Page 105 of Forged in Flame and Shadow

“Yes, but he was suffocating us with a sandstorm at the time,” Esther points out, sitting down on the other side of me and promptly beginning to inhale her toast like a woman with somewhere to be.

Alastor nods, appreciative of her direct approach. “This is true.”

“You could at least find out if he actually means it,” I suggest under my breath. “Now that you’re feeling better.”

Alastor shakes his head, eyeing Esther and whispering to me. “I can’t. I tried on one of the members of staff this morning. I might bebetter, but I’m not yetwell. Especially when it comesto my magic. I’ll need a few more days yet before we discover everyone’s secrets.”

“What are you whispering about?” We look up at the harsh voice, finding the source—a sandy-haired man with thick brows standing by the table behind Leon. His face is twisted in suspicion.

“I don’t see why that’s any concern of yours,” Alastor says, looking the man up and down.

“It is if you’re plotting something,” the man snaps.

Leon stands abruptly from his chair, squaring up to the man. “I suggest you make the choice to walk away, or I’ll do it for you,” he says.

The man only looks angrier. “You think you can?—”

“That’s enough, Cettar,” Esther says. Her weary-but-resigned tone suggests she’s had to deal with confrontations like this before. Little wonder. This attack dog of a man seems to be the type to snarl at everyone. “These people are our guests,” she reminds him.

“Guests,” the man scoffs. “I see we’re just letting anyone in on our secrets now. What does Harman think he’s doing?”

Esther rises now, resignation giving way to actual anger. “His job,” she snaps out. “And I won’t have you questioning it. Now if you can’t settle down, do as our guest says andleave.”

Cettar scowls but slouches out of the dining room.

“Apologies about that,” Esther says, sitting down and resuming her breakfast. “Not everyone here is as trusting of outsiders as Harman.”

“He seems like a liability,” Eryx grunts. “Why keep him around?”

Esther gives him a long look. “Because in a cause like ours, we don’t get to pick and choose who our comrades are. We don’t need to like each other to believe in the same cause. There are all sorts who’ve been burned by the Temple, and we fight for them all.”

She takes the last bite of her toast, swallows, then stands.

“Harman says he’s ready to speak with you when you are, Your Highness.”

“How does it work with places like the Crossed Keys?” I ask Harman once I’m in his cellar office alone. “How do you know it’s safe? The Hand members seem pretty relaxed there.”

“Most of the people in Tread are no friends of the Temple,” Harman says. “Many of them were business owners on the fringes of Godom once. But when the Temple expanded its territory, they did their best to drive out anyone not aligned with them. They kept demanding more and more money—for tithes, rent, and taxes—until all these people had no choice but to move north or go bankrupt. They see the Temple for what it is: greedy and cruel.”

“And that’s why they protect and help the Hand,” I say.

“That and we pay them well with the money we make stealing Temple property.” He grins, and I see the family resemblance in him again, stirring up more questions.

“I was hoping you might tell me more about my—our—father,” I say.

Harman nods, sitting back in his chair. “When he had time to spend with me, he was warm and friendly. But he wasn’t just a simple, sunny person. Like I said last night, he and my mother bonded over a shared passion for a liberated Trova. But it seems to me he hid that passion most of the time. Maybe he felt like he had to, but I think it put a strain on him.”

I think back to what Will said, about Alaric becoming more willing to give in to my mother’s decisions later in their marriage.Less willing to put up a fight,he’d said. Was that because she found out about the affair? Was it then he decided to give up on his passion? I guess we’ll never know, but it forms a picture for me of a man who once wanted more—for his country, his family, and his marriage.

From the snippets I’ve gleaned elsewhere—including from Oclanna, of all people—my mother’s focus was always on trying to hold that country together. Maintaining the legacy of her father and grandfather took up too much of her attention for her to notice much else.

Oclanna. Harman said he had things he wanted to discuss with me, but she’s why I’m here.

“I came back to Trova for a specific purpose, Harman,” I say. “Prince Leonidas has already pledged his support. But I think we could do with more help.”

“Help that you think the Hand could offer?” he guesses.

“Yes. I’m here to kill my aunt, Lady Oclanna.” If I’d hoped to shock him, I’ve failed. He just nods, absorbing this information.

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