camp at the border, and then strike out cross-country to Broadhead. From there, the road to Nisair."
Garek gave Bolin a look suggest ing he had something on his mind that would stay there until they were alone. "So we're looking at a journey of a fortnight, give or take?"
"Aye." Far too much time to be dangling Ciara under Donovan's nose. "Make sure we've enough to see us all the way to Nisair, at the least. There's no guarantee we'll get the opportunity to stop at Broadhead."
"I get the sense there's little guarantee we'll make it three leagues beyond these borders."
"I believe I'll leave you gentlemen to work out the details of our journey without me," Nialyne said. "I've much to set in order before we depart. Commander, please see to it that the good General eats at some point during the day. He has a tendency to forego such basic necessities when something is gnawing at him."
Bolin scowled at her for the comment, but Garek gave her a jaunty wink and a bow from the waist. "Since eating is something I try never to skimp on, I will insist he join me, Lady. Never fear." He waited until the door closed behind Nialyne before turning a more serious face toward Bolin. "You're elsewhere this morning. It's making me uneasy."
"We're never going to make it to Nisair. Dain's a complete and utter idiot if he thinks we will."
Garek's eyes rounded. "Well, that did exactly nothing to put me at ease."
"What were your orders?" Bolin asked. "Exactly."
Garek puckered his lips, clicking his tongue as though trying to come up with a suitable answer. He clasped his hands behind his back, started to speak, appeared to think better of it, then shrugged. "Well, here's the thing, they included instructions to not divulge to you exactly what my orders are."
"I see." Bolin paced to the fireplace and glanced down at the remaining coals, glowing faintly red. "If I were to tell you that once I set you on the road to Nisair, I'll be heading elsewhere, what would you say?"
He looked over his shoulder at Garek. The big man closed his eyes and made a noise deep in his throat. "I'd ask you, on the strength of our friendship, to not put me in that situation."
"I thought as much. Let me ask you another question."
"Can I have a drink first? I've a feeling I'm not going to care much for anything you have to say this morning."
Bolin ignored him. "Did you actually volunteer to join this little venture? Or did Dain choose you himself?"
"Dammit, Bolin." Garek got his drink, downing one glass before refilling it and turning. He rested his rump against the sideboard. "You know the Emperor better than anyone. You can answer that question for yourself, along with his reasons, and every other nit that's pestering you. We're your escort. Your escort. Understand?"
Bolin understood all too well. "How much time were you given?"
Garek emptied the glass a second time. "Till next moon." He wiped his mouth with his hand, then set his glass on the table. "Now let me ask you a question. What's crawled up your backside that's got you twisted in a knot this morning?"
Now Bolin needed a drink, but he didn't go for one. He rested his hand against the mantel and stared at the embers without seeing them. Instead, he saw Donovan, and over his shoulder the dusky skinned Dominion witch. The look of triumph on both their faces made his blood run cold.
"Is there something you need to tell me?" Garek asked. He came up beside Bolin and passed him a glass of heather wine. "Because I'd rather know what we're likely to be up against before we meet it."
"Are the men yours?"
"As in, did I train them? Aye. As in, did I hand pick them for the escort? Same answer. Bolin," Garek rested his hand on Bolin's shoulder and caught his gaze squarely with his own, "you've got the best escort in the empire, and we've got the best general leading us. So either share your concerns or let them go. But if you keep brooding like a thundercloud over the Inlet, there's not going to be enough drink
Garek gave Bolin a look suggest ing he had something on his mind that would stay there until they were alone. "So we're looking at a journey of a fortnight, give or take?"
"Aye." Far too much time to be dangling Ciara under Donovan's nose. "Make sure we've enough to see us all the way to Nisair, at the least. There's no guarantee we'll get the opportunity to stop at Broadhead."
"I get the sense there's little guarantee we'll make it three leagues beyond these borders."
"I believe I'll leave you gentlemen to work out the details of our journey without me," Nialyne said. "I've much to set in order before we depart. Commander, please see to it that the good General eats at some point during the day. He has a tendency to forego such basic necessities when something is gnawing at him."
Bolin scowled at her for the comment, but Garek gave her a jaunty wink and a bow from the waist. "Since eating is something I try never to skimp on, I will insist he join me, Lady. Never fear." He waited until the door closed behind Nialyne before turning a more serious face toward Bolin. "You're elsewhere this morning. It's making me uneasy."
"We're never going to make it to Nisair. Dain's a complete and utter idiot if he thinks we will."
Garek's eyes rounded. "Well, that did exactly nothing to put me at ease."
"What were your orders?" Bolin asked. "Exactly."
Garek puckered his lips, clicking his tongue as though trying to come up with a suitable answer. He clasped his hands behind his back, started to speak, appeared to think better of it, then shrugged. "Well, here's the thing, they included instructions to not divulge to you exactly what my orders are."
"I see." Bolin paced to the fireplace and glanced down at the remaining coals, glowing faintly red. "If I were to tell you that once I set you on the road to Nisair, I'll be heading elsewhere, what would you say?"
He looked over his shoulder at Garek. The big man closed his eyes and made a noise deep in his throat. "I'd ask you, on the strength of our friendship, to not put me in that situation."
"I thought as much. Let me ask you another question."
"Can I have a drink first? I've a feeling I'm not going to care much for anything you have to say this morning."
Bolin ignored him. "Did you actually volunteer to join this little venture? Or did Dain choose you himself?"
"Dammit, Bolin." Garek got his drink, downing one glass before refilling it and turning. He rested his rump against the sideboard. "You know the Emperor better than anyone. You can answer that question for yourself, along with his reasons, and every other nit that's pestering you. We're your escort. Your escort. Understand?"
Bolin understood all too well. "How much time were you given?"
Garek emptied the glass a second time. "Till next moon." He wiped his mouth with his hand, then set his glass on the table. "Now let me ask you a question. What's crawled up your backside that's got you twisted in a knot this morning?"
Now Bolin needed a drink, but he didn't go for one. He rested his hand against the mantel and stared at the embers without seeing them. Instead, he saw Donovan, and over his shoulder the dusky skinned Dominion witch. The look of triumph on both their faces made his blood run cold.
"Is there something you need to tell me?" Garek asked. He came up beside Bolin and passed him a glass of heather wine. "Because I'd rather know what we're likely to be up against before we meet it."
"Are the men yours?"
"As in, did I train them? Aye. As in, did I hand pick them for the escort? Same answer. Bolin," Garek rested his hand on Bolin's shoulder and caught his gaze squarely with his own, "you've got the best escort in the empire, and we've got the best general leading us. So either share your concerns or let them go. But if you keep brooding like a thundercloud over the Inlet, there's not going to be enough drink
Similar Books
