“TheChronicles’hobbyist archaeology journalist isn’t going to advise me on my restaurant column,” Yerin said.
Since when did Vormalt write for the newspaper? Or have anarchaeologyhobby? Rylana vaguely remembered him enjoying reading history books, but hadn’t he been assiduously climbing the ranks in her father’s business when she’d last seen him?
“Excellentis a pedestrian word with no inherent descriptive meaning,” Yerin added.
“I’m always fortunate that you’re willing to tutor me in the ways of scribes.” When Vormalt stood straight, he towered overRylana, as he always had. He’d been gangly at twenty-five but had filled out since then.
“I remember why we didn’t play with Yerin when we were kids,” Rylana murmured as she walked toward the front door with Vormalt. She glanced down the hallway, wondering if Jildarin was still peering out of the kitchen, but he must have returned to his work.
“He’s all right.” Vormalt held the door open for her. “Just ambitious with a need to prove himself.”
“Are you doing anything to prove yourself these days? Writing for the newspaper instead of working for my father?”
“He let me go years ago. Shortly afteryouleft, as I recall.”
“He didn’t blame you for that, did he?”
“I think he was more upset after someone told him a story that I’d poisoned one of his dogs.” Vormalt gave her a sidelong look.
“Youdidbring the cookies that made Darter sick.”
“Your father should have held the baker accountable. As to my ambitions with the newspaper, my contributions are infrequent, usually made after I go on digs. I have become an archaeologist and take expeditions into the mountains every year.” Vormalt looked up and down the street, his gaze lingering on two dwarven females who walked out of the bakery with a box similar to the one Sylin had described the day before—maybe that particular cake was a popular menu item. Vormalt pointed to the coffee shop. “A drink?”
“All right, but I can’t stay for long. I’m on the clock.”
Vormalt regarded her as they navigated around a wagon and across the street. “Idoremember that you had a knack for numbers. Your father badly wanted you to go into the family business, not be an empty-headed trophy on some man’s arm.” He smirked as he looked at her hair again.
“Thatwasn’t ever going to be my fate.”
“Are you going to let that grow out again? Now that you’renot… what did you say you did before? I assume you were jesting to intimidate Yerin.”
Yerinwasn’t who she’d been delivering that message to, and Rylana bristled at the insults to her hair. “Until recently, I was a mercenary and fought in the Ore War.”
Vormalt stopped in front of the coffee shop and stared at her. “You’re not joking?”
Rylana showed him her right hand. In addition to scars on the back, her palm was calloused from training with swords, and the tips of her draw fingers were in a similar state. “I don’t know what I’ll do with my hair now, but it’s hardly any of your concern. I see that you’re married and presumably not looking.”
His eyebrows lifted. “After you fled from our engagement?—”
“We were neverengaged.Fatherwas the only one to agree to your proposal.”
“I thought our marriage was a certainty. Regardless, I did indeed, after nearly perishing from a broken heart, have to seek the embrace of another. Pennigrew Timberport, in fact.”
“An older lady, goodness. But quite well-endowed, so an obvious choice, I suppose.”
“Well-endowed in family assets, certainly. Less well-endowed inpersonalassets, alas. We’ve had an open marriage, and, as far as looking goes, I do occasionally seek the company of others.”
“Is it as open for her as it is for you?”
“Certainly.”
Rylana grimaced as she perched on the edge of a chair at a table for two, less interested than ever in speaking with Vormalt.
“She’s an agreeable enough wife, especially given the great wealth that she was raised amid, but I travel quite a bit, and pining with loneliness prompts me to seek out others from time to time.”
“I don’t need the details of your affairs,” Rylana said. “What do you want with me?”
“I simply heard you’d arrived back in town and was quitecurious what became of you and what you’ve been doing all these years.”
