Legends of Dimmingwood 02:Betrayal of Thieves by C. Greenwood Page A

ways.”
    I glared darkly at the object in question.
    “Tell me everything,” Hadrian said briskly. “Where did you acquire this remarkable object and for how long has it been alive? We’ll lay everything on the table and see what sense we can make of it. ”
    And so I launched into the tale of my discovery of the bow on the night Brig died. Hadrian was a good listener. He heard my story out right up to the point where Terrac and I had burned Brig’s body and made our way back to Rideon’s camp. We were interrupted at this point in the tale by the return of Fleet and Seephinia. At their entrance, I fell into an awkward silence and Hadrian, apparently seeing my discomfort, dropped the matter and began plying Fleet with small talk. But his eyes promised we would get back to our subject as soon as we were able.
    Fleet and I were invited to stay for the noon meal. We accepted and were soon gathered around a low table. Hadrian made for interesting dinner conversation and even Fleet could be witty and amusing in his ridiculous attempts to charm the beautiful river woman. My mind lifted from my troubles and I began to relax. For the first time in a long time I found myself almost content. Then I caught a glimpse of my bow, propped against the near wall, and the sight of it was like a dash of cold water.

 
     
    CHAPTER NINE
     
     
    Dinner was a simple affair. The river woman served us fish with a sort of crusty bread dipped in fruit syrup, and we ate the meal straight off the wooden slabs it was carried in on. During the meal I came to understand it was Seephinia who was our true host and that this hut on the river barge belonged to her. Hadrian was as much a guest as the rest of us, even if he behaved so at home I could almost believe he had been here forever.
    The priest explained that he had been staying among the river folk since his arrival in Selbius, in hopes of learning something of their secretive lifestyle. When Fleet asked what he could hope to learn from such people and expressed the opinion Hadrian would do better to teach them our more civilized ways, the priest disagreed and deftly changed the topic. A vague suspicion began to form in my mind, but I let it go for now, promising myself I would discover the truth later. In the meantime, these river people would bear watching. Perhaps they were more than they seemed.
    Throughout the meal, Seephinia didn’t join us but stood off to one side, ready to wait on us like the servant Hadrian insisted she wasn’t. The priest whispered it had to do with custom. River people had a lengthy set of rules by which they lived their lives and a great part of these centered around particular behaviors toward guests. The promise of hospitality was not easily achieved by strangers, but once it was attained, a visitor could be assured of receiving every comfort and respect.
    Despite this reassuring information, the river woman continued to fix me with a cold eye. I remained at a loss as to what I had done to deserve such hostility but shrugged it off. As long as she didn’t poison my fish, she could dislike me all she wanted. And at least her disapproval was limited to me and, to a lesser extent, Fleet. For Hadrian she clearly had a great admiration.
    Conversation during dinner finally came around to Terrac. I nearly choked on my sweetbread when Fleet brought up the subject, for my thoughts had become so preoccupied with the bow I’d almost allowed myself to lose sight of the more urgent matter. I spilled out the story now of the Fist’s ambush and Terrac’s capture, ending with his condition the last time I laid eyes on him, as I was forced to leave him in the hands of the Praetor’s men. Hadrian heard me out and I finished my tale with a plea that he aid me in discovering the fate of my friend. Assuming Terrac was still alive, I would need help in bringing him out of captivity.
    Asking the priest for help didn’t grate on my pride as it once would have. I seemed to be