me," he said so quiet he wondered if he had spoken at all.
"Think about it," Fawbry said to Malja, whining just a bit. "Help defeat Salia and I'm sure they'll help you use the Library. Maybe they can find your home world."
Owl caught the slight waver in her attitude. That Malja was from another world was something he'd have to think on later. For now, the idea that he might succeed in recruiting her, pushed him onward. "The boy could benefit, too," he said, hoping to entice her. "He's a magician, right?"
"Why?" she asked.
"I thought so. Growing up around the Order, all I ever saw were magicians. I feel like I have a sense for spotting them." Fawbry waved cautioning hands from behind Malja but Owl didn't understand what part to avoid. "The Library might be able to help him grow stronger. Maybe even unlock a new spell or two."
Though Tommy brightened at these words, Fawbry deflated. Malja looked angry enough to spring Viper at him again. Owl sighed. He knew too little of their dynamics, but he saw clearly that Fawbry was the only one among them who could talk to her even a bit. He needed Fawbry — even if he had to forget his promise to Fawbry's parents. Someday, he promised himself, he would tell Fawbry, but for now, he couldn't let this key man go running off to Mommy and Daddy. Lying to Fawbry, even a simple lie of omission, didn't sit well with Owl, but he saw no other option. Without Fawbry, Owl felt sure that Malja would take Tommy and he would have to return to Penmarvia alone.
Malja
Malja turned away from the group with her fists clenched. She heard Fawbry tell Tommy and Owl to stay back. When he approached her, she could hear the shake in his voice as well as his body.
"Y-You should consider this," he said.
"No."
"This might be the answer you're looking for."
She looked over her shoulder at Tommy. "There are more important things than just finding my home." Then she faced Fawbry. "Why should we even believe this man? He jumps into a fight he has no purpose in, messes that all up, and then while we're still trying to catch up with it all, he plays out this little scenario that just happens to feed in with some childhood fantasy of yours. You don't find that suspicious?"
Fawbry walked a few steps further away. Malja suspected he wanted to be just far enough out of Owl's hearing range. "Of course I'm suspicious," he whispered. "That doesn't change much. The fact is that if he's telling the truth, we'd be fools to go away. Especially if this Queen has any real intention of taking over Corlin."
"That's only if he's telling the truth."
"If he's a liar or maybe walking us into an ambush, then we'll deal with that. I've noticed you're quite good at handling that kind of thing."
Malja snickered. "So I'm just the muscle?"
Fawbry shook his head — not in denial but frustration. "You've been asking me all about Tommy lately, so listen to me now. Tommy wants this. Take a close look into his eyes. He believes Owl, and he wants to see the Order. We've spent the last year traveling all over this horrible country, and I don't think we've done much good. It seems there's a never-ending supply of bastards trying to rule over everybody, and no matter how many we take out, another comes along. Tommy and I know you don't want us around."
"That's not true," she said, Fawbry's words stabbing through her chest.
"You don't need us, that's for sure. Look, the important thing is that if this Queen is for real, then we can do something big again. Not just against petty little crap like Eldred, but something as big as we did before when we took down Jarik and Callib. And if you can admit it, that's what you're looking for every time you fight in these little towns. That's what you're after with your laws. We all want that greater sense of purpose we had before. Well, Owl's giving us that chance."
Malja raised a hand before Fawbry launched into a longer, more enthusiastic speech. "Let me be alone."
With a
"Think about it," Fawbry said to Malja, whining just a bit. "Help defeat Salia and I'm sure they'll help you use the Library. Maybe they can find your home world."
Owl caught the slight waver in her attitude. That Malja was from another world was something he'd have to think on later. For now, the idea that he might succeed in recruiting her, pushed him onward. "The boy could benefit, too," he said, hoping to entice her. "He's a magician, right?"
"Why?" she asked.
"I thought so. Growing up around the Order, all I ever saw were magicians. I feel like I have a sense for spotting them." Fawbry waved cautioning hands from behind Malja but Owl didn't understand what part to avoid. "The Library might be able to help him grow stronger. Maybe even unlock a new spell or two."
Though Tommy brightened at these words, Fawbry deflated. Malja looked angry enough to spring Viper at him again. Owl sighed. He knew too little of their dynamics, but he saw clearly that Fawbry was the only one among them who could talk to her even a bit. He needed Fawbry — even if he had to forget his promise to Fawbry's parents. Someday, he promised himself, he would tell Fawbry, but for now, he couldn't let this key man go running off to Mommy and Daddy. Lying to Fawbry, even a simple lie of omission, didn't sit well with Owl, but he saw no other option. Without Fawbry, Owl felt sure that Malja would take Tommy and he would have to return to Penmarvia alone.
Malja
Malja turned away from the group with her fists clenched. She heard Fawbry tell Tommy and Owl to stay back. When he approached her, she could hear the shake in his voice as well as his body.
"Y-You should consider this," he said.
"No."
"This might be the answer you're looking for."
She looked over her shoulder at Tommy. "There are more important things than just finding my home." Then she faced Fawbry. "Why should we even believe this man? He jumps into a fight he has no purpose in, messes that all up, and then while we're still trying to catch up with it all, he plays out this little scenario that just happens to feed in with some childhood fantasy of yours. You don't find that suspicious?"
Fawbry walked a few steps further away. Malja suspected he wanted to be just far enough out of Owl's hearing range. "Of course I'm suspicious," he whispered. "That doesn't change much. The fact is that if he's telling the truth, we'd be fools to go away. Especially if this Queen has any real intention of taking over Corlin."
"That's only if he's telling the truth."
"If he's a liar or maybe walking us into an ambush, then we'll deal with that. I've noticed you're quite good at handling that kind of thing."
Malja snickered. "So I'm just the muscle?"
Fawbry shook his head — not in denial but frustration. "You've been asking me all about Tommy lately, so listen to me now. Tommy wants this. Take a close look into his eyes. He believes Owl, and he wants to see the Order. We've spent the last year traveling all over this horrible country, and I don't think we've done much good. It seems there's a never-ending supply of bastards trying to rule over everybody, and no matter how many we take out, another comes along. Tommy and I know you don't want us around."
"That's not true," she said, Fawbry's words stabbing through her chest.
"You don't need us, that's for sure. Look, the important thing is that if this Queen is for real, then we can do something big again. Not just against petty little crap like Eldred, but something as big as we did before when we took down Jarik and Callib. And if you can admit it, that's what you're looking for every time you fight in these little towns. That's what you're after with your laws. We all want that greater sense of purpose we had before. Well, Owl's giving us that chance."
Malja raised a hand before Fawbry launched into a longer, more enthusiastic speech. "Let me be alone."
With a
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