Page 26 of Quest of Fools

"Could I sit for a bit, instead of lying down?"Kaltin asked quietly, as though afraid of what Warf might say.

He was nothing at all like the brash, confident man who'd offered Warf a small fortune to leave Marian.Kaltin must be roundabout thirty, but he seemed much, much younger right then.

Warf got him into a chair, then pulled chair and man closer to the fire before draping a blanket over his lap."I'll get you some tea."

"You don't have to—"

"Let it be," Warf replied with a smile.

Kaltin subsided, ducking his head and staring at his hands.

Warf got water heated and a cup of tea made in little time, handing it over carefully before pulling another chair close and taking a seat himself."Tell me what happened?"

"We were going too fast.I told her that, but she didn't want to hear it, just…" Kaltin's mouth pinched."Told me to keep going or else."

Judging from the bruise on his cheek, there'd been a bit more than words in the telling, but Warf didn't speak.Not yet.

"We caught a rock or something, snapped the back right wheel, which sent us careening into the ditch, where the front right wheel broke.Somewhere in the mess, I took a nasty fall, broke my arm.Managed to get them out of the carriage anyway—" He broke off, trembling, and sipped at the tea like it would save him from something.If not for the medicine, and the fact this was a stranger's house, Warf would have added whiskey to it for him."I was tending the horses when one of them knocked me, sent me into the ditch.Tore my leg on something on the way down, and I couldn't get up again.I asked— Ibegged—" Kaltin's voice broke, and he pressed his forehead into the heal of his good hand."I begged her for help.I worked for her ten years now, I did things I hated, and she— she fucking left me to die."Tears ran down his face, dripping into the tea and onto his hands."Despite everything I did for her, even when I didn't want to do it, she still left me here to die.Not just die either, but lie here in agony for hours, dying slowly."

Warf sighed."I'm sorry.No one deserves that."

"Maybe I did, seeing as I've always helped her, even when I didn't want to," Kaltin said.

"No, nobody except perhaps the worst sort of child-harming villain deserves to be left in a ditch to die, alone and afraid," Warf replied sharply."You were loyal.You deserved to have that loyalty returned.She's the villain here, not you."

Because it wasn't hard to see that this man had never really had a choice in the matter.What was he supposed to have done?Run away?Starved to death on the streets?Turn to occupations even more dangerous?Whoring was a common job in Low City, but it was also the one that got the most people killed.Warf's job was only moderately better, and he'd done well because there was very little that could really knock down someone of his size and strength.He'd still taken his dings and scrapes over the years, though.

"I'm sorry," Kaltin whispered, mostly to his tea."I didn't want to help.He came out and climbed in the carriage, and I drove.I wanted to tell him to go back inside."

"You would've gotten a lot worse than left for dead if you'd done that," Warf said gently.

Kaltin looked up."You don't seem very angry."

Warf chuckled."I guess I could be, but what would that do?Not fix the problem.Lady Clarkson is the one to blame for this mess, not the people she has power over.If you'd hurt him, or tried to hurt me that day, maybe I'd be angry with you, but all you've done is try to pay me off and drive a carriage.That's not the behaviors of a mean thug, not any I've ever met."

Kaltin looked at him, then bobbed his head."I'm sorry all the same.Always liked Lord Willow, always thought he could do better."He smiled hesitantly."Seems like he finally has.I'll take you to where they're headed.Do everything I can to help."

"You're far too injured—"

"She left me in a ditch to die!"Kaltin said sharply, then recalled everyone else was asleep and hissed, "I am going to help."

Warf held up his hands in defeat."Fair enough.You need to rest a bit, though.We also need to secure a horse for you, so in the morning we'll see about lodgings for a few days."It would put them well behind Clarkson and Marian, but Clarkson was also down a coach now.Warf frowned."I'm surprised we didn't encounter them here."

"She wouldn't come to a 'hovel' like this," Kaltin said with a sneer."She would have gone slightly south, to where a friend of hers has a summer estate she'll borrow for the night.It'll be closed up, so they won't be able to stay long, but that's where they are.If I could guide you to it right now I would, but in the dark, you wouldn't be able to reach it anyway."

"It's fine," Warf said, even as he wanted to scream with frustration.Marian was so close, and yet still so far away."At worst, we'll catch up to them at their destination.They can't run forever."

"No, she wants to take him to her estate in the mountains, as you probably already guessed."Kaltin smiled, mean and sharp-edged.Clarkson was going to learn the hard way that betraying loyalty had great costs, and Warf hoped he got to see her face when she realized the gravity of her mistake."I can get us there faster.She won't leave the main roads, she's too spoiled for that.I've traveled all over the kingdom multiple times.I know roads and shortcuts many don't.If all goes well, we can get there before her.At the very worst, we'll close much of the distance and get there shortly after her."

Warf reached out and covered Kaltin's good hand with one of his."Thank you.This could make all the difference, and I won't backstab you like she did."

Kaltin nodded."Could I go back to sleep now?I'm suddenly quite out of energy."

"Of course."Warf got him settled, restored the chairs to their proper places, and settled onto his own bedroll once more.Thankfully, sleep came easily again, and if there were troubling dreams, he didn't remember them later.

Letters

Despite Warf's many repeated concerns for Kaltin's well-being, they left in the morning.The weather had lessened to a drizzle, thankfully, and showed signs of being gone entirely by the afternoon.

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