I hum noncommittally.

  “Tell me exactly what you did from the moment you left Rilick’s supervision to the moment you returned to the group.” Again, I don’t use the Bond to enforce the order, but I do dip into it so I will have a good indication of if he’s lying or not.

  “I…I ran. ‘Cept when I was close to the guards. Then I jus’ lied an’ said me master had sent me te get somethin’. No one asked any questions after tha’. I…I went te someone I knew from before I…before I left. Thought he might be able te get the collar off me neck.” I send Rory a sharp look – the collar is still there, but I can see several marks on its surface. He’s certainly not lying about that.

  “He failed, I take it.”

  “Yeah. Turns out the collar is enchanted,” Rory’s voice is bitter. “Me friend was…was gonna find an enchanter te help, but…that’s when ye called for me. An’...an’ ye know the rest.”

  I hum again.

  “So, to summarise, you headed directly for someone to take off your collar, and then you headed directly back here. No detours, no attacks on anyone to steal money or items to pay for the collar’s removal or for any other reason?”

  Rory shakes his head.

  “I knew me friend would know I was good for it – I’da helped him out in the forge te pay for the aid. I…I didn’ want te risk getting nabbed by the lawmen with this collar on me neck,” he admits, staring at the ground.

  I nod slowly.

  “Well then – I don’t see anything to punish,” I tell him cheerfully. That makes Rory stare at me and blink quickly.

  “But…but I…ran away?” he sounds like he doesn’t quite believe what he’s saying – neither can I, really. Does he want to be punished?

  “And?”

  “An’...I thought runnin’ away got a whippin’ at least.” He abruptly freezes, looking at me with that beaten-dog expression again.

  “Rory,” I start, stopping and gazing at him directly, “You’ll learn this sooner or later but I’m not like most people. Attacking someone, causing property damage…those would have angered me. But going for a nice little stroll…” I shrug. “You’ve experienced why I don’t have to be worried about that. Heck, I won’t be angry if you do it again as long as you don’t cause me any trouble – or harm my companions.” Here, I fix him with a hard stare. “Take notes about what happened to the last people who did that.” He gulps. I lighten up after a moment – he’s got the message. “But I’m not keeping someone who doesn’t want to be part of the group. If you really don’t want to be with us, I’ll sell your service contract to someone else. Bear in mind that with the recovery of my other companions, our deal is technically done.”

  I think I’ve stunned Rory into speechlessness – he stares after me with an expression that reminds me of Nicholas’ whenever I break his worldview. I pat the man on his shoulder. “Consider carefully,” I advise him and then start walking again, moving faster to catch up with the rest of my companions. I don’t look back.

  The thing is, I’ve been considering multiple options for punishment, and each one made me more uncomfortable than the last.

  Because, after getting over my own emotional reaction to him running away, I can completely understand Rory’s desire for escape. In his place, I’d attempt it too. In fact, that’s probably why he agreed to my bargain in the first place – he knew that he would have a better chance of escape in a city he’s familiar with, where he already has contacts. How can I punish such a natural desire?

  I’m not willing to set him free, either – he was a bandit who committed multiple armed robberies, preying on unknowing travellers. And before then, he used to mug people in dark alleyways, beating people up if they resisted, even if he never killed them. I can’t justify releasing him onto the streets. But I don’t need to punish him out of some sort of hurt pride that my new slave dared to run away from me.

  I’m not going to be a jailor. If he doesn’t want the safety of my group, so be it – I’ll pass him onto someone else. I’ll try to find someone who will treat him reasonably well – Nicholas must have some contacts – but that’s as far as I’ll go for him.

  I’m willing to give him some time to decide as long as he plays nicely with everyone in the meantime. But if he hurts any of my Bonded, he’ll live to regret it.

  *****

  A while later, I sigh happily as I lean back in the soft chair, a steaming cup of tila in my hands. Just the scent of it helps revitalise my flagging energy. The sun is only just dropping below the horizon, but it’s been a very long day. Still, as I run my mental fingers across all my Bonds and feel them present and correct, I don’t regret one minute of it.

  “I’m sure that this tila isn’t the quality you’re accustomed to, Markus, but you must admit that it is at least fresh.” Layton is cradling his own cup while sitting in a chair at angles to my own. He looks mostly relaxed but there is a tension present which had all but disappeared during our fight together. I find that I dislike its return.

  “Honestly, Layton, I haven’t tasted enough of it to become accustomed to anything,” I admit readily.

  “It’s not something that existed in your previous world?” Layton sounds intrigued.

  “No. We had something called ‘coffee’ that could help people feel more awake, but it wasn’t anything like this.”

  Layton hums and we fall into a silence which is in equal parts companionable and strained. Like both of us would be content with having silence between us, but Layton feels like he should be filling it. As the seconds pass, it becomes more strained and less companionable.

  “Your use of magic was very impressive, my lord,” Layton compliments me. Then, seeing my pointed look, corrects himself. “Markus.”

  “So was yours,” I return. “I never thought about how devastating it could be to alternate intense heat and intense cold. Nicholas wasn’t lying when he said that your House’s abilities work well in combat.” Layton’s eyebrows twitch upwards – I seem to have caught him off-guard.

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  “Lord Titanbend said that?” He looks flattered for a moment. “But my own efforts surely pale in comparison to yours – I have heard tell that you have only had your Class for a short time.”

  “A year,” I agree. It’s not like it’s a big secret. Layton’s eyes widen fractionally.

  “A year…? But, my lord – ah, Markus – you do not fight like you’ve only had it for a year.”

  “It was a busy year,” I admit.

  “It must have been,” Layton agrees, looking contemplative. He glances up at me a moment later, swallowing and appearing a touch nervous. “Markus – Lord Markus – I hope I am not overstepping here, but I have been thoroughly impressed with what I have seen of both your character and your abilities today. I would like to formally ask whether you are willing to accept me as an ally in your retinue for the competition.”

  I bite back an immediate acceptance – something tells me that making a decision too quickly might be a mistake. Instead, I lean deeper into the soft cushions of my chair and reach down to stroke Trouble’s head – he won the right to accompany me by shamelessly leaning on his recent abduction. Ninja’s also here, pressed bodily against Trouble – she’s refused to let her brother out of her sight since we returned.

  “Please could you expand on what that would entail from your perspective,” I ask Layton levelly.

  He eyes me thoughtfully for a moment.

  “Normally it is the expedition leader who sets out the expectations for those in their following.”

  I shrug.

  “I don’t think I need to remind you that I’m newly arrived to this world,” I point out wryly. It’s a risk, but a calculated one. Layton already knows about my biggest weakness – and he knows how I respond when it’s threatened. Given that he’s gone from hinting at an alliance to actively asking to join me in the competition, it seems that his impression of me has become quite favourable. And I trust that he’s been sufficiently discouraged from pushing me too far. Of course he is a noble.

  “Point,” Layton agrees with a small nod. He then stares sightlessly up at the beautifully-painted fresco on the ceiling while steepling his hands. “I did not expect to be asked such a question, so I beg you for a moment to consider it.”

  “Take whatever time you need.” I lift the cup of tila to my lips – it’s certainly growing on me as a taste. Trouble rumbles quietly against my knee as I get the perfect spot behind his ear tufts. The rest of my Bonded are either sleeping, eating, or just relaxing – everyone is content. Among the non-humans, that is. Loran is conflicted, Alyna is nervous, and Rory is still confused. But they’ll come around later – I leave them their privacy.

  It’s a pity my other objective today didn’t yield any noticeable results. The three Classers were easy enough to interrogate with Kalanthia helping me to detect lies – and looming intimidatingly to loosen their lips – but none of them knew much more than I had already discovered for myself.

  Only the water mage seemed to be in Dexil’s confidence enough to know something about ‘the Lady’, and all he knew was that she was represented by The Shadow and had approached them for a couple of smuggling jobs before. Dexil’s gang had contacts in Azaarde, and had extended a fair amount of influence over the underbelly of Sandend when they moved to it. The Lady had used those contacts, but the water mage didn’t think that they were the only criminal gang this ‘Lady’ had been in contact with.

  All he knew was that she has deep pockets, high expectations, and a reputation for ensuring that those who break her deals don’t continue to enjoy the sunlight. The Shadow is apparently her enforcer, and an assassin of high reputation. But they have only been known to kill criminals, not everyday folks just trying to live their lives. All very interesting on an intellectual level, but not useful for identifying Torrent’s co-conspirator.

  Certainly, Goldmine fits all the evidence, but I can’t forget that other wealthy noble Houses do too – and a good number of non-noble wealthy families could fit the bill of ‘The Lady’. Hopefully Valence has had some success at the palace.

  In the end, I sent the Classers to the courts to join the rest of their brethren. Frankly, I’m happy to wash my hands of them. Torrent, of course, will be another matter entirely.

  I’m drawn back to the present moment when Layton draws in a breath in preparation to speak.

  “Markus, from what I have seen of you so far today, you prefer to speak bluntly, and have blunt truth spoken to you in its turn. Is this correct?”

  “It is,” I agree easily.

  “Then I hope you will not take offence if I speak uncommonly plainly.”

  “I would prefer it,” I assure him.

  Layton takes a breath, a faint glistening of sweat appearing at his brow.

  “My cousin and I, Lord Josiah of Softrain, knew from the moment the competition was announced that we could not become competitors. Neither of our Houses are strong enough to defend a claim, nor do we have enough allies. Moreover, Josiah doesn’t have an heir, and mine is a small child. Yet we recognised that ignoring it entirely would be a mistake – this competition is likely to change the face of Moriaxar politics entirely. We knew we would need to ally with a Great House and, due to personal preferences and the history of the Houses, Titanbend seemed the best option for us. However, much hinged on the fact that there was no heir to the House.”

  Much of this I already know or inferred after my ‘chance’ meeting with Josiah.

  “And then you appeared. Josiah’s impression of you was favourable; so is my own. We see in you someone who has the political pull and the House backing to make a claim; now, I can confidently say that I see someone who has the personal power to defend it. And I would like to couple my House to yours in this matter so that as yours rises, so is mine pulled out of the mire. Though I cannot speak for my cousin, I strongly suspect that Josiah will make the same offer in time.

  “For myself, I seek a fraction of the wealth to be found on the Lost Continent. I would wish to make a claim and have your aid in defending it, to perhaps join hands on a new venture, and to seek my own personal advancement alongside yours.

  “I do not ask for these as gifts; I am prepared to pay my part. Sandend is not the richest of cities, but we are surrounded by a type of agriculture that few other cities boast, and, as a trading hub, we have access to goods from across the continent. The troops I can spare from the border are not numerous, but they are all blooded and highly capable. Unlike the soldiers of more peaceful cities where all they have to worry about are every-day criminals and beast waves every few years, my fighters regularly fend off raids from the Nethyar. Finally, I will join in the expedition myself. You have noted that my temperature control is valuable in battle; I assure you that it is valuable in everyday matters as well. Food preservation, heating in winter, crafting, fire extinguishing…there are many ways I, personally, can aid you.

  “And so, Lord Markus, I ask you: would you be willing to allow me to join your expedition?”

  He draws his little speech to a close, nerves far more obvious than at any other time I’ve known him – including when we were about to walk into a fight with a bunch of criminals.

  I give his question the thought it deserves.

  Honestly, my first reaction is to agree. I like Layton. Perhaps it’s early to make that judgement, but he’s proven himself a decent fellow. He’s protective of his people, and has a listening ear for their needs. He has a sense of justice and didn’t hesitate to help me get mine. And he is a good fighter. And as far as I can tell, Nicholas approves of an alliance with him which is a good sign in itself.

  As for what he can bring, everything he listed would be beneficial for me. And yes, it will mean I have to defend his claim as well, but hopefully we can put them close together. Plus, on a strategic front, if he can capture and defend a resource, that means one fewer available to my enemies. Sure, he expects for his House to rise along with mine, but I don’t see any issue in that – a rising tide lifts all boats. As long as he’s not an anchor dragging mine down until I drown.

  I smile and put out my right hand. I know it’s not very ‘Moriaxar’ of me, but if he’s going to be working with me for the next five years, Layton’s got to get used to me sometime.

  “Alright, it’s a deal.”

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