Orren had the good grace to appear chastised as he admitted, “No, miss. But Mr. Avenor mentioned that your coming on this trip required, ah, extra attention.”
Brint fucking Avenor. Orren might’ve been willing to relent if his orders came from anyone else, but if the ask came from Brint, that was harder to dislodge. Whether because of Brint’s supposed status in the family company or his hand in getting Orren his position, if the meddling was ordered by Brint, she would need to tread with a little more care.
Calya forced a touch of softness into her tone as she said, “I intend to check in with HNE’s operations in town. Should I need to leave the central area, I will let you know. As a courtesy, you understand.”
“I’d appreciate that,” Orren said, all business, but there was a hint of relief in his expression as he nodded to her before moving on.
Calya glanced over her list. She’d need to arrange for her belongings to be stored at the inn, then coordinate with her sister and friends in delivering the tea and tracking down the wards. If said wards had ever arrived—and the source of the request, if they’d ever existed.
She’d need to familiarize herself with the main hub, too, but it was a small town and shouldn’t take overly long to tour. There were only so many places for the offices of Avenor Guard and Sylveren University to be set up. Involving herself in those affairs wasn’t technically part of the joint protection deal Helm Naval had with AG, but she’d be damned before she left this desolate rock without seeing the never-ending source of so many troubles. Even if they were only adjacent to her business on paper.
Plenty to keep her occupied, so her memories of the voyage could become dust.
“Calya.” Lowe approached, voice only loud enough for her to hear as the windrunner crew bustled about in preparation to dock.
“Lowe,” she said, a neutral expression on her face.
His mouth tensed—whether with indecision or dread, she couldn’t say, but it all added up to the same thing. He thought they needed to have one of the awkward conversations she’d been so determined to avoid.
“I’m rather busy,” she said, indicating the small notebook in her hands. “Worry not, I plan to give Captain Malek’ko a report on anything of note.”
“That’s not—” Lowe sighed. “Look, about what happened.”
Calya raised her hands as if to ward him off. “It was a fuck and chuck, nothing more. Don’t concern yourself over my tender feelings. I assure you they don’t exist.”
“Right. Because this is all business to you.” His lips formed a smile, but there was no humor in his face.
“Yes, but that was more a way to pass the time.” Calya moved to brush past him.
He caught her arm. “You act like people are all fungible.” He leaned toward her, voice softening even more. “I know that’s what it is. An act.”
“Do you?” A pang of hurt, of wanting, struck in her chest in the cold pit where a heart should be. Calya ignored it. Reminded herself that she had no time for such tenderness and the emotion it would bring, even if brief. Even if she was tempted by him. A little. She could admit the ranger sparked a sense of temptation in her that had been absent for so long she’d forgotten what it felt like.
She couldn’t allow it. No feelings, not until Helm Naval was fully hers. Anything that didn’t directly support her acquisition of the business was either a distraction or a weapon that could be used against her. If she let herself believe anything other than that…
No. Calya hadn’t come this far by allowing exceptions.
Her fingers covered Lowe’s hand. “Your first impression was the right one. Don’t let yourself be fooled, ranger.” She slowly pulled free from his grasp. “Ambitious. You say reckless, I prefer ruthless.”
Confusion marred his face before realization set in. His jaw tightened, and Calya forced her hands to her sides instead of brushing away the tension she’d caused.
“But you’re right not to trust me,” she murmured, allowing a wistful smile to flicker across her lips.
Over his shoulder, Anadae emerged from below deck.
“Calya,” Lowe said, but nothing followed, his mouth working as he tried to find the right response.
She didn’t wait for him, stepping around and going to meet her sister instead. “You can’t trust me, ranger. Never forget that.”
Once the enchantments on the tea had been refreshed, Zhenya led the group to the inn, An Honorable Pelf. It was nestled toward the end of the main road, on a bluff overlooking the harbor. The innkeeper, Froley, was large and formidable looking, with short, iron-colored hair and brown eyes more prone to sharpness than warmth. They seemed an odd choice for an innkeeper, as Calya didn’t get a sense of hospitality from them, but they got her settled on the upper floor on the far side of the inn, away from the noise of the common room on the ground level.
Glancing out the window in her room, Calya pointed at the other buildings scattered around the town square. “Where might I find the offices for the university and Avenor Guard research teams?”
Froley gestured farther up the main street to a nondescript building. “Used to be for storage before Mayor Krowe built a new set closer to the docks. That was back near the end of the war. Converted the old sheds to suit the university folk better when they’re not in the field.”
Calya thanked them, suppressing a frown as she saw Lowe already on his way into the building. “The field?”
Froley nodded. “Depending on the research, there are other sites outside of town. Always a few of the mages around here. You can find them in the common room or the bakery most nights.”
