16
The major thanked Wellion and the others for their help, and after Tariel told them about the booby traps in the valley, promised to meet with them again once they were finished with the bandits. As he led his men into the pass, the two soldiers herded them in the other direction, back to camp. Riann expected they would be given small tents to stay in, so he was quite surprised when, instead, they were led to the major’stent.
“Major Gallington left instructions that you were to be given every creature comfort we have,” one of the soldiers said to Lord Raffis. “Which is not much in a war camp,” he admitted, “but we will do what we can. Would you likebreakfast?”
“Yes, please,” Lord Raffis said eagerly. “It has been ages since I’ve had any decentfood.”
They sat around the table, and together they feasted on salted pork, biscuits, and some kind of bitter root vegetable that apparently kept well during travel. As they ate, Tariel and Riann filled them in on everything that hadhappened.
“So, you are the son of the bandit leader?” Calrain asked incredulously when they had finished. He stared at the green-eyed stranger with a mixture of disgust anddisbelief.
“He is not as bad as he looks,” Riann said diplomatically. He noted that Yarim also did not look thrilled that Wellion was a bandit. “He may not have a perfect past, but he spared my life, and he helped usescape.”
“I’ve also maimed, killed, and pillaged the homes of more people than I can count,” Wellion drawled. He stabbed a piece of pork on his plate, and the fried meat made a crunching sound. “There is no need to paint me like a harmless puppy, Riann. I am what Iam.”
“I do hope you plan to change your tune, young man,” Lord Raffis said stiffly. “I did promise not to give you away to the authorities, but that does not mean I will encourage continued criminalactivity.”
“Have no fear, my lord,” Wellion said with a smirk. “I plan to make an honest man of myself, if I can figure out what that actuallymeans.”
“Men like you are not capable of honest work,” Yarim sneered. “You may occasionally commit acts of decency or kindness, but in the end, you resort to what you have been trained to do all yourlives.”
“Enough,” Tariel said in a firm voice. She held up a hand as Wellion began to rise from his chair, his face red with anger. “We have promised Wellion our protection in exchange for his help, and we will give it to him. That isfinal.”
Wellion tossed his napkin on the table. “I don’t need protection from men who would sooner stab me in the back while Isleep.”
“Wellion,” Riann called as Wellion stalked from the tent. But the bandit did not turn around, and Riann sighed as he looked at the angry faces around thetable.
“Those comments were uncalled for, Yarim,” Tariel said angrily. “I did not bring Wellion here so that you could insulthim.”
“Then why did you bring him here at all?” Yarim challenged. His violet eyes glittered, and he clenched his fork hard enough to warp the metal. “Men like him never do anything without an agenda. If he agreed to help us, it is because there is something he isafter.”
“You mean like his freedom?” Riann suggested, his voice thick with sarcasm. “You are behaving as if you know the man, when you have not spoken two words tohim.”
“I have met enough like him to know what he is capable of,” Yarimspat.
“I do not like the idea of partnering up with bandits myself,” Calrain said cautiously, “but it seems as though you are particularly vehement, Yarim. What grudge are you holdingonto?”
“My father was killed by bandits during his travels,” Yarim said tightly. “He was traveling back to us from the coast when they ambushed him. They didn’t need to take his life—he had gold and valuables on him, enough to keep them well fed for decades. And yet that wasn’t good enough. They had to slit his throat, too.” He clenched hisjaw.
Riann felt a swell of sympathy for Yarim. But it wasn’t enough to make him change his mind. “I am sorry about your father, but Wellion isn’t like that. He spoke up on my behalf when his father would have killed me, and he helped us escape. He has been misguided, but beneath that hardened criminal exterior, he is a goodman.”
“He could have easily killed me when he found me out,” Tariel admitted. “He has some strange powder that suppresses my magical abilities, and he used it on me to keep me from attacking him. And yet, he did not lay a finger onme.”
Riann raised his eyebrows as Tariel’s cheeks colored a bit, and he wondered just how true that was. The attraction between Wellion and Tariel was obvious, and yet she had made it clear that Wellion was merely a travelingcompanion.
“Surely you can learn to tolerate him for a few days,” Riann insisted. “It is not as if he will be with usforever.”
Yarim crossed his arms over his chest. “Seeing as I have no choice, I will,” he said. “But if he touches my things, expect him to lose ahand.”
“I’ll make sure to tell him that,” Riann said dryly as he stoodup.
“Where are you going?” Tarielasked.
“To check on Wellion,” he said. “Someone oughtto.”
He left the tent without a backward glance and searched for the bandit.Former bandit,he chided himself as he walked through the camp. If he truly wanted Wellion to reform, he had to stop thinking of him as a criminal. This was a chance for him to turn over a new leaf, to seize the life he’d neverhad.
He found Wellion sitting on a log near a dead campfire, staring into the ashes. His shoulders were slumped, and his face held such profound exhaustion that Riann felt a wave of sympathy forhim.
