Sila was no fighter, but it meant something that he would try.
Killian was sure he was quite a sight, standing in the middle of their kitchen before the sun had even fully risen.His uniform freshly washed, the royal crest stark on his chest.
“What do you think you’re doing, Killian?” Sila snarled, putting on a brave face. “How dare you barge in here like this.”
Killian was in a sour mood, and the topic of this discussion surely didn’t help. He wanted to make this quick. Drawing out a chair at the dining table, Killian sat down, gesturing for them to do the same. “Sit.” When they didn’t move, he barked, “Sit.”
They jolted. Then, slowly, reluctantly obeyed. Confusion written clearly on their faces. They were stiff in their chairs, straight-backed and wary. Sila’s face was twisted into a scowl and Tanya was in tears. Killian couldn’t find it in himself to feelany sympathy.
“Kade’s debt to you. How much is it?”
Sila’s brow furrowed. This clearly hadn’t been what he’d expected. “Um. I-I believe it’s another…” He choked. “F-four thousand gold pieces.”
“Four thousandgoldpieces,” Killian repeated dully. It would take another hundred years for Kade to pay that amount back. “Plus interest?”
Sila looked a bit green. “Plus interest.”
“Does he owe anyone else?”
“No.”
Good. “Enlighten me, how did Kade rack up this debt, exactly?”
“He didn’t,” Sila stuttered. “Most of it was inherited from his father. Though there were a few years after your arrest that nobody worked the vineyard. Kade borrowed during that time to make sure he and Pella could survive the winters.”
Of course.
Fucking Tyr. It was always him. Even dead he found a way to fuck them over.
Killian ground his teeth, furious.
Sila hurried on. “It won’t take much longer for Kade to pay it back. After this year’s harvest, and the spirits in such high demand, I’m sure it will drive the debt down considerably.”
Killian reached into his chest pocket and dropped a drawstring bag onto the table between them. The contents clinked together, the crisp sounds of gold and silver. “This is all I have on me right now, but I’ll have the rest sent over when I return to Ingara.” Sila and Tanya wore similar expressions of shock. “You are not to take another coin from Kade. If you do, Iwill know. If I learn that you have, things will not end well for you. Do you understand me?”
“Yes,” said Sila.
Tanya nodded.
“Good.” With that, Killian pushed away from the table, snagged a sausage from one of the plates and disappeared out the door, leaving the couple stunned.
CHAPTER TEN
SWEAT DRIPPED DOWN Killian’s bare chest, running in streams through the ridges and grooves of his muscles. The rhythmic beats of his fists hitting the sand filled training bags sounded dully in the empty grounds, too early in the morning for anyone to occupy them. Standing in as a live opponent, was a large wooden cross driven deep into the earth, heavy sacks of sand padded the body of the stake.
The training grounds stood in the northeastern corner of the palace estate, a wide open space for the Guard to run drills and sands for sparring. The stocks were full of training weapons of every caliber, wooden and steel, and the edges lined with large body doubles for practice.
Killian hadn’t been able to sleep. He hadn’t gotten a good nights sleep since he left Turell two moons ago. He hadn’t heard anything from Kade since, not that he was expecting to.
It felt like that week wasn’t real. That it had never really happened. That it had all been a dream.
It was as easy as breathing to fit back into the routine of palace life, the familiar beats and patterns that Killian had lived for decades. Loran reported no incidences and the Guard had done well their first time without their captain. But Killian’sheart wasn’t in it, it was like he’d left half of himself back in that shitty town.
One week was all it had taken to jumble Killian’s head. His mind often drifting back to the peak of summer, the warm skies and late nights and Kade’s smile.
Fyar had noticed. Killian would sometimes find his friend studying him, a curious glint in his white eyes.
Killian cursed, his knuckles ached at the repeated abuse. He took a moment to catch his breath. Turning, he sagged against the stake, dropping his head back and looking at the sky as he redid the wrappings around his knuckles.
