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“For what?”
“I told you I don’t know.”
“So you don’t know if it could be used against them. And if someone was willing to pay you to gather it, it has to have some kind of value.”
He shrugged uneasily and she rose to her feet, blinking back the tears.
“I’m leaving.”
“You can’t leave me,” he growled, his face hardening even more. “You told me you loved me.”
“I did. I do.” Her voice sounded remarkably calm considering that her heart felt like it was splitting in two. “That’s why I’m not going directly to Temel right now. I’ll wait until I get to Wainwright, and then I’ll send him a message. That will give you time to get away.”
“I don’t want to get away. Not without you.”
“No.”
She turned and walked out of the kitchen as the first tear fell. Raja came skittering after her and she picked him up and cradled him against her cheek, her tears dampening his fur.
“Time to leave,” she whispered.
She was throwing her clothes in her trunk when she heard the front door slam and looked out of the window in time to see him climb back on his horse and gallop away. Had he decided to leave in spite of his claim that he wouldn’t leave without her? But he hadn’t carried anything out of the house with him.
Maybe he’s going to do the right thing and tell Temel… Maybe I should wait…
No. Waiting would only make it harder. If he really wanted her, if he found some solution to this terrible business, he would come after her.
It wasn’t until she finished packing that she thought about the fact that she didn’t have any transportation except her own feet. She didn’t mind walking, but she couldn’t carry her trunk as well, not all the way to Wainwright. She decided to just take a small satchel instead and send for her clothes later. She was sure Mary would send them to her, no matter what Celenk had done. She quickly repacked a few necessities in a leather satchel, tucked Raja inside and headed outside.
She’d only made it as far as the path under the trees when a horse came trotting towards her. For a moment she thought it was Celenk and her heart leapt, but then she recognized the man astride it. The same one who had been at the house earlier.
“What are you doing here?” she asked as he dismounted, her voice commendably calm. “I gave Celenk your message.”
“Slight change of plans.” He grinned but she didn’t trust that smile one little bit and took a cautious step back. “Told the boss about you. How you didn’t know about the job. How Celenk picked you special. He thought that was interesting, very interesting.”
‘We just ran into each other in Port Cantor.”
“Did you now?’
He took a much larger step towards her and her knees started to shake.
“Yes. Now please go away. This has nothing to do with me.”
“Ah, that’s where you’re wrong. The boss thinks you might be a good little incentive. If not… I’m sure we can find something else for you to do.”
She whirled and tried to run, but she’d waited too long and he was too close. He grabbed her arm before she’d gone more than three steps.
“Now, now. None of that.”
He twisted her arm painfully behind her back. Her satchel started to slip and she did her best to lower it gently toward the ground.
“What’s in there?”
“J-just some clothes,” she whispered, praying Raja stayed out of sight. If he went back to the house, she was sure Celenk would take care of him.
“Can’t say I’m interested in those.”
His leer made her feel sick as he hoisted her roughly onto the horse, keeping a tight grip on her ankle until he could vault up behind her, his body much too close.
