spoke, her gaze going across the table.
Karina looked at him expectantly, as if she'd just asked a question. Tor shook his head, making her face fall. Gah. This was all so hard.
“Sorry, what? I was thinking and didn't hear that.”
“I asked if I can go with you back to Lairdgren, just to visit?”
“Oh… Well, yeah, I don't know when that will be, and it has to be OK'd by Veren and George, as well as your parents of course, but they already kind of said yes, but, I mean, I have the room and can get you back at need. Should work. Better, I'll just give you a fast carriage and you can take care of that yourself.” It wasn't a perfect plan, because she might try and use it to go after Daria, but as long as she agreed not to and go with using the professionals for that instead, it was a good idea. Really, they should all have them. Tor sighed. Well, he wasn't making them, was he?
No.
The Lairdgren group was. He nodded.
“So, I'll get those down for all of you as soon as possible.”
No one said anything about it, probably thinking, rightfully so, that “as soon as possible” meant months, or years. He let them. It would be a good project for the kids at school, wouldn't it?
After everyone largely left, he floated along with Trice and the older white haired Counselor to his plain, nearly austere, chambers. When they got there he sat Trice down and indicated a good place for Tor to hover.
“The case has stalled. Right now we're in the portion where we desperately grasp at straws and admit to ourselves that without another attack, we simply have nothing to go on. I have the interview playbacks, which both of you should go over. Maybe one of you will find something I missed? Other than that, I simply don't have use for you yet. Until then, I think that it would serve well enough for you both to go to Lairdgren and take care of matters there.” He spread both hands, a thing which got Trice's attention, and some raised eyebrows, but no comment.
“If you could make certain you're both reachable within, say, a days notice? I know that would normally be impossible, but given everything…”
“We can do that. I'll see to it.” Tor said more firmly than he thought he could really manage. Good, but odd.
Smythe rose and ushered them out with a fatherly wave.
“Good. I'm not truly certain why I've been, honored, with having both of you as assistants, but right now I'd take a diseased donkey if it would help. I truly dislike this kind of investigation. Every day I fail to find the killer, it's a chance another innocent dies.” He seemed really sad about it, but Tor understood. He held his right hand out to the man, which he took, if awkwardly.
“Each day we fail. We will find them and stop them. Whatever the cost.” He sounded bold when he said it. Stupidly so.
“Whatever the cost.” Trice added softly, almost crying again.
Smythe just bowed, a little, towards them both.
Chapter Fourteen
“OK, Trice, spill already, I clearly did something wrong and you clearly want to scream at me over it, so, let it out and we can move past it or I can try and fix it or at least feel bad about what an awful person I am.” They were both in the front of the carriage, a fast one, sitting side by side. She was driving, being better at it than he was and nearly back to normal, physically at least. A little thin, but nothing a few good meals and some exercise wouldn't fix. Everyone else was in the back.
That included the Wards for some reason, which he was almost fine with. It wasn't his idea of a fun good time, but, well, he'd said they were all friends now, hadn't he? It meant that he had to let the past with them go.
Except for them getting a bunch of girls pregnant to punish Rolph. He'd forgive his part in it, but Ward had better step the heck up and make sure his child, even if claimed by Count Peterson, didn't suffer for it. Ever. That was part of being a good friend too though, wasn't it? Making sure your buddies didn't mess up too much?
Next to him, Trice went a bit stiff through the face, lips turning white. Then she growled at him.
“You know what you did.” It sounded angry.
Tor just grinned and shook his head.
“No, not this time love. You know that I'm not from here, and that a lot of the rules I know are totally different than the ones you know. If I messed up, either fill me in or let it go, because I really don't have the energy to play three weeks of “you know what you did” followed by two of “It's nothing” and you should get that. Just sitting here is killing my behind you know. Granted, that's my fault, but, you know, it means I'm not up to taking a lot of extra emotional trauma right now. Poor weak little me… So, seriously, what is it?” It could be anything, from giving her the little dragon amulet to, he just didn't know, what she said, voice low and hissing, was unexpected though.
“What did you do? Oh, let's see… That's right, Maria went to bow to you, to humble herself for raping you and you didn't let her. Then, even being sick, nearly to death, you laid on the floor and begged her forgiveness for… I heard it and I still don't know what you were thinking.” She growled again.
“You humbled them Tor. You flat out told them that you were so much better than they are that their apologies don't matter, that no matter what they did to you, you were always the one in control, the “Lord of the Mighty”. People have gone to war over so much less… It would have been better if you just pissed in their faces! At least then they could dodge or take it as a punishment. That's what you did.”
Well. That explained it. Gah. No wonder Trice was angry with him. Tor looked down. His butt hurt. The backs of his legs too, where they touched the seat.
“Alright. I screwed up there then. I really… Well first, rape? I mean I guess it was a violation, but, can a man be raped? I suppose a large man could do it, but… And anyway, I said we were friends, right? So even if she did violate me against my will, I have to let that go. It's a rule.” Tor leaned into her, almost to her right ear.
“How do I fix it though? I… Gods. Do I… No, I just have no clue here. Help!” He whispered it, but the desperation in his voice was real enough, if a little playful.
Trice glared at him. Then, turning to face front she nodded.
“Alright, if you really mean all that, I'll help you fix it. You won't like it though, I can tell you that right now. Though I suppose that if it has to be done, now’s the time for it. Seriously though Tor… Learn to let other people apologize when they wrong you. It's about the worst thing you could have done at all.”
She didn't speak after that, landing in front of Alissa's house. Their house really, but everyone called the one outside the Capital his, so why not? It seemed fair. One good thing about being sick, or whatever they decided to call his current state, perhaps “terminally stupid” worked better, Tor wasn't expected to help with the luggage. Not that hitting a sigil was all that hard to manage. Still, Rolph did that for him without asking if he should. The Wards had a case each and everyone else had either a tiny chest, like Ali and Tor did, or a soft bag.
There were twelve people in all, about the carrying capacity of the old style carriage that Trice had, a lot of them in Royal Guard uniforms. It was kind of obvious Tor realized when they got inside.
Oops. Yeah, they probably didn't want to advertise overly. Karina was a Princess, and someone Tor knew, of course, but “Rolph Merchant” probably wouldn't. It was confusing, but no one else seemed to care about that. The royals all shrugged and Veren just glared at Tor.
“It’s your fault, you fix it.” The giant man rumbled at him, making the Wards both stiffen. Maria's face went sharp.
“How dare you!” She was actually shaking when she said it and approached Veren like she wanted to take him out back and teach him some manners herself. It was almost cute, except for the fact that Veren looked so baffled by it.
“Pardon Countess Ward?” He said, his voice going soft and servile without hesitation. “I'm not certain what you mean?”
“You can't treat him like that! He's… A Knight and a Countier! He's been named the Magical Counselor for the
