“That attack was clearly meant for you,” Robin continued. “The most foolish thing you could do is deliver yourself straight to him.”
At that, Ian stopped struggling and turned fully to face her. “Meant for me? He was clearly after you! He’s been sending us complaints about bandits who harass his soldiers. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”
Robin felt her face light up, and she wanted to laugh. “Gareth is annoyed enough to complain about me? Nothing could make me happier!”
Ian stepped forward, looking down at her though he was hardly taller than her. “Do you have any idea how foolish it is to underestimate Gareth?” His voice was measured and steady, but Robin could hear an undertone of fear in his words. “He is not the magnanimous king he pretends to be.”
The hoot of another owl sounded from the nearby trees, momentarily distracting Robin. It was deep and long. Ulli. Behind her, Jette replied with another hoot.
Ian either missed or ignored the interaction as he kept talking. “Gareth has been lying to all of us. He is cruel and heartless to the point of enslaving and torturing innocent people. My father would punish your lawbreaking with a fine, but Gareth would not hesitate to kill you. He nearly executed Erich in the public square of Chendas last goldenreign!”
Robin knew she must look like a fool, but her grin only kept growing. Ian knew. He knew about Gareth. He knew about the Majis.
“And just who do you think is responsible for saving my life?” A new voice sounded in the clearing as Erich stepped up behind Ian.
With Ian’s face so close to hers, Robin saw the precise moment that he registered his brother’s voice and the fear and frustration in his eyes turned to relief.
Ian spun around and threw his arms around Erich. “You are not injured?”
“I am unharmed,” Erich said, smiling down at Robin over Ian’s shoulder. “Or I was until you broke my ribs with your crushing grip.”
Ian stepped out of the hug, but he kept a hand on Erich’s shoulder as he turned back to Robin. “It is a dangerous place to be in the sights of Gareth of Chendas,” he said, finishing his earlier warning.
Robin was still grinning, but several other emotions warred inside her chest. This Ian was an entirely different person than the boy she had known all those years ago. She had liked that boy, and she liked this man. But she would not make the same mistake twice.
Looking away from Ian, she directed her smile at Erich instead. “I am happy to see you are safe and have once again survived an attempt on your life.”
Ian took a step back, looking from Robin to Erich. “You two know each other,” he said.
Apparently Erich had not told everyone in the family what had truly happened back in Chendas. If he had meant to protect her, she was grateful.
Ian turned back to Robin. “You told him to give Aizel your love, earlier on the road. I noted it, but then...” He turned back to Erich. “Who was responsible for saving your life from Gareth?”
Erich shrugged, smirking back at his brother while offering no answer.
Ian looked back at Robin, staring intently at her face as he made sense of the various pieces.
Robin stared back.
Ian dropped his gaze down her body and then slowly all the way back up to her face, as if checking to see if she was truly there. “You are part of River’s Talon?” he asked.
Robin bowed.
Chapter 6
“You knew?” Ian turned to Erich.
His younger brother, standing taller by half a hand, was grinning down at him.
“You have been working with Robin for nearly half a season, and you did not tell anyone?” Ian felt an unusual burst of anger inside him—at what, he was not sure. Perhaps it was the shame of being left in the dark; perhaps it was the constant worry for the safety of his family members. Watching Aden turn into a beast, almost losing Erich, and now riding out to save Meena were all taking a toll on him.
And here Erich was, gallivanting around with highly sensitive information and collaborating with a powerful organization that operated outside of the law. When he got back to the castle, Ian planned to have a long talk with Onric so they could give their youngest brother a serious talking-to. Onric, of course, would be properly enraged at Erich’s heedlessness. Unless...
“Erich?” Ian asked slowly. “Did you tell Onric about Robin?” Ian knew that the very woman he was talking about still stood right next to him, but he could not worry about her reaction at the moment.
Eric shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t recall,” he said, but his eyes darted away from Ian’s face as he said it.
Ian felt another surge of anger, this one undoubtedly directed at Erich. Clearly, his brother had already told Onric about Robin. “And Aden. Does Aden know?”
