Simon paused for a moment. He had tried quite hard to wipe the moment from his memory and did not really appreciate being reminded of it by his friend.
“She wished me safe travels.”
Rowan blinked. Once. Twice. Then he exhaled, shaking his head.
“Thatwas what she said?”
“It would appear so.”
“No anger?” Rowan pressed. “No questions, no demands? Instead, she justwishedyou safe travels. My word, the both of you might as well both be insane. What sort of wife does not even ask her husband to stay at the very least? Are you certain that there was no attempt to stop you?”
“I already said as much,” Simon replied, irked. It had been hard enough to leave her; he did not wish to dwell on what was going through her head when he did.“What else was there to do?”
“You could have stayed,” Rowan pointed out as if it were rather obvious. “I do not think it would have made any difference to the investigation.”
“There is no use dwelling overwhatcould have happened,” Simon asserted. “All that matters is that I am here now.”
Rowan exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “I cannot tell if that is impressive or devastating.”
“It does not matter.” Simon wanted nothing more than to move on from the topic. It was only a distraction and nothing else.
“You say that, but you have not stopped thinking about it,” Rowan remarked.
“I left because I had to,” Simon asserted for what seemed like the umpteenth time.
“You left your wife and your peace to wound yourself like this and isolate yourself on the brink of madness. You are a fool.”
“Then let me be one in peace,” Simon replied tartly. He had little use for his friend’s judgment.
“You don’t want peace.” Rowan exhaled, shaking his head. “You want punishment.”
“And what would you know of it?” Simon snapped, his patience fraying.
“More than you think,” Rowan noted. “You believe that once this is done, you will finally be free, but we both know that is a lie.”
“Iwillbe free once I get my revenge,” Simon muttered. “Then it will be over.”
“You mean then you will be satisfied?”
“Yes.”
“You are lying.” Rowan barked out a laugh. “It is ironic, actually. She let you leave, but you cannot do the same.”
“You need to let this go,” Simon warned, but Rowan was not one to listen.
“Tell me, Simon, what is the first thing you think of when you wake up? Is it vengeance?”
Simon said nothing. For the longest time, it was that he wanted to avenge his parents’ deaths, but now, it was different.
“Or is it her?”
Rowan took his friend’s silence for a confirmation, and rightfully so.
“You are chasing ghosts, Simon. And if you are not careful, you will become one yourself,” he said, a hint of warning in his voice.
“I have no intention of dying before this is done,” Simon asserted.
“I was not talking about death.”
