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I waited, but Dex said nothing. Nor did he seem especially worried. Concerned about me, yes, but not rattled by the day's events. Not a man troubled by the death of his newest allies and the potential for unrest so close to home.
He nodded and gave me a lopsided smile. "You won't try to take on any dragons in the future, will you?"
I fixed him with a firm gaze before I replied. "Actually, I was going to get myself a bow and go out hunting." For a moment I thought my response might have made him angry, but then he laughed.
"It's true what they say about witches."
I bristled. "And what is that?" I mean really, whatdidn'tthey say, but I wanted specifics here.
He lowered his face and looked at me from under his brows. "That they're brave."
"Ah." I didn't believe for a second that he intended to say that. I decided not to call him out in front of the other two women. That could wait until later.
"I would bet Bain had some other words." Zophia tossed the cloth into a bowl and handed it to Czari, who hovered nearby. The servant insisted it was her job to clean up my injury, but Zophia wouldn't let her. She'd taken the bowl right from the woman's hands and shooed her away.
I wanted to tell them I could heal it myself, with a little power, but I kinda liked them fussing over me. I wasn't used to having friends who cared. Not since the mating ceremony.
"Perhaps one or two," Dex agreed. "You know what Bain is like."
"Indeed we do," Calista said. Did she sound disapproving? "He was always the honest one. To a fault, some may say."
"Better honesty to my face than a knife in my back," Dex said. He turned to me and smiled. "I thought you might like to listen while we talk to the shoemaker."
I was so surprised I almost fell out of my chair. "Of course! Um, I mean, yes please."
"So polite." Dex looked amused. "Come on then." He gestured toward the door, but his gaze flicked toward Zophia and Calista. "I'd appreciate your discretion, as always."
"Our lips are sealed." Zophia stretched languidly in her chair like a cat and yawned. If I had to guess, I would think she shifted into a black cat.
"Naturally," Calista agreed. I had no idea what she might become, but I bet it was awesome.
He nodded and closed the door to the woman's sanctuary behind us.
"What was that about?" I asked, my voice low so the bodyguards who fell in behind us couldn't hear. At least in theory. They probably had wolf hearing, or something.
"What do you mean?" Dex asked. He opened another door and ushered me through. Another door or two and I was lost already.
"I'm sure everyone's heard about the dragon already," I replied. "What else is there for them to share?"
"You didn't tell them about the—" He looked at me meaningfully. He didn't seem to fully trust the guards who watched his back. Or the walls and their ears.
I assumed he was referring to Urla, and her suggestion that the Covener was dead. They knew about the attack on me, but that was all.
"I didn't get a chance to," I replied. "No doubt the whole place will know before too long."
How many people saw the shoemaker brought to the residence? Gossip and speculation would spread faster than fire in the sugarcane fields of Queensland.
"They'll know what theythinkthey know," Dex said mildly. "Or what they're told."
"You want me to leave the telling to you?" I guessed.
"If you think that would be best."
I rolled my eyes. "At the moment all I know is what everyone else knows, which isn't much."
I glanced back toward a window, meaning to admire the garden outside. In the corner of my eye, I saw one of the guards jerk back as if caught out listening.
The temptation to turn around fully and glare was strong, but I resisted. Instead, I turned back ahead and looked sidelong at Dex. If he noticed anything, I couldn't tell, but I had a feeling he hadn't missed it.
