I’m going to find him and make him regret setting foot on Kandalan soil.
But it’s hard to look into their desperate faces and eventhinkthose things. They really put their hope and faith into Rian.
Just like Tessa did.
I can’t decide if they’reallnaive, or if Rian genuinely did want the best for these people, and he just went about everything the wrong way.
The most cynical part of my brain wants to believe the former, that he duped them all.
My heart is relentlessly insisting it’s the latter.
I tell my heart to shut up.
“My brother has four children,” says the man. “Iris has a lot of livestock, and Crane’s people destroyed many of their buildings in the war. They get the worst of the summer storms. They’re struggling without access to building materials. It would be a blessing to know that hope was on the horizon.”
I glance at Lochlan, wondering if he’ll have another quip to keep me in line, but he’s studying me just as hard as they are, as if their emotion has caught hold of him, too. For all our differences, Lochlan was also desperate, also trying to do what he could to protect people. He wants to hear what I’m going to say.
Despite the warning a moment ago, he’s not looking at Weston Lark right now. He’s looking at Prince Corrick, as if he knows any words I say will have the weight of the Crown behind them.
Ugh.Fine.
I run a hand across the back of my neck, then offer the woman as much truth as I can. “I know the stories you’ve heard. I can’t speak to the past. But King Harristan is a good man. He stands by his word, and he’ll do whatever he can to help people in need.”
The words are true, but they feel empty—like a vague promise. Something I’d say at court. But her eyes well, and she stands on her tiptoes to kiss me on the cheek. “Thank you,” she whispers.
It shocks me still. No one haseverkissed Prince Corrick on the cheek. I don’t even know if anyone’s ever done it to Weston Lark.
“You’ll have to be careful if you’re intending to book passage to Fairde,” the man is murmuring. He casts a glance at the doorway. “Oren Crane has people all over Silvesse. If you have silver you canget space on a boat, but if he learns there are survivors from Kandala onshore, he’ll want to get a hold of you. I’ll write down some names for who you can ask at the harbor.” He heads back toward his table.
“We’ve already learned about Crane,” says Lochlan.
“What about the bridges?” I say. “Is it possible to walk to Fairde?”
“No,” says the man. “The bridges from Fairde were the first to be destroyed in the war. You can walk to Iris, but it would take a day at least, and it’s a less populated island, so there aren’t as many ships coming and going. You’d have a harder time finding passage.”
The woman tugs at my hand and pulls me toward the front window. “Look,” she says, pointing down the street toward a squat building with a blue door. “There’s a boarding house there, not too expensive. I’m friends with Harlow, the girl who works the door. Tell her we sent you, and she’ll set you up with some soaps and towels, and probably a meal, too.”
“That’s very kind of you,” I say to her.
The man has wrapped up the clothes and tied them together with a bit of twine, and he slips a roll of leather under the knot. “I’ve added a shaving kit, too,” he says, holding out the bundle.
Lochlan glances at it warily. “How much?”
The man shakes his head. “Nothing. For the kindness of your king.”
Lochlan looks relieved, and he gives them a nod. “Thank you.”
But I pull three silvers out of the pocket over my heart and press them into the woman’s hand.
Her eyes go wide. “No! This isfartoo much, sir! This is—”
I press her fingers closed around the money. “Weston Lark,” I say. “And these are foryourkindness.”
“Thank you,” she whispers.
Lochlan is staring at me like I’m a bigger fool than he ever realized. Quite the shift after he was staring at me like the King’s Justice.
I sigh and barely glance at him. “Did you get the names? Let’s go.”
