She looked at each of them in turn, as though this attack was somehow their own doing. She brushed a wave of graying hair back from her face.” Highwaymen don't ply their trade where roads are seldom traveled. Tell me how this happened."Baore and Fynnol both turned to Tarn, silently electing him spokesman. He told the story, surprised at how tight his voice became when he related their flight across the bridge and down into the river. When he was done Genn carefully straightened her skirt, saying nothing for a moment.” You say these men were all in the same dark surcoats and wore helms?" she asked at last.
Tarn nodded.
"Well, it would seem unlikely they were brigands, then. This was the livery of some noble family."Tarn hadn't considered this, for the nearest noble families lived many weeks' journey away.” I've never seen a man dressed in livery, but perhaps you're right."The Fael cast glances back and forth, and then Genn spoke again.” It would seem most likely that your chance companion, Alaan, had stolen something or offended some powerful family. Charm, you say he had, and though it is not the exclusive attribute of rogues, it is a trait they all must have in abundance. I fear, without meaning to, you fell in with a fleeing rascal. It would explain why he had traveled so far into the wilds. Unlike our people, few will come so far just for the journey."Tarn shifted in his chair, considering what she'd said.
"Alaan didn't act like a man being pursued," Fynnol said quickly. He leaned forward, his sharp features set and determined.” And when the men appeared, he held the bridge so that we might escape. Hardly the action of a rogue. He could have slipped away when first he heard these men and left us to our own fate.""Thieves and rogues are not all cut of one cloth," Genn said.” Some have a strange kind of honor, and even among your people only a few are utterly without remorse. It's not impossible that, though Alaan might steal from a wealthy \ family, he would not see innocent young men murdered for | his crime. The world is large. Such men exist."Cian cleared his throat. He was so soft voiced and quiet of demeanor that Tam had forgotten that this concealed the truth about him: he was nobody's fool, and quite capable of letting you know it.” Excuse me, Genn, but I think Fynnol is right. They say Alaan did not act like a man pursued; certainly if he had been chased into the wildlands he would have been more wary." "Perhaps." Genn shrugged.” Though he might have believed he had outdistanced his pursuers or that they'd given up the chase. More importantly, I don't think these men who fell upon him were robbers. They were men in pursuit of Alaan and no one else. Oh, they were prepared to cut down men who appeared to be Alaan's accomplices, but once they had Alaan they left these others in peace. It might be that they found their stolen goods in Alaan's baggage. I'm sure they're making their way south as we speak." "I am surprised that you didn't meet these men on the road," Tam said.” As you say, they would have gone south, back to their homes." He could see the Fael react to this. They were a secretive people and, by reputation, quite willing to lie to strangers.” We did not see them," Genn said after a moment, "but the men walking out before us saw signs of them. A troop of mounted men had turned aside into the forest. They must have heard us, though why they would avoid us I cannot say." "It makes me wonder if they had rightful cause to be hunting Alaan or to deliver judgment," Fynnol said. Genn shrugged.” The affairs of your people are of little concern to us—just or unjust." Cynddl caught Genn's eye.” But what of the whist?" he asked quietly. Genn shifted in her chair. She wore at least one ring on each finger, and now she tapped them one at a time upon the arm of her chair.” If this man had kept a crow or a jay there would be no cause for concern," she said.” But a whist is a bird of omen, to
Tarn nodded.
"Well, it would seem unlikely they were brigands, then. This was the livery of some noble family."Tarn hadn't considered this, for the nearest noble families lived many weeks' journey away.” I've never seen a man dressed in livery, but perhaps you're right."The Fael cast glances back and forth, and then Genn spoke again.” It would seem most likely that your chance companion, Alaan, had stolen something or offended some powerful family. Charm, you say he had, and though it is not the exclusive attribute of rogues, it is a trait they all must have in abundance. I fear, without meaning to, you fell in with a fleeing rascal. It would explain why he had traveled so far into the wilds. Unlike our people, few will come so far just for the journey."Tarn shifted in his chair, considering what she'd said.
"Alaan didn't act like a man being pursued," Fynnol said quickly. He leaned forward, his sharp features set and determined.” And when the men appeared, he held the bridge so that we might escape. Hardly the action of a rogue. He could have slipped away when first he heard these men and left us to our own fate.""Thieves and rogues are not all cut of one cloth," Genn said.” Some have a strange kind of honor, and even among your people only a few are utterly without remorse. It's not impossible that, though Alaan might steal from a wealthy \ family, he would not see innocent young men murdered for | his crime. The world is large. Such men exist."Cian cleared his throat. He was so soft voiced and quiet of demeanor that Tam had forgotten that this concealed the truth about him: he was nobody's fool, and quite capable of letting you know it.” Excuse me, Genn, but I think Fynnol is right. They say Alaan did not act like a man pursued; certainly if he had been chased into the wildlands he would have been more wary." "Perhaps." Genn shrugged.” Though he might have believed he had outdistanced his pursuers or that they'd given up the chase. More importantly, I don't think these men who fell upon him were robbers. They were men in pursuit of Alaan and no one else. Oh, they were prepared to cut down men who appeared to be Alaan's accomplices, but once they had Alaan they left these others in peace. It might be that they found their stolen goods in Alaan's baggage. I'm sure they're making their way south as we speak." "I am surprised that you didn't meet these men on the road," Tam said.” As you say, they would have gone south, back to their homes." He could see the Fael react to this. They were a secretive people and, by reputation, quite willing to lie to strangers.” We did not see them," Genn said after a moment, "but the men walking out before us saw signs of them. A troop of mounted men had turned aside into the forest. They must have heard us, though why they would avoid us I cannot say." "It makes me wonder if they had rightful cause to be hunting Alaan or to deliver judgment," Fynnol said. Genn shrugged.” The affairs of your people are of little concern to us—just or unjust." Cynddl caught Genn's eye.” But what of the whist?" he asked quietly. Genn shifted in her chair. She wore at least one ring on each finger, and now she tapped them one at a time upon the arm of her chair.” If this man had kept a crow or a jay there would be no cause for concern," she said.” But a whist is a bird of omen, to
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