“Yes. I recall the last time you were here, I kicked you out.”
“My magic was adjusting. I hardly have any now, so you don’t have to worry about that.”
“Yes, your magic.” A sly smile crept across Ariadne’s face. “How did you come upon that? I don’t trust you, and I never have. Even if I did, you know I can’t after what you’ve done. I will allow you to stay here for two nights while you arrange passage elsewhere, but I won’t exchange your currency, and I will not give you trade privileges. I’ll instruct the locals to give you basic food and a room at the tavern.”
While Evander had expected this result, he had not expected the weight of his disappointment. He’d nursed this hope so carefully just to watch it die in an instant.
Valenna’s jaw dropped, and she cried, “Just like that? You’re turning us away? This isn’t some petty request. Evander needs the powder to survive, and there isn’t any …”
“I’m sorry, but Cobblepine can’t be responsible for every unlucky traveler who drifts up the pass. I cannot help you unless you have the oath tattoo, and you don’t have the oath tattoo.”
“But why?” Valenna demanded. “There must be some other reason.”
“No other reason. Simply adhering to our nation’s customs.”
Valenna shot out of her chair, her cheeks crimson. “You’re going to let Evander die because your brats were too soft to muck out the stalls?”
Ariadne raised her eyebrows. “Watch your tone, child.”
“I’ve known people like you,” Valenna snarled. “Power-hungry, insecure leaders who trample people underfoot and call it justice. You think you’re firm, but you’re just cruel.”
“Tell that to your betrothed,” Ariadne said with a sneer. “It sounds to me like you have summed him up accurately.”
“Evander is right,” Valenna continued. “War will find you, and your darling children will be thankful he didn’t leave them defenseless even when they whined and cried.”
Ariande’s tone iced over. “If you want favors, don’t come here and insult the one woman who can help you."
“But you won’t help us.” Valenna’s spine was ramrod straight. She was braced for a fight, but Ariadne just crinkled her nose and said, “Two days. Don’t let me see you again.”
She pointed to the door. Evander stood and took Valenna’s hand.
“No!” Valenna exclaimed. “I’m not leaving until this woman gives us what we came for!”
“Alright then,” Ariadne said. “I’ll leave.”
She shouldered past them and strode out into the street, shutting the door behind her.
Valenna whirled on Evander. “What did you do to those trainees?”
He grimaced. “Ariadne has a special reason to hate me.”
“What?”
Evander wanted to punch something, to put his fist through a window and feel the glass shatter, but he restrained himself. “Val, I went to battle when I was fourteen. There were no kid gloves and gentle teachers in my life because I needed to survive. And I did survive. So, yes, I sent them home when they endangered the others, and I sent them to muck stalls because they were arrogant and foolhardy, but they need callouses on their hands or, someday, those soft hands are going to get them killed.”
Valenna put her hand to her forehead. “What do we do?”
Gently, Evander gripped her elbows and looked into her eyes. “First, we are not going to panic.”
“We’re not going to panic?”
“No. We are not. We are not panicking people.”
“I wasn’t before I met you, but now I am.”
“No. I’m not panicking. You’re not panicking. No one is panicking. I have a plan.”
“What’s your plan?”
