“Did she change her mind?” Rog asked.
Cali shook her head, a chill passing over her fur that had nothing to do with the weather. “One night, I went ahead to scout for the next quest. When I came back, Adelaide was gone. None of the others knew how or why, but the leader of our gang was furious.”
“She left without you?” The tenderness in the gnome’s voice made Cali’s heart twist, as did the memory of hurrying back to the camp and finding Adelaide missing.
“I couldn’t believe she’d do that, so I convinced myself that something bad had happened or that she’d been taken. I left the crew that night to find her, and I never went back.”
“But you never found her?” Rog asked.
Cali gave a rough shake of her head as she forced herself to square her shoulders. “She’s who I’m looking for in every village and around every bend in the road.”
Rog didn’t speak for a while, but he passed her back the brandy. Cali took a drink and welcomed the burn that scorched a ragged path down her throat.
“We would have helped you look, Cal.”
She bobbed her head. “I know that, but you couldn’t have done any more than I was already doing. And then it would have hung over us. It would have been all we talked about. It would have stolen every moment of joy.” She put a paw over the hand resting on his knee. “And I needed those moments. I needed you all toknow me as Cali. Not as Cali, the pantheri who’d been left by the woman she’d been sure loved her.”
Rog grunted. “You found no trace of her? Not even a clue?”
She shook her head, afraid to voice what she feared the most. “Nothing.”
The gnome sighed. “That doesn’t mean?—“
Cali pulled back quickly. “No lies, Rog. This is one reason I don’t tell people. It’s bad enough that I’ve been lying to myself for all these years, but I can’t bear it if you do it too.”
Rog held up his hands. “All right then, no lies. But as someone who kept his wife tucked away from danger for a long time, there are plenty of places to go where you won’t be found.”
Cali forced herself to smile. “Then let’s hope she’s living happily in one of those places.”
Rog produced another jug of brandy from behind his back. “I’ll drink to that.”
They both raised the jugs to their lips and took long gulps. After the gnome swiped the back of his hand across his mouth, he turned to Cali. “You should tell the others.”
Her back stiffened, but she knew he was right. She’d come so close to telling both Vaskel and Lira on multiple occasions but had always lost her nerve. “Once I’m back.”
This seemed to satisfy Rog, who returned his attention to his jug of brandy. “Who knows? Maybe you’ll find her on this adventure.”
“On a pirate ship?” She eyed him. “She was a rogue, not a pirate.”
Rog tilted his head back and forth. “Well, you’re an archer andyou’regoing.”
That was true enough, but she had a few reasons for going. Not that she had any intention of telling the gnome about her fascination with the pirate captain. She’d shared enough of herself for one night, thank you very much. Besides, it felt like a betrayal to Adelaide to feel even a flutter for someone else.
The door to the tavern opened, spilling warm light from inside as a willowy figure stepped outside. He paused, looking regal and serene, then he turned, tugged at something behind him, and released a flurry of breath.
“Come along, Glen, you silly bird. You’ve had plenty of excitement for one evening.”
The ostrich high-stepped out the door, his small head appearing first, followed by a profusion of lavender feathers covered in a jeweled harness. He let out a warble of protest, which seemed to be his preferred sound.
“Heading home?” Cali called out, announcing their presence so they wouldn’t startle the elf or his ostrich.
If Erindil was surprised by their presence, he didn’t let on. “Taking the long way so Glen can get some exercise and walk off all the cake he ate. That’s right, Glen. Don’t think I didn’t notice the crumbs on your feathers.”
Another warble from Glen.
As the pair got closer, Erindil lowered his voice. “The back door might also have been blocked by a very exuberant dwarf insistent on corralling everyone onto the dance floor.”
“Sass or Thrain?” Cali asked.
