“I doubt that,” muttered Avena, her eyes falling. She fidgeted, studying the pattern of flowers in the gray lace adorning the hem of Raya’s gown.
“Well, no one but siblings have the exact same parents.” Raya kissed Avena on the forehead again, her lips hot. “I like you. Dje’awsa will stay away.”
“He disobeyed you once,” Avena retorted, her fire returning. She flashed her gaze to meet Raya’s. The woman’s eyes hovered between blue and yellow. “What will stop him again?”
“I impressed upon him that Dualayn is the man for this deed. Your employer has the proper motivation to study the Recorder and find what we are searching for.” Raya glanced to her right and smiled. “He understands what it means to strive to reclaim what was lost and fix past mistakes.”
Dualayn pushed his wife’s wheelchair onto the lawn. He paused in a shaft of sunlight and bent over to kiss Bravine’s cheek. Then he moved around to kneel before his invalid wife and take her wizened hand. He spoke to her, his words too faint to hear. The way he looked at her . . .
“You lost someone you loved,” Avena whispered.
“Haven’t we all,” Raya stated, her voice barely more than a whisper. “Sometimes, if we’re lucky, we can get them back.”
“But why Dje’awsa?” Avena fixed her gaze back at this woman who seemed so bright and light. Every word, save when she gave her name as Raya, rang with truth. Avena felt it in her soul. “Why work with that dark and foul man?”
“Without him, I never would have seen the way. I was lost to despair. Wearied to my bones by grief, and then he appeared before me, and it was all so clear. I could see that injustice could be repaired. I know he is a dark man. A foul man, but he is necessary.”
“He killed Pharon. A good man. He used Ust and inflicted pain. He stole Carstin’s body and turned it into an abomination. He deserves to die!”
“Revenge goes against Elohm’s teachings,” Raya said. “It’s better to right wrongs than create new ones.”
*
Worry gnawed at Ōbhin as he watched Grey and Dualayn speak. His concerns had nothing to do with the Brotherhood’s leader. Over and over, Ōbhin replayed the events on that foggy night. It itched at him, like a scratch at the one spot on his back he could never reach.
The possibility disturbed Ōbhin as much as the walking corpses had.
“Well, the sun is out. I shall take my wife for a walk,” Dualayn said. “Thank you for your assurances, Grey. Ōbhin more than proved a match for what we faced.”
Ōbhin snorted at that. Without Avena and the others . . .
“I knew he would take care of you,” Grey said. He turned his gleaming smile on Ōbhin, nodding. “Well, enjoy your walk, Master Dualayn. I hope you find what you seek.”
“You, too.”
Grey crossed the few paces to Ōbhin. The Qothian straightened. His ribs still ached. The healers were being used on those more injured than him. “Grey.”
“I am appalled that this happened,” Grey said, clapping a friendly hand on Ōbhin’s shoulder. “I did not think Dje’awsa would go against the White Lady. He seemed . . . cowed by her.”
“Someone can intimidate that monster?”
“Apparently. I saw him after she finished. He’d soaked his doublet in sweat and looked a ghastly shade of gray.”
“He seemed to think that I have something . . . special about me that would benefit his sorcerous arts.” Ōbhin shuddered. “I can’t think why.”
“You’re skilled with the sword. Brave. Quick on your feet.” Grey’s smile grew broader, friendly. “Anyone would want you on their side.”
“He didn’t want to recruit me.”
“Oh, in his own way,” Grey said, his face darkening. “I’ve heard rumors about the things prowling Kash two nights ago. I certainly do not know why the White Lady works with him.”
“Why does Dualayn work with you?” Ōbhin asked.
Grey winced. “Pointed, though I like to think that I’m not creating walking corpses.”
“No, just normal ones.”
The leader of the Brotherhood let out a weary sigh. “True. It’s a burden many of us carry.”
The constraining thickness of Ōbhin’s gloves squeezed about his hands. “What do you need, Grey?”
“I could use your help. The time you’ve spent here has done you good. You look healthy, if not quite happy. Not the dark mess you were when we last met.”
“I work for Dualayn now.”
“There’s no danger to Dualayn.” Before Ōbhin could interject, Gray added, “Now. I have taken care of things. My people won’t harm him. I have taken steps to make sure he is protected.”
Those words soothed the itch in Ōbhin’s mind. Understanding rushed through him. “I see.”
“He’ll be as safe as if you were here,” continued Grey. “All of them will be. And you will be here in Kash. When you’re free, you could visit them.”
“So, what do you need me to do? Assassinate high refractors?”
Grey didn’t flinch this time. His face hardened. “Change needs to come to Lothon. The king is ruining this country. He’s crushing the people with burdensome taxes to feed his territorial ambitions.”
“You don’t care about the people, only fleecing them. Soiling them.” Ōbhin fixed hard eyes on Grey. “What do you get out of ‘helping’ the people the Brotherhood preys upon?”
“You are wrong,” Grey said, his voice tight. “I do care.”
“The Brotherhood’s crimes hurt people. I used to be a bandit for you, Grey. I know what your organization does. I was in the thick of the riots you sparked!” Anger flashed through him. “I had to add to the Brotherhood’s body count that day protecting Dualayn.”
“You don’t affect change without there being consequences,” Grey said. “I grieve for the people of Kash, but the high refractor was a mouthpiece for King Anglon Exustin.”
