Page 111 of The Flame and the Forsaken

“I’m not looking for hospitality.” Erran slipped warily onto the rickety chair across from Remy. He glanced back at the door, probably expecting the other two to launch a surprise attack. It wasn’t out of the realm of possibilities, no matter what he’d asked them to do. “The fire last night. Was it you?”

Remy laughed. “I thought you were here about Mariel.”

“I am.”

“My sister said she wasn’t hurt. Nor Des.”

“They weren’t,” Erran said, “but whoever was responsible has also taken my sister as ransom. Mariel says it wasn’t you, and if you say the same, I’ll believe you. But my father will not. He’s convinced it was Obsidian Sky, and if I can’t find who was actually responsible, you’ll all be hunted to the end of your days.”

“Worried for us, are you?” Remy smirked.

Erran bowed his head into his tented hands. He kept himself like that, letting the time pass. “If I have to run away with my wife to protect her, it’s what I’ll do. But do you ken she’d even go, if the rest of you were in my father’s crosshairs? She’d put herself on the gallows first. Tighten the noose with her own hands. You know she would. There’s no end to this until it all ends. I need a name, Remy. I need to know who has my sister, and Mariel believes you can find that out. I need myfatherto see it wasyouwho gave it to me. I’ll guarantee your immunity if this happens. In writing.”

Remy couldn’t decide where he landed on the man’s sincerity. He hadn’t wanted to believe Mariel had actually fallen for her mark, but he found it even harder to believe the man could love her back after learning her secrets. A woman who had married into his family to rob them blind? Nay, his “love” didn’t add up.

Yet he could see nothing but distress in the highborn sitting across from him. Whether his words were true,heseemed to believe them. “You mean your father will grant us immunity, aye? He’s the only one with the authority.”

“Aye. That’s what I mean.”

“And how do you ken you’ll pull it off? He’ll agree?”

“He will when I tell him it’s the only way to get Sessaly back.”

“A man like him cannot even conceive of the value of what he’s stolen. Why should I believe he sees the value of his own blood?”

“Because he loves his daughter. And he’ll get nothing until he signs.” Erran spread his hands over the table. “You’ve already disbanded. Your work is over either way. Tell me your price. If immunity isn’t enough, tell me what will be.”

“I almost feel bad telling you this, but you’re severely overestimating your father.” Remy crossed his arms and leaned back. “This started with his ill-considered public announcement about the auction.”

“Aye.” Erran nodded wearily. “He wanted to get your attention. Instead, he got someone else’s. I need to know who.”

“He did get our attention. We saw right through the trap.” Remy chewed the inside of his lip, thinking. He no more believed in Erran’s lofty hopes than he did the steward’s magnanimity, and he didn’t particularly carewhathappened to the spoiled debutante daughter of a tyrant, but he loved Mariel and Destin. Whatever else was true in the web of deceptions and offers, as long as Rylahn Rutland believed his daughter-in-law was involved in his downfall, he would never relent in his mission to destroy her. Even if Erran got her to run, they’d never find peace. Never stop looking over their shoulders. The same fate awaited the rest of them too. “Where are Mariel and Des now?”

“Safe.”

Remy scoffed. “How specific. You want me to put trust in you, yet offer none in return.”

“Nay, for if you send those two rabid lapdogs after her, they’ll both be killed. And it would break my wife’s heart. She’s suffered enough.”

“How do you know your sister didn’t perish in the fire?”

“We were given a note.”

“What did they ask for?”

Erran held out his hands. “The return of all lands taken.”

Remy laughed. “Your answer, then, seems simple enough to me.”

“I’ve said the same to my father, but he’s...” Erran pursed his mouth tight. “A man possessed. He’s been humiliated. He believes this requires answer.”

“Then how does giving him a name help anyone but him?”

Erran flopped back in exasperation. “Remy, hewillfind Sessaly. He’s called his banners. Do you ken what that means?”

“You think me stupid?”

“He will find those responsible, root them out, and make examples of them. Then he’ll continue until he finds you... your sister... those foul creatures who answered your door. Mariel will live because she’s carrying his grandchild, but Destin? He’ll have no use for him.”

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