Harlan ignored her. ‘He’s lucky I don’t go to his house and teach him a lesson of my own.’
Blake continued to watch him. ‘Do you suppose that would help cultivate his affection for me?’
He looked out at the water.
‘Please, just leave it alone,’ she said tiredly. ‘I really can’t take any more visits from him right now.’
Harlan hated where they had ended up, but here they were.
‘Right, well.’ Astin clapped his hands together. ‘Now that’s all sorted, we should probably head off.’
‘Let’s go,’ Lyndal said, pulling Blake in the direction of the ship.
Harlan watched them walk off. Then his gaze caught on a cart passing by carrying large stones.
‘God,’ Astin said. ‘I hope that’s not what I think it is.’
Harlan looked over at the wall where the stones were being unloaded. His stomach fell. ‘They’re closing the wall. You know about this?’
‘I’d heard rumours.’
Harlan looked back at Blake, who was now greeting Odo. The sea merchant reached for her face, but she only waved him off as she had done earlier with him.
‘The merchants won’t like this,’ Astin said, ‘but it’s Chadora’s most vulnerable point right now. I suppose there’ssomelogic in the decision.’
Harlan faced him again. ‘Logic in completely closing the merchants in? Look at the volume of foot traffic passing through. Some are collecting supplies, and others are fishing off the rocks as the only means of food for their families.’
‘And some are paying for sex at the taverns,’ Astin said. ‘Soon they’ll be forced to bring fishing equipment along for show.’
Harlan did not smile. ‘They’ll riot.’
‘More than likely. And you’ll restore order to the borough, and life will continue as normal. That’s what history has shown us.’ There was resignation in his voice.
Harlan watched Blake hand the payment over to Odo. He knew better than to go offer his help in carrying the supplies home—and he would not be much help in his current state anyway.
‘What are you two doing here?’ came the warden’s voice.
Harlan turned to see his father approaching. ‘Did you know about this?’ He pointed to the stones.
‘The wall? Of course I knew.’
‘You didn’t think to inform me?’
Shapur stopped in front of him. ‘Why? You are not commanding the borough at present.’ He sniffed the air. ‘Are you drunk?’
So drunk. ‘This doesn’t feel right. It feels a lot like we’re taking from people who have nothing left.’
Shapur glanced at Astin, who was pretending not to listen in. ‘No one cares about your feelings. The decision was made by our king, and it is our job to support him and ensure the people in your borough uphold the new rules.’
‘They’ll riot.’
‘And we will stop them by using whatever force is necessary.’ He glanced in the direction of the dock, where Blake and Lyndal were making their way back carrying rolls of fabric too heavy for them. ‘She has gotten in your head. You need to find a way to expel her.’
Harlan frowned. ‘It wasyouwho got intoherhead.’
‘You should thank me for stepping in. Her uncle came to see me, Lord Thomas.’
Harlan tensed at the mention of him. ‘What did he want?’
