“Try not to choke on it,” she said as she strode away.
Cole and Mistel exchanged smothered grins. Cole had told Mistel stories about women vexed with Kurtz, usually because he’d wandered into the arms of another. But this was different. Rilla’s indignation didn’t stem from betrayal, but from the sting of his continued rejection.
“Andric got himself killed by some Hamonayan pirates, he did,” Merrygog said.
“Pirates this far north?” Mistel asked.
“Sure,” Merrygog said. “Pirates’ll go anywhere there’s money to be made.”
“Or stolen,” Kurtz added.
“Did you know a man called Crispen West?” Cole asked.
Merrygog stroked his beard. “Can’t say I recall the name.”
Kurtz took a drink. “What about any other unsavory sorts back then? Smugglers, scoundrels, someone who might’ve been mixed up in shady dealings?”
“Well, let’s see…Would that have been when you were in Armonguard?” Merrygog asked.
“That’s right,” Kurtz said. “Before I left, all I remember was guarding the harbor from pirates.”
“A lot of pirates back before Darkness came,” Merrygog said.
The door banged open, and Gunnar Gedmund rushed inside, his brown curls wilder than usual.
“There’s to be a duel!” he shouted.
The tavern wasn’t very full at the moment with only three tables occupied, but everyone stopped what they were doing and turned their attention to the young soldier.
“What duel?” Merrygog asked.
Gunnar strode over to their table. “Lord Livna challenged Fenris Yarden to a duel.”
“Is this about Lady Viola?” Kurtz asked.
“No,” Gunnar said. “Sir Fenris has been stirring up trouble ever since we returned. Got half the town thinking his lordship is unfit to rule. Just now, the council was down at the Dale, all set to vote Lord Livna out and put Sir Fenris in charge.”
Merrygog snorted. “That’s just what we need. Howlers running everything again.”
“This happened at the Dale?” Kurtz asked. “I thought council meetings were held in Lytton Hall.”
“They’re supposed to be,” Gunnar said. “But Councilor Erlichman has been hosting some publicly.”
“In these temperatures?” Mistel shivered.
Merrygog tapped the table in front of Kurtz. “Now that’s a man who caused trouble back in the day and is still causing trouble now.”
“Joonas?” Kurtz said.
“Fenris,” Merrygog said. “You know what he was like back then.”
Gunnar put his hands on the table and leaned between Kurtz and the old man. “You should have seen it, Merrygog. His lordship rode up to a chorus of oxhorns. He said since Sir Fenris is his blood, the Northlander Charter gives him the right to challenge the Council’s vote of no confidence. And he chose to settle the dispute through combat.”
“When?” Kurtz asked. “What are the terms?”
“High sun tomorrow at the amphitheater in the Dale,” Gunnar said. “To the death.”
“Oh!” Mistel clapped her hand over her mouth.
