“You entered into an agreement with me to become the Warden of Ordinary and to do as I instruct you to do.”
“No. I volunteered to be Warden of Ordinary because you were trying to bully Delaney into letting you rule the town. That’s it. Full stop. As far as I’m concerned, being a Warden means being an impartial witness and observer of good contracts. To make sure people inside Ordinary are being treated fairly, no matter who tries to boss them around.”
“Stop.”
Ryder sucked in a breath and made a little choking sound. I eased forward just enough to see what was happening.
Mithra looked the same as I’d last seen him: Salt and pepper hair that had never met a comb, tightly trimmed beard, buggy eyes, and flat, round face that reminded me of a pug.
Instead of wearing tattered, cast-off clothing, he was in a black, wide-sleeved robe, symbols and power and words scrolling through the folds.
Ryder’s back was to me, but I’d never seen him stand so stiffly.
“I no longer care to hear your opinion, Mr. Bailey. Lift your right hand.”
Ryder jerked, as if an invisible rope tied to his wrist suddenly pulled his arm up.
“Lift your left foot.”
Same jerking motion. And now his foot was sticking out in front of him at an awkward angle.
“I am showing you mercy, Ryder Bailey. I do believe you and I can come to an agreement. But I demand your respect. Do you understand?”
Ryder was silent.
“I haven’t taken your voice this time, Mr. Bailey.”
This time?I moved to step in, to get between them, to pick a fight with a god, but then Ryder spoke.
“I understand. Let go.”
Mithra flicked a finger. Everything about Ryder relaxed and went back to normal. His hand lowered, his foot lowered, and his shoulders squared.
“I want out of the contract.”
“You want something, I want something. But the contract between us isn’t what you called me out here for, is it?” Mithra said.
“Yes, it’s the contract. I’m done being sent out like a dog on the hunt every damn day and every damn night. I’m done being your puppet.”
“No, you called me here because of Delaney.”
Ryder went silent.
“I agreed to be your follower, Mithra, and I have been. I want out.”
It was Mithra’s turn to be silent. “She wants more from you,” he said, as if this were something they’d been talking about. An old issue.
“You don’t know her.”
“I have been studying her family line since they first took guardianship of Ordinary. I do know her. She wants a commitment from you.”
“And I want one from you. I want to break our contract.”
“She wants you to marry her.”
My heart tripped, then kicked so hard, I pressed my fist against my chest to hold it in place.
Mithra was a god. He might know I was hiding behind the building.
