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“I will pay it.”

“Why?” I ask again.

The commander leans forward, putting his ale on the table between us. “You looked me in the eyes the moment we met.”

True enough. Then again, I do not believe it is a sin to do so. Despite what the church teaches, the mere act of looking directly into a man’s eyes cannot tempt him into sin. And if it were possible, it would be a mark of the man’s weak character.

“And I do so now,” I prod.

“Indeed.”

I can hear my very heartbeat in my ears as we look at each other. In the end, there is but one answer.

I need to find out more information for Kipp.

Or so I tell myself.

“I will do it. But you must tell me why you are here.”

His men grow silent, proof that they’ve been listening to our conversation despite their chatter.

“I’ll answer one of your questions each time we meet,” he offers.

“About your reasons for being in Murwood End?”

“Aye. One each visit.”

I empty my ale, stand, and say, “Very well. Then we shall meet here tomorrow at this time.”

The bargain is one that favors me. Vanni d’Abella will get nothing from it he does not already have. So why do I feel like I’m about to lose everything?