“You’ll have plenty more chances,” Marin told him.
“Yes, I will, won’t I?” Ree strutted toward the shore and then began hopping up the steps toward Marin’s parents’ cottage. Dax scooped up Stowy and stepped onto the dock.
Marin called to Perri, “You good? I’m not sure how long this will take.”
Perri trumpeted back with so much enthusiasm that Marin was certain he was both approving of however long it took and cheering her on.
She laughed. “It’s a business transaction, not a victory parade.”
But in the end, itdidfeel like a victory parade. Marin had planned on marching over to the Merchant Bank office by herself and repaying the debt in person… She hadn’t counted on her mother, father, partner, and wax myrtle all insisting that they were coming with her, but she had no interest in saying no.
So they trooped into the heart of town. Only a few winged cats were perched on the rooftops, sunning themselves. Others were visible circling over the trees. Many others had claimed prime spots on the black rocks that soaked in the sun. And of course, a large number were back in the cove, feasting on Perri’s offerings.
A few villagers greeted them as they passed. It was a workday, and no one was going to interrupt the fishing, the laundry, or the shopkeeping just because a daughter of Flicker had come back twice publicly in a row. Her pa was calling out more greetings as they passed, seemingly wanting to be seen by as many as possible.Perhaps he does.
Repaying the debt was no small thing. And they did want as many witnesses as possible. That would go a long way to insulating her parents from any feelings that Iovar wanted to have about all of this. It was why she wanted to visit the bank at the height of the day, when it would be the most crowded. So whenever her father greeted a neighbor, she waved too, whether she remembered their name or not.
Ahead, the Merchant Bank looked like a mushroom, specifically like one of those white button mushrooms that grilled nicely on a skewer. Its cap was blue, and its stalk was built of white stone. Marin loved how absurd it looked.
Iovar must hate it.
He prided himself on appearing strong, sensible, and competent. It had to grate on him that the only financial institution on Flicker looked as if it were a delicious meal for a very large pig.
Pa pushed through the rounded doors first and greeted everyone inside by name. He made it a point of pride to remember everyone he’d ever made a supply run for, and by this point, that was nearly everyone on Flicker, certainly every business.
“Here to repay our debt,” Pa announced to all of them.
His friends in the bank congratulated him and Ma. A few applauded.
The commotion was enough to draw Iovar from his office. Marin felt herself grow still the instant she saw him. Here, in his domain, Iovar projected as much confidence as Dax on a stage. He filled the room simply by stepping into it, drawing eyes to his neatly shorn face, finely braided hair, and pressed linen shirt. His clothes always fit him perfectly, showing off his broad shoulders and muscled arms, the ones Marin used to think would wrap around her, hold their children, help with the sails. But as she studied him, she was surprised to find that she didn’t ache anymore at the loss of who she’d thought he was. That person had never existed.
Dax, beside her, was real, as improbable and miraculous as he seemed. This ephemeral dream of a man had proven more true than the one she’d nearly pledged herself to.
“What’s all this?” Iovar’s voice boomed across the bank.
“Get your paperwork, Iovar,” Ma told him, as if instructing a child to put away their toys. She clapped her hands to encourage him to move quickly. “It’s time to finish this.”
He frowned. “You have the payment?”
“Our daughter does,” Pa said. “In full.”
That was Marin’s cue to step forward and face the brunt of Iovar’s attention. As he fixed his glare on her, she felt…
Fine.
Perfectly fine.
He was just a man. An unpleasant man she was dealing with for the final time.If the emperor of the great Crescent Islands Empire can fall, so can he.She smiled at him, a bit giddy with relief. She’d thought this would be difficult, that all the old shame and anger and, yes, even fear that she used to feel when she saw him, even as recently as the End-of-Harvest Festival, would resurface. But it was all beautifully absent. He was no emperor with a vast army of sorcerers at his disposal. He was just a petty, vindictive man who had tried and failed to break her.
He has no power over me.
Finally.
It was concluded quickly and with little drama. She handed over the gems. Iovar produced the paperwork. He signed. Ma and Pa signed. The other employees witnessed, as did the other customers. Dax stood beside her, beaming with happiness, and Ree hopped up and down on his root ball.
And that was it.
I’m free.
