Erik just stands there, holding the lantern. The edge falls out of his voice. “I . . . ?well . . .” He runs a hand over the back of his neck and clears his throat.
“Come on, Ellmo,” says Olive, pulling her sleepy son out of the wagon. “Time to go home.”
“Thank you for your help today,” I call.
She smiles broadly. “I can’t wait to do it again tomorrow. I’ll come at sunrise to help you prepare your tinctures.”
Then she disappears into the shadows.
I stop beside Erik, who’s staring after her. “Close your mouth,” I whisper.
He clamps it shut. The look he gives me is aggrieved.
I smile. “She’ll be back in the morning.”
That chases the dark look out of his eyes. He grins. “I heard.”
I cluck to the horses, to lead them into the barn so I can remove their harnesses. But then I remember what she said, so I stop and look back at him. She’s already well away into the trees now, but I keep my voice low so there’s no danger of her hearing me.
“She doesn’t want her heart broken by a man whose only goal is to leave.”
He nods, sobering. “Noted, Miss Tessa.” He pauses. “I told you before. I don’t give anyone a reason to cry.”
His voice is gentle when he says it, but there’s still something sad about it, and I remember the way he described his life before. Sworn to the king, so he kept his heart tightly tethered. Everyone in Kandala hid so much: what they wanted, what they felt, who they really were.
It makes me regret saying anything at all.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Tessa
Our days fall into a busy rhythm. Olive and Ellmo arrive at dawn, and we eat and prepare our medicines and supplies for the day. Then we head out in the wagon as early as we can, trying to beat the heat of the day. By the third day, Ellmo begs to stay behind, and to my absolute shock, Erik tells him he can remain at the house with him—so Olive and I head out on our own.
We go farther west today, and I can see more of the damaged bridge from here.
“I see why Rian is so desperate for steel,” I say.
Olive nods. “There used to be a lot of active trade between the islands, but it’s harder now, because everything needs to be transported by ship—and a lot of ships were damaged in the war. Oren has six or seven ships docked offshore in Silvesse, but he keeps them well manned, and of course he won’t put them to the good of the people. We’re rebuilding as quickly as we can, but it all takes time.”
“Can we take a boat to the other islands?” I say. “I don’t mind helping other people if they need it.”
Olive hesitates. “For that, you might want to talk to Rian. I don’t know how active Oren has been in these waters. You said you were attacked between Silvesse and Fairde?”
My heart stutters.Of course.
“Right,” I say. “I wasn’t thinking. I don’t know where it was.” I fight to remember the name of where we were when Oren Crane’s ships attacked, but it’s been too long, and too many things were going on.
Olive sighs. “I still can’t quite believe Rian took his daughter. I know he’s made promises for steel, but . . .” Her jaw tightens. “I’m surprised Oren doesn’t have his head on a stake already.”
“It’s thelastthing we expected to find on that ship. Corrick thought he might have been smuggling weapons or something of the sort.”
She laughs a little humorlessly. “No, Rian will do whatever he needs to do, and then he’ll convince you it was all for the good of mankind.”
That sounds about right.
I study her, though. “You think Oren Crane will attack Rian?” I ask quietly.
She looks right back at me. “For taking his daughter? I think Oren will tear him apart in whatever fashion causes the most pain.”
