So, instead, he nodded.
Relief rippled through Tala’s whole form. “Where do we stand now, my Otsakumea? Where do we go from here?”
Luca set his elbows upon his knees. “Now you will tell me everything you know about Alasne’s warriors, because currently they ride with Geneva, and we must prepare for more which we do not know.”
The man leaned forward, the promise of a chance to serve, to repay, to aid, in the newly solid lines of his shoulders, the tilt of his chin, the fierceness in his wrinkle-lined eyes. “Gladly, my Otsakumea.”
AMARANDEawaited Luca with cooling food and a sharp eye.
“I don’t see blood on that blade.” Her eyes snapped to his as he placed her unused dagger upon the table and dropped to the chair across from her, covered dishes sweating between them. “You’ve decided on a trial, then? A public accounting of his crimes? And those who would follow him—surely there are others. Did he give you names?”
Indeed, Luca was working on his penchant for confrontation at all points in his life—disagreement with Amarande was no different. She’d clearly been stewing on this since he’d left. Placing the tiniest bit of hope for justice on this cruel day upon the blade she’d handed him. After the loss of Koldo, she was yearning to make anyone who paved the way for the morning’s attack pay.
Luca reached across the table and took her hand. He forced himself to look her in the eye. “I let him go.”
“You… what?”
“I let him go. And I’m bringing him to the conclave in the morning.”
Amarande’s eyes blazed as if he’d slapped her. That stung because he would never ever hurt her. And yet, Amarande’s anger only seemed to intensify with his answer, mingling with her sadness and determination. “Tala should not be walking free tonight—”
“He fought with us when we needed him.”
“He did.But he has lied to you, to your people, to all of us, and you cannot let that pass. And you certainly cannot trust him to advise you with his history—”
Suddenly, it was as if she could sit no more. Amarande wrenched herself from him and the table, pacing furiously toward the fire before whirling back on Luca with stiff, angry steps.
“Hedid,but only after prodding. Don’t you think it might have been more helpful to know that he was the man who murdered your entire familybeforeyou began to trust him?” She stopped inches from him, her fury rolling off like smoke from the fire. “Luca, when you revealed yourself to the Warlord—was that Tala’s idea?”
“No, it was mine.” Just like it’d been today—even if Geneva hadn’t called to him, he would’ve called to her. It was only by either her love or hatred of Ferdinand and Amarande’s well-timed block that she hadn’t run them through. They both knew it. “Ama, please. The bigger picture is more important—”
“That bigger picture where he lied about who he was to you?” Amarande tossed her head back and shouted at the tent spire. “Not to mention lying to the entire resistance for years.”
“Yes. He did. And he’s done lying. I trust him and I will not betray that trust.”
“Luca, one battle should not earn him your trust! Not given what he did! What if he turns upon you later? When we see Geneva again? You know we will—and whose side will he be on?”
Amarande’s frustration had its own heartbeat but so did his—Luca couldn’t be so callus to a man who had time and again proven he would fight for and with him.
“We will see her, yes. And we’ll need Tala’s expertise. He watched her for years as the Warlord, installed Alasne himself, recalls Alasne’s men, and shared that they’d sent him a letter in cipher—”
“Oh, he shared, did he?Now?Why didn’t he share what he knew about Alasne or the truth about who he was when wediscussed itin Itspi before I sent Ferdinand on a wild goose chase?” She was pinned to the spot, her hands balled into fists, nearly vibrating with anger. “And he had every chance to tell you that he’d received a ciphered letter fromhis Warlord kinahead of the battle today!”
Amarande wasn’t wrong, and he had no accounting for that, other than that Talmage desired to keep his past in the past and had long buried who he was.
Luca rose and made to stand before her, toe to toe, and slipped one of her hands in his. He felt her tense, almost as if she was going to wrench herself away again, but instead she drew her other hand out of its fist and cupped his cheek.
Amarande lifted her gaze to his, searching. “I would like to believethis is your adaptation of the adage of keeping your allies close and your enemies closer, but I know you are not the type to see him that way.”
Without hesitation, he confirmed her assessment and confirmed his point of view.
“He isn’t my enemy, Ama. Geneva is my enemy.”
Raw concern slumped her proud shoulders and fresh tears welled along her inky eyelashes. “I worry, Luca. This is a man who didn’t follow my father’s plan and your entire family suffered greatly for it. You suffered greatly. Please at leastthinkabout the fact that he kept all of this from you. That could point to a man’s ego, one where he’s rehabilitating his image, yes. But it also could point to more devious inclinations.”
Luca gripped those proud shoulders firmly but gently. “Ama, I hear you.”
He released her, but then she caught him not so differently from how he’d just held her, claiming his upper arms with her swordwoman’s grip, and drawing him in for a kiss.
