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I sighed. There was no way I could possibly fill Gambol in on everything that had happened and all the things that were going on under the surface. That story would take hours, and I just didn't have time today. "I promise you, my friend," I said, squeezing his hand in return. "Someday, I'll explain how I know your suspicions are unfounded. But right now, I'm just—"
He sighed. "Too busy. I know. I’ve…heard that things keep going wrong for you." Gambol looked down at his feet, his gangly body losing some of it’s prior tension, and the anger going out of his voice. “It must feel like the world’s against you.”
I gave him a little grimace and a nod. "I'm glad you came to check up on me, really I am," I said honestly. "And I’d love to talk, to tell you what an absolute shit-show my life has been lately. But it's just that I was about to head into town to take care of some things." To accompany Fife while he set a trap for an assassin, but that was one of those things that would take far too long to explain.
I stood, and Gambol joined me, giving me a small, weak version of his usual amiable smile. "I need to head into work myself. I've hired a new baker for the early shift. But I still need to be there to supervise during the morning rush. Why don't we ride into town together if you're headed that way?"
I opened my mouth to say that we weren't going to go directly into town right away, because we had some stops to make along the way. But I was interrupted when Fife and Adder entered the room.
Fife was laughing about something, and Adder had a tolerant smirk on his face. But when they realized we had a visitor, they sobered. Fife's crystalline green eyes narrowed for a fraction of a second when he saw Gambol. Then he broke out a charming smile I suspected was fake. "Oh!" Fife said happily. "It's Kat's dear friend. What was your name again? Lope? Shamble?"
"Gambol," I said with a meaningful look, begging Fife to stop with the jealousy nonsense. "He came to check up on me after all the excitement of the last few days." I scooped up the bag of baked goods and jiggled it happily. "And he brought treats!"
"Right, Gambol," Fife said airily as he and Adder entered the room. The cleric slunk toward us like a stalking cat, all courtly disdain. "To run or jump about playfully. We love to play, don’t we?" He asked Adder over his shoulder.
Adder was no better than Fife, taking up a position by the window with his arms crossed over his chest and his coldest expression in place, as if my life was in danger. Honestly, these males were ridiculous. I almost laughed at the obvious way they were posturing because of poor Gambol.
“Do you enjoy games, Gambol?” Fife asked with an indulgent smile.
Adder's voice was a deep rumble, underscored with amusement. "Fife loves games," he informed my bemused friend.
Fife looked at me with an expression that I was pretty sure meant he was up to no good. But I had no clue what he was doing right now. "I do love a good game. But I have to warn you, Gambol. I always win.” There were daggers in that green gaze.
I sighed. "We need to get going," I reminded him. "And Jasper was looking for you earlier. Maybe you should go see what he wanted."
Gambol was watching this exchange with a faint scowl on his face. He clearly didn't like my new mates, and who could blame him? He could probably tell that there was something going on here. But, like me, he couldn't figure out exactly what it was. "I need to get to work," he said evenly. Ignoring Fife and Adder, he turned to give me a stiff bow. "I'll see myself out."
"Oh, don’t run off on our account, Gambol," Fife insisted, coming to slip his arm through Gambol's. “You should stay and meet Jasper!”
I could sense Fife's magic as it flared out a bit, showing off for the lowborn on his arm. Gambol went rigid, either at the feel of Fife's magic, or at his familiarity, the lanky man leaning away from the petite highborn. Gambol opened his mouth to protest, but Adder had already slipped out the door without my noticing, and he was back with Jasper before Gambol could really muster an objection.
"Here he is," Adder said, evenly, a perplexed Jasper trailing in his wake. The attendant-in-training had an apron on, and he had what I thought was a streak of shoe polish on his cheek.
"Hello, Lady Kat," he said, the gangly boy executing a surprisingly graceful bow before looking toward Gambol. "I heard that there was someone I should meet."
I gave in to whatever scheme Fife was plotting and gestured to Gambol. "Jasper, this is Gambol, a good friend of mine from childhood. He'll probably be stopping by now and then, so it would be good for you to know who he is. We treat him like family when he visits. No formality needed."
Jasper nodded, like this was excellent information to have. As if he really was just a young household servant in training and absolutely knew why he was here. No confusion at all. "Of course, my lady." He beamed at Gambol. "I'll make sure to ask Saffron about all your favorite refreshments, sir."
Gambol slowly nodded back, as if wondering what kind of strange dream he was having. "Thank you?"
Bach strode into the room, looked around, then frowned at Jasper. "Don't you have boots to polish, Jasper?"
The squire-turned-attendant bowed his head. "Of course, my lord." Then he escaped the room to go back to whatever he had been doing before this awkward encounter.
The moment Jasper left, Fife dragged Gambol toward the door. "Oh, look at the time. I suppose you really must be off. I know that bakery won't run itself!"
Gambol glared at him and pulled his arm free from Fife's grasp. "Quite." Then, remembering himself, he attempted to be polite. "It was nice to meet you, Lord…Fife."
The cleric gave him a feral smile. "The pleasure was all mine, dear Gambol. Any friend of Kat's is a friend of mine." Somehow, he made that sound like a threat.
"Fife, don't be an ass," Bach said in a tired voice. He held out a big hand to Gambol. "Bach," he said more politely. "I hear you've known Kat since you were children."
Gambol's hand disappeared inside Bach's giant mitt, and he reluctantly shook. "Yes," he said tightly. "I've known her forever." I know her better than you, his tone of voice said.
I rolled my eyes. Males. Adder didn't deign to introduce himself, just leaned his ass on the arm of the couch and continued to stare blue death at my friend. Mirri drifted in then, his nose buried in a book as he spoke. "Kat, did you know that the Lake of Whispers was historically used for--" He glanced up, saw that he was about to run into Gambol, and paused. "Oh, hello."
Gambol sighed. "Are you here to threaten me too?"
