they wanted him to believe.
“He’d do that?” Eryl asked. “Pay her bond? Why? And don’t give me none of your fancy speeches about your patron’s honour. We both know that powerful men don’t do nothin’ without some payback for themselves.”
Kane leaned back in his chair. He’d obviously hit a nerve. Eryl had slipped into street talk. “Let’s just say that my patron does not want the girl to fall into the wrong hands.”
Eryl nodded slowly at this.
“And be very clear that my patron means for her to remain free.” Kane hardened his voice. “So if he hears you have used his coin to indenture her to you, he will not be pleased.” Although if Brenna and Eryl were a couple, Kane didn’t need to worry about that. But what if there were children? He looked around at the squalid room. No, not possible. The Brotherhood could accept a woman as the Caller, but one with a child? That might be more than even his uncle could manage. Kane pulled a purse out from beneath his vest and tossed it to Eryl.
“That will cover her bond price,” Kane said. He pulled a second, smaller purse out and hefted it in his hand, the noise of the coins muffled by cloth. “There is more business to discuss. My patron feels quite responsible for this girl and would like to be kept advised of her whereabouts.”
Eryl eyed the second purse speculatively. “I’m not sure I can do that to Brenna. Spying on her wouldn’t sit right.”
The drunk, Millen snorted. “She’d skin ye if she found out,” he said.
“I’m not asking you to do more than let me know if she finds herself in trouble.” Kane swept his gaze from Eryl to Millen before he settled it on Eryl. He placed the second purse on the table in front of Eryl. “My patron is concerned for her safety, as well as mine, and recent events may bring unwelcome attention to her. We can’t allow her actions to be traced back through you, to me.” Eryl wouldn’t even consider spying on Brenna if they were a couple. Unless he was simply angling for the extra coin?
Eryl exchanged glances with his men and then nodded to Kane.
“Agreed,” Eryl said. He reached out and dragged the purse towards him. “We’ll keep a look out on Brenna in case some trouble’s been stirred up by this whole mess.”
“I will also be watching her at times,” Kane said. “I ask that you keep my presence a secret from her.” He held his breath, not knowing if they would agree to this last request. He needed to know if the church was after her. On behalf of the Brotherhood, he was now responsible for her safety.
“We’ll keep quiet about you,” Eryl said as he leaned across the table. “But only if we see no harm to Brenna in this. If we think you’ve brought her danger we’ll make you wish you’d never heard of us.”
“That’s acceptable.” Kane stood up, not wanting to give them time to reconsider. He didn’t doubt Eryl’s sincerity. Brenna obviously meant a lot to him. He hoped it didn’t become a problem for the Brotherhood. In all the years he’d been a Brother, he’d never once thought about the Caller as a real person, leading a real life. Kane felt foolish that he’d overlooked something so basic. Of course the Caller would have a past - of course the Caller would have people in their life. But what that would mean to the Brotherhood?
At the door he turned back to Eryl.
“The bond should be paid at dawn,” Kane said. “And I warn you not to barter the bond down. My patron has his own reasons for this request and it’s more important that Brenna be out as soon as possible. Remember, this is not your coin. If my patron wishes to pay the bond in full it’s none of your concern.”
“I ain’t gonna take any chances with Brenna,” Eryl said.
Kane met Eryl’s brown-eyed gaze before he turned and left. He thought the thief could be trusted, in this anyway; Eryl seemed to want Brenna out and safe as much as he did. With a sigh Kane headed out through the pub
“He’d do that?” Eryl asked. “Pay her bond? Why? And don’t give me none of your fancy speeches about your patron’s honour. We both know that powerful men don’t do nothin’ without some payback for themselves.”
Kane leaned back in his chair. He’d obviously hit a nerve. Eryl had slipped into street talk. “Let’s just say that my patron does not want the girl to fall into the wrong hands.”
Eryl nodded slowly at this.
“And be very clear that my patron means for her to remain free.” Kane hardened his voice. “So if he hears you have used his coin to indenture her to you, he will not be pleased.” Although if Brenna and Eryl were a couple, Kane didn’t need to worry about that. But what if there were children? He looked around at the squalid room. No, not possible. The Brotherhood could accept a woman as the Caller, but one with a child? That might be more than even his uncle could manage. Kane pulled a purse out from beneath his vest and tossed it to Eryl.
“That will cover her bond price,” Kane said. He pulled a second, smaller purse out and hefted it in his hand, the noise of the coins muffled by cloth. “There is more business to discuss. My patron feels quite responsible for this girl and would like to be kept advised of her whereabouts.”
Eryl eyed the second purse speculatively. “I’m not sure I can do that to Brenna. Spying on her wouldn’t sit right.”
The drunk, Millen snorted. “She’d skin ye if she found out,” he said.
“I’m not asking you to do more than let me know if she finds herself in trouble.” Kane swept his gaze from Eryl to Millen before he settled it on Eryl. He placed the second purse on the table in front of Eryl. “My patron is concerned for her safety, as well as mine, and recent events may bring unwelcome attention to her. We can’t allow her actions to be traced back through you, to me.” Eryl wouldn’t even consider spying on Brenna if they were a couple. Unless he was simply angling for the extra coin?
Eryl exchanged glances with his men and then nodded to Kane.
“Agreed,” Eryl said. He reached out and dragged the purse towards him. “We’ll keep a look out on Brenna in case some trouble’s been stirred up by this whole mess.”
“I will also be watching her at times,” Kane said. “I ask that you keep my presence a secret from her.” He held his breath, not knowing if they would agree to this last request. He needed to know if the church was after her. On behalf of the Brotherhood, he was now responsible for her safety.
“We’ll keep quiet about you,” Eryl said as he leaned across the table. “But only if we see no harm to Brenna in this. If we think you’ve brought her danger we’ll make you wish you’d never heard of us.”
“That’s acceptable.” Kane stood up, not wanting to give them time to reconsider. He didn’t doubt Eryl’s sincerity. Brenna obviously meant a lot to him. He hoped it didn’t become a problem for the Brotherhood. In all the years he’d been a Brother, he’d never once thought about the Caller as a real person, leading a real life. Kane felt foolish that he’d overlooked something so basic. Of course the Caller would have a past - of course the Caller would have people in their life. But what that would mean to the Brotherhood?
At the door he turned back to Eryl.
“The bond should be paid at dawn,” Kane said. “And I warn you not to barter the bond down. My patron has his own reasons for this request and it’s more important that Brenna be out as soon as possible. Remember, this is not your coin. If my patron wishes to pay the bond in full it’s none of your concern.”
“I ain’t gonna take any chances with Brenna,” Eryl said.
Kane met Eryl’s brown-eyed gaze before he turned and left. He thought the thief could be trusted, in this anyway; Eryl seemed to want Brenna out and safe as much as he did. With a sigh Kane headed out through the pub
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