That brought a buzz of whispers and exclamations of horror from the crowd.Satia looked none too pleased and seemed to clamp down harder on the King’s wrist.
That put paid to their lie about Ritathan’s heart, didn’t it?
Forterran had played this game for far too long to let his reaction be seen.“Leaving nothing but his chains.”He nodded and strived to look as if this was a common occurrence.“The details do not matter, Your Majesties.The damages do.”
The King and Queen were silent, unblinking.
“Ritathan was an old and wise member of our guild, skilled and loyal to Throne and Guild.”Forterran put his grief into his voice.“This is a great loss to Edenrich and all of Xy.”
The King nodded, clearly sincere, and pulled his wrist out from under Satia’s hand.Forterran had a moment to wonder at that.Was there a breach between them?Then he set that thought aside to wrestle with later.“Rather than insist on exact contract terms, I offer a compromise.”
Satia’s gaze grew even sharper.
“I demand Ritathan’s chains and his apprentice.”Forterran noted a movement in the back of the gathered crowd.“Surrender them both to me and the matter is settled.”
“Settled?”Satia asked sharply.
“Settled and done,” Forterran nodded his head.“No questions, no repercussions, no further reparations.”He repeated himself, for the sake of clarity and loudly enough for all to hear.“Settled and done.”
“Well—” Xyrath started.
“Agreed.”The Queen cut him off sharply.
“What?”Lord Marshal Tarwain stepped forward.“Majesty,” he protested.
Queen Satia did not look at him, just jerked up her hand for silence.
Tarwain sputtered, red-faced, but obeyed.
“Step forward, Halithe,” Forterran called and watched as the young woman emerged from the crowd, her black dress matching her hair, but not the red around her eyes.She looked a wreck, truth be told, but there was hope dawning in those sad eyes.
He pointed to a place by his side.She lifted her chin and started toward him.He watched as her grief and hope turned to rage, her gaze flickering toward the Queen.
Oh, that would not do.Forterran clamped down on her through the apprentice bracelet on her wrist.No outburst from this chit.
She stepped to his side, eyes widening as she felt the constraints fall into place around her.
Forterran could just imagine the things she wanted to say, and all of it was better left unsaid.He turned back to their majesties.“The chains?”
“Caris,” Queen Satia commanded.The auburn-haired one, fairly pretty, stepped forward.In her hands were the chains.
Forterran held up a hand.Like he was going to let any of those knife-wielding she-bitches close to his person.
“Apprentice.”Forterran gestured.“If you would.”
Halithe stepped forward.
Forterran let his gaze flick over the watching crowd as the two women approached each other.Lord Marshal Tarwain looked like he was going to start frothing at the mouth and Satia’s cold eyes were on Halithe.
Interesting.
Halithe drew closer to Caris, who held out the chains, letting them dangle from her hands.They both stopped and stood still, and then Halithe took the chains in such a way as to make sure their hands touched.There was something else.Something that wasn’t normally on the face of a Bondmaiden.
Was that regret?
Ah.
The moment froze between them, as the young are wont to do in their moments of drama.Forterran watched closely.
