"North?" Adhémar said with a frown. "There is quite a bit of north available after you land in Istaur."
Morgan shrugged. "I'll find my way to it, I'm sure. Don't feel obligated to travel with us."
Adhémar shrugged. "There is safety in traveling with other souls."
"It is more difficult to find yourself robbed thusly," she agreed.
Or perhaps not.
Morgan looked at Glines, who was leaning back in his chair, holding his cards in plain sight, and looking at Adhémar from under half-closed eyelids. Glines, at his most dangerous. Adhémar would not emerge from this encounter unscathed.
"I'll come along as well," Adhémar said, hefting his further-lightened purse. "You might need me."
Morgan couldn't imagine it, but instinct reared its ugly head again and she found she couldn't discourage him. She hadn't left him for dead and now she wasn't stopping him from joining her crew.
Unbelieveable.
Eventually, the afternoon waned and Morgan knew she could put off the inevitable no longer. She pushed her cup away and put her hands on the table?because she looked more in charge that way, not because she needed something to steady herself.
Not entirely.
"I must take the ship," she announced.
Camid, Paien, and Glines pushed their cups away immediately and rose. Adhémar drained his, then rose as well.
"Lead on, shieldmaiden."
Morgan did, though she would have given much to have plunked down Adhémar's gold for a comfortable chamber and taken her ease for a fortnight or two and avoided setting foot on that boat.
Unfortunately, she was no coward, no matter what she faced. She nodded briskly, then turned and led her little company from the tavern.
A man near the door leered at her. Adhémar immediately stepped in front of her, but Morgan pushed him aside. She looked at the man and smiled pleasantly. Ah, something to take her mind off her coming journey.
"Did you say something?" she asked.
"Aye," he said, "I asked it you were occupied tonight, but I can see you have a collection of lads here to keep you busy?"
Adhémar apparently couldn't control his chivalry. He took the man by the front of the shirt and threw him out the door. The man crawled to his feet and started bellowing. Adhémar planted his fist into the man's face.
The stranger slumped to the ground, senseless. Morgan glared at Adhémar.
"You owe me a brawl," she said.
"What?" he asked incredulously.
"A brawl," Morgan said. "And it had best be a good one."
"With me?" he asked, blinking in surprise.
"I'd prefer someone with more skill, that I might not sleep through it, but you'll do."
Paien laughed out loud and pulled him away.
"Adhémar, my friend, you cannot win this one. Next time, allow Morgan her little pleasures. She cannot help the attention her face attracts, and thus she has opportunities to teach ignorant men manners. In truth, it is a service she offers, bettering our kind wherever she goes."
Morgan would have corrected him on quite a few points, but Glines stopped her with a hand on her arm. He looked at her earnestly.
"Morgan, any man with eyes could not help but offer his life for yours."
