shit in under our noses we tend to let ‘em operate how they want. Within reason, o’ course.”
“So he ain’t in on the game anymore?” Thel wonders, watching her close even as she takes a big gulp of cider.
“No, ‘least not far as we know.” Darwyn puts the sandwich down again, clearly realising she’s not going to be left alone right now. “That said, he’s still got a lot o’ contacts.” She looks down for a moment, seeming more thoughtful now, and I suspect she might be starting to follow a similar train of thought to whatever Thel’s considering. “Reckon if somebody wanted to get a lot o’ cargo out the city good an’ fast without anybody knowing, including us, he’d be a good person to know. From what I heard back in his day he was about the best in the business working out of Untermer.”
“Including moving people.” Kesla muses, chewing on more sausage. She swallows before continuing. “Even before they started pulling our attention, they’d have wanted to be as discreet as possible. Reckon they’d wanna stagger out much o’ the deliveries as possible, so they wouldn’t be doing it all at once. So they’d still have to store ‘em somewhere first.”
“We’re definitely sure these folk are being shipped somewhere alive?” Art doesn’t look entirely convinced. “Wouldn’t there be easier ways an’ places to get bodies than here?”
“Reckon it’s safe to assume they’re taking ‘em alive for transport to wherever, otherwise why bother? From what we learned, looks like everybody’s been taken got grabbed careful. If they’d just been killed an’ then the bodies taken away already dead there’d have been more mess.” Kesla takes another bite, chewing for a few moments before going on. “Somehow I doubt we’re dealing with cannibals here. I mean, that bitch Vandryss was fucking creepy, can’t say I’d necessarily put it past her, but no, don’t smell right, that idea.”
At the mention of her name I put my hand to my stomach, I can’t help it. I’m not feeling any worse for it now than I did when it happened, the healers did their work well, but … that memory’s a nasty one. The pain, and the fear it set loose in me, knowing what I was probably looking forward to. Worse, the look on her face, in those eyes. She wanted me dead all right, but there was more to it than that. There was … Thorin protect me, it almost felt like a hunger to me. Kesla might be right there. It’s almost enough to ruin my appetite.
Almost. This food’s too good, the waffles especially. Gael was right, they’re so rich they don’t actually need the syrup, but that’s such an exquisite quality too I can’t help myself. So I pick my knife and fork back up and start cutting away another bite.
“Does Jammund seem like the type to be in on it, though?” Gael wonders now, looking to Kesla again. “What did you think of him?”
“He’s clearly full of himself, but I get the definite impression it ain’t exactly unwarranted. He’s got a way about him, he’s clearly capable. Seems … honestly, he seemed dangerous. I known plenty folk like him in my time, mercs an’ soldiers an’ more, there was some back in the Legion too. Charismatic, folk other folk’ll follow, for better or worse.”
“You mean he’s like you, then?” Gael asks, then must realise how that sounds because they start blushing instantly. “Oh, no … no, I mean apart from being full of yourself, of course. I just meant the charisma. The fact that people would follow you. Because they would. They do. I mean, we do, of course.”
Kesla grins at last as she looks at them, a distinctly amused twinkle in her eye now. “You reckon I’m dangerous, then?”
“Very much, yes.” Gael says it as matter of fact as they can, I judge. “Not to us, but certainly you are, yes. I’ve seen you fight, remember? And you’ve taught me a fair bit now, too.”
“Served you well too, it has.” She turns to look at me again for a beat, and I know she’s thinking as much about what I managed to teach Gael on the road back to Bavat as she did herself. They’ve definitely progressed impressively well since fighting Ashsong, Kesla’s impression’s definitely right on the money there. “You’re getting dangerous yourself, too. But that ain’t quite what I mean.”
I can’t help frowning at that. “So … what do you –”
“There’s certain people out there, they’re just inherently dangerous, they’re just born for trouble, and it finds ‘em wherever they go, but the way they’re made they can always get out of it, cuz they’re just naturally good enough to get out of it. More dangerous than whatever it is they run into. That can get pretty intoxicating sometimes, and some of ‘em get to like it, they like being in the centre o’ the whirlwind all the time cuz it’s fun for them. More’n that, though, other folk can become attracted to that, to being around that kind of … unpredictable power. That can be intoxicating too.”
Yeah, I really don’t like the sound of that. “Jammund is like that, you think? One of those people?”
“Oh yeah, I’m sure of it.”
“Sounds like he’s definitely our man then, surely.” When she doesn’t answer, simply looking at me with a cool amusement, I put my cutlery down again, frowning a little as I just stare back. “You don’t agree?”
“No, reckon you might’ve finally convinced me.” She cocks her head at last. “So what d’you reckon we should do about it, then?”
“Well, I …” I falter as I come up short, and it’s all I can do not to glare at her in sheer frustration. The way she’s still smiling is infuriating enough. “Okay, you win. What do you want to do then?”
Kesla looks at me for a long moment, musing. Finally she just lets out a sigh, picking up her cutlery again. “Honestly? I’m mindful to take a step back for a minute or two. We went at it pretty hard before that battle in the ruin, and all we got for it was a load o’ pain and more’n one of us laid up. We need to take a big step back as a whole and think about this. So I’m …” She shrugs, starts cutting into her substantial stack of well-syruped pancakes. “I dunno. Regrouping, I guess.”
Gael’s eyes go wide at that, and as they open their mouth I know exactly where this is going to go. Their thoughts have gone straight to their father, the great and famous Silver Order wizard Darion Foxtail, whose disappearance got us mixed up in this mess in the first place. Problem is, I can kind of see Kesla’s point, because I can’t see a quick way out of this right now, not without just charging in like a stampede of bulls and potentially getting into something worse than last time. So I lean into their side again, giving them a gentle nudge as I reassure them. “Patience. She’s right. We have to be smart about this.”
“Besides, your da’s a big deal.” Art pipes up now “They won’t have just killed ‘im. I mean they’re trying to keep a low profile, right? Reckon murdering one o’ the most famous wizards in all Rundao would draw way too much attention.”
Art’s words don’t seem to do the best job of perking them up, I notice, and I’m not really surprised since the vague implication there is that they might still kill him at some point when it becomes more convenient. I resist the urge to slap him up the back of his head, instead just giving Gael another nudge and kissing them beside the ear. “He may not have used the best choice of words, but the fuzzy lothario’s right enough. And we’re not going to sit still for long, are we?” I turn to look at Kesla as I say it, putting as much intensity into my glare as I can.
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Kesla just looks right back at me as she ruminates on the big mouthful of pancake she’s currently chewing, regarding me with the cool patience of a sphinx. “No. We’re not. Ain’t like we don’t have a few things we can still try, like that blood trick, ‘least if that one Gael fought in the alley’s still with ‘em.” She turns to Thel now. “What was his name?”
“Tog.” Thel practically growls the word, I notice, and she’s gripping her knife and fork particularly tightly now, surely enough to bend them with her impressive dwarven strength. “That little prick. Next time I see him I’m finishing what I started.”
“No you won’t.” Dumoli sighs, fixing his friend with a warning eye. “If we go looking for him, it’s to capture him, not kill him. He’s too useful to us alive for you to go off on your personal vendetta again.”
“Oh yeah?” She looks right back, seeming a little irritated now at being reprimanded. “How’s that? We worked out he ain’t much more well informed than that kid we got locked up in the back, no matter what he might think of himself. He’s just a flunky, same as the rest of ‘em.”
“But he knows where that other one was.” He looks to Kesla now. “What was his name? The one who runs all the gangs.”
“Vik, I believe.” Kesla looks to Gael, who nods, then me, and I do the same, remembering well enough. “Dumoli’s right, he might be a smart target. Clearly he’s a reasonably direct line to Vandryss, she’s the one we want right now.”
“But I thought this wizard woman –”
“She’s a lead, so’s Granzun, but that’s tricky ground, we’re gonna have to work out exactly how we’re gonna proceed there.” Kesla looks back at Thel again. “If we can get to Vandryss another way, might be we don’t need to bother.”
Thel looks at her for a long moment, but Kesla’s already gone right back to her meal again. So she turns her ire on Dumoli instead, but he seems impervious to it now, clearly having built up the same immunity to her disdain that Kesla seems to have for Art’s, I’ve noticed. I think he might be a bit like her in that way, he’s clearly similarly hard to rattle.
He’s looking a good deal better than I would’ve expected, really, given what I heard. Gael made it sound like he got cut up even worse than me, but he seems hale and healthy now, sitting easy as he did when we first came in. If he is still recovering, what damage there is that’s still mending clearly isn’t visible right now.
Yesle’s looking at him again, I notice after a moment. It’s a strange thing, I’ll admit, the clear regard she has for him, or maybe I’m just finally starting to learn how to read her. When I turn to Kesla again I realise she’s picked up on it too, giving them both a sneaky side-eye as she works on her food. Which is enough to remind me of my own again.
“Kesla.” Driver 8 rumbles now, grabbing everyone’s attention even though he’s clearly using his lowest, more conversational tone. She jumps with the rest of us, turning to look up at him where he’s stood behind us, not having moved since the others joined us.
“What is it?” she finally asks, once she’s got her surprise under control.
“Master Saxiros.” He’s turning to face out into the room, and I shift in my seat to look in that direction, first noticing that the room seems to have emptied out some since we all gathered. I hadn’t thought we’d been here so long, but I’ve not really been paying much attention.
Then I see him, that tall, haughty green-scaled dragonhalf wizard, strolling with a surprisingly casual step towards us. Some of the remaining staff still gathered in the hall with us turn to watch him, but I get the impression his presence is not of any particular note around here. Perhaps some of them don’t really know who he actually is, so to them he’s just another Order wizard. He’s impressive, sure, but I’ve seen dragonhalves before. One used to be a very good friend of mine.
“Oh, right.” Kesla lets out a heavy sigh, setting her knife and fork down again as she reaches up and wipes her thumb and forefinger across her mouth, clearly intending on getting rid of crumbs or whatever else might be clinging there, although I don’t see anything anyway. “Heads up, folks.”
Following Kesla’s lead, I put my own cutlery down too, swallowing my own mouthful now before picking up my mug so I can give my mouth a little rinse. Finally I give my own lips a little wipe, not finding anything more myself as I shift in my seat so I can face the senior wizard as he arrives, stopping just short of the end of the table.
Folding his hands behind his back, Saxiros doesn’t bother with his usual formal Order greeting this time, instead simply nodding to the table at large with a cool smile. “My apologies for interrupting your meal, I promise I will be brief.” He looks to Kesla now, and nods again. “Mistress Shoon.” Then he turns to me, which is enough of a surprise, but then he graces also me with a nod too. “Mistress Swift-Kill.”
Frowning a little, Kesla shoots me a look and starts to push her chair back so she can stand up. Reasoning I should do the same, I simply turn the rest of the way and step up out of the chair, moving around the others to join Saxiros at the head of the table much as Kesla does. Saxiros simply waits where he is, watching me the whole way as I approach him, and while he seems pleasant enough it still disconcerts me somewhat.
“Um … Master Saxiros.” I give him my own nod, then shoot another look to Kesla as she does the same. Mostly she’s just cool again, but I get the impression she’s just as curious about what this means. “Good morning.”
“It is indeed, my dear.” His smile widens a little as he looks me over with surprising warmth. “Seeing you up is a decided relief after what transpired.”
I can’t help arching my brows at that. “Oh, um … thank you, of course. I’m pretty relieved about it too, of course.”
“Which is to be expected.” He nods with the slightest quirk of one of his own spiky brows. “It is most timely, as well. I have some most excellent news to impart upon you. I have heard from the Citadel, Mistress Thermyse sent me a message just this morning, and I thought you would want to know as soon as possible.”
When I look to Kesla this time I see she’s starting to frown, much as I realise I am too. “Don’t s’pose it might be that Darion’s turned up alive an’ well after all, by any chance?”
This seems to put the very slightest dent in Saxiros’ good humour as he turns to look at her, but he recovers impressively quickly. “No, I’m afraid that’s not the case. Unfortunately.”
“Figured as much. Reckon you’d have wanted to call on Gael for that.”
He grins, although there’s less humour in it than simply a show of sharp teeth, I doubt he’s really that amused. I’m definitely getting a handle on what they’re all talking about when they call this man pompous. “Most amusing, Mistress Shoon.” He clears his throat, turning back to me, and his manner becomes a good deal more pleasant again. “No, I am indeed here for Mistress Shoon. Mistress Thermyse informed me that the Council looked into your friend Master Javette’s case.”
“Garnon?” My brows shoot right up again, of course. “Really? How … forgive me, but –”
“Master Clearwood was most insistent on pleading the case for your late friend, my dear. Given their sacrifice in your battle against the … unfortunate stain that was Erjeon Ashsong, he thought it prudent, and Mistress Thermyse concurred. Garnon Javette was posthumously awarded the full rank and status they forsook when they left before their graduation, and their name has now been recorded with full grace on the Lists of Our Honoured Dead.”
I don’t realise Gael’s gotten up too until they’re at my side, looking as surprised as I must. “Wow, that’s …” They turn to me, and their smile, while a little sad, is still quite thrilled. “Shay, that’s incredible. That’s an immense honour. Garnon’s being celebrated as a hero of the Order.”
For a long time I’m just speechless, all I can do is gape at Gael as they seem to grow a little worried for me. Garnon was … it was a bad situation for him at the end, with the Order, they were forced to leave in their final days at the Academy in order to prevent a friend from being punished and publicly ostracized, essentially giving up their dream for love. They let them leave without a scandal, but that meant they were just a hedge wizard, unrecognised by their peers and without the support and protection of the Order, which ultimately led them to my mother, Min, and her outlaw enterprise. All right, they found a home with us, and a new family, but … I knew it weighed heavy on them. And I didn’t know how badly until just before they died at the hands of … something horrible. To see so much of that lost honour restored, even if only for the sake of their name and not themselves …
“Does …” I finally mange to find my voice, but the words are slower coming. “Does that mean … Gael, I don’t understand anything about the Order, I mean … what does that actually mean?” I finally realise I’ve reached out and taken hold of their shoulders, and I may be holding on a little more desperately than I should right now.
“Well, I mean …” They blink, and I suppose they’re having to think about it too. They’ve been able to live with their untarnished honour and status for a few years, they never went through what he had to. “As far as the Order’s concerned, they’ll forever after be a full-fledged graduate and celebrated member. Their name will be recorded in the annals, and those are preserved for eternity. It’s not just set down on paper, or even in stone. It’s carved into the very soul of the Order, which means it’s deep in the heart of all of us. If they’d lived they would have been allowed to come back, they could have taken up any position he wished. They could have stayed with you if they wanted, but would have been recognised as a true, official Order wizard.”
“More than that, though.” Saxiros seems so solemn when I turn back to him, you’d never think he was capable of pomposity. “Master Javette’s name has been emblazoned within the Log of Fallen Heroes. Every Order member who sacrifices their life in protection of the Order, or simply for the ideals we stand for, is celebrated for eternity. Their name will be carved in the Hall of Memory among a great many famous and illustrious mages of great past repute. It’s the highest honour any of us can aspire to.”
“That’s pretty cool.” Kesla’s smiling, but it seems as sad as Gael’s. “I mean … sorry, I mean it’s proper awesome. They’re like … a legend now, I guess.”
“That is most astute, Mistress Shoon.” Saxiros nods, and while there’s a little haughtiness in his voice again, he doesn’t seem to be growing arrogant again. “At its essential core, that is very much the case. The name Garnon Javette shall live forever in the hearts and minds of all the Order mages who come after him. Given they were felled in the defeat of such a … monster as Ashsong, I should imagine their celebration will be especially illustrious.”
Thanks to all that flowery language, I’m a little slow on the uptake for that bit, but Gael seems to catch it well enough. They manage a warmer smile now. “Means he’s a hero of special repute, according to the Order. Kesla’s right, he’s a genuine legend now.”
“Well that’s just …” I’m feeling a little overwhelmed now, but as I step back from Gael and turn to face Saxiros proper again, I’m starting to get it. “Thank you. Really, just … thank you. Thank you very much indeed, Master Saxiros!” And before I can even think about what I’m doing I just take one more big step forward and hug him.
He’s bloody tall, he’s got a clear foot on me so when I wrap my arms tight around him and squeeze as tight as I can I wind up with my face squashed into his upper chest. He’s quite lean and sinewy, but there’s some ropey muscle to him all the same. He’s stiff as a rail, too, and I’m several moments realising this must be extremely awkward for him, I really doubt he’s the hugging type. Certainly he doesn’t hug me back, and as this finally dawns on me I let go, taking a slow, careful step back as I feel the heat instantly rising in my face. “Oh gods, please forgive me, I am unbelievably sorry …”
Saxiros clears his throat as he checks himself over for a moment, smoothing down his robes now, but mostly he just looks surprised. “My dear, I … there is no need to apologise. I … ahem, I understand how emotional you must be after receiving this excellent news, so it is perfectly reasonable to expect some greater enthusiasm to take hold.” He finally manages a smile, and while it’s no more convincing than the last one, it feels a touch warmer, at least, and he nods too. “Of course … you are welcome, Mistress Swift-Kill.”
When I turn back to Gael, they just jump right on me, hugging me as enthusiastically as I just hugged her superior, and I’m perfectly happy to return this one. “That’s really great, Shay. I’m so happy for you. For Garnon too, of course, I mean … they would’ve loved that, right?”
“Yeah, I think they would’ve been thrilled about it. I’m sure they are, wherever they are now.” I ponder on it for a moment as I just enjoy my friend’s embrace. “Do you think they might be with Minerva?”
“In the Halls of Knowledge? I don’t doubt it. They’ve got access to the secrets of the Universe now, I imagine they’re very happy indeed.”
Yes, well I don’t really know about all that, not being a wizard I’m not really that fussed about that kind of thing. But I should think they’re in a better place now. And if they know that now they’ve finally got their good name back in the eyes of the very institution they were once ejected from before they could be recognised, I’m sure that means the world to them. That’s good enough for me.
Giving Gael one last crush, I pull away but keep my arm wrapped low around their back as I turn to see Kesla watching Saxiros curiously. “That’s all very well, but Gael died in that fight too. They get any kinda recognition for that?”
“Well obviously I got better.” Gael protects, their face colouring instantly as they grow flustered again. Their alarmed eyes flash to me, a little embarrassed now.
Before I can interject on their behalf, Saxiros simply nods with impressive solemnity. “But of course. Your own heroic contribution has been noted as well, Master Foxtail. Your godmother didn’t even have to pull any strings for that, the Council voted unanimously on it. You are being awarded the Heart of Minerva for your part in the defeat of Ashsong.”
Again, I’m a little lost, and Kesla just frowns. Gael, on the other hand, becomes very still now, noticeably stiffening against my arm as their eyes widen about as much as they’re capable, I think. “Really?” the manage to squeak in the tiniest voice I’ve ever heard from them.
“What’s that?” I finally just have to ask.
“The highest award the Order can bestow on a living hero of the Order. Darion has received this particular commendation six times now.” Saxiros’ expression is some dread kind of fascinating now, like some crazy mixture of envious and immensely smug. “It would appear you truly are a chip off of your father’s block, Master Foxtail.”
Pulling Gael close again, I give them another good tight squeeze, and as realisation must sink in they’re now entirely pliable since they’re clearly so dumbfounded. “That’s fantastic, Gael. Your da’s going to be so proud of you.”
“He will?” They look up at me now, and their eyes are very wet now, while their lip’s wobbling badly, and as the tears come they’re smiling all the same. I pull them into another hug as they let their emotions get the best of them again.
“That’s more cracking news, Master Saxiros.” Kesla finally says as she catches my eye, and I suspect she’s wondering why she got a specific summons for this too instead of Gael. That’s just occurred to me too. “You just came down to let us know about that, then, or …”
“Of course.” Saxiros grows more solemn again as he nods, clearly getting down to business now. He reaches into his robe now, rummaging in one of the pockets now, probably. “I received word from Madame Daste, as well. She requests a meeting as soon as possible.” He produces a folded slip of paper, pinched between two of his long, black-taloned fingers, and holds it out to her.
“Now, in other words.” Kesla’s grown as serious as him as she reaches out to take the paper.
“When you have completed your repast, of course.” He slips his hands behind his back now as he gives a much more formal bow. “She is … aware of your current recuperations, and so arrangements have been left up to you. I suspect in light of recent events a secure, neutral meeting place would probably be best.”
Reading the note, Kesla’s brow quirks up again, but her look only seems to grow darker. “Course. That’s smart.” She folds the slip again and slides it without ceremony into one of her britches’ hip pockets. “Let her know Gael will send her a message shortly with our directions.”
“Very good.” He tips her a more clipped nod this time. “Mistress Shoon.” Now he turns to me again, tipping a second nod. “Mistress Swift-Kill.” His brow cocks again as he looks down at Gael, still wrapped up in my arms as they’re now just breathing peacefully against my shoulder. “Master Foxtail.” Finally he turns to face the others, who’ve remained seated but have been watching the whole exchange with great interest, and nods one final time before turning on his heels and stalking out of the room with just as much haughty grandeur.
Looking back to Kesla, I have to frown again. “What’s up?”
“Eat up, Shay.” She’s already moving back to her seat. “We got business.”