“But I kind of like the hiking parts.” Now that she had a wagon to sleep in, anyway. Esme blew hair out of her face and stretched until her joints complained. Her own nest in her own wagon still didn’t compare to a real bed, though. That much was very true. And better work meant better pay. It changed the work itself, as well.
She didn’t have the experience to put it into words. Nights like that first one, when Karvil had been so terribly hurt – maybe things wouldn’t happen like that, if they weren’t scrabbling in the dirt for their coin.
Or maybe the attacks would just be more deadly next time.
Caro had gone into the other room. After a couple of minutes of silence, she got up and followed to see what he was doing. Laying out his clothes, evidently. That mask was still very odd – and she wasn’t sure that the Barclays would have a salamander insignia if they were real people. Wouldn’t rich folks pick a dragon instead, if they could?
“I guess that’s fair.” The Dogs were even newer than Esme, though not by much. Lelindin being an elf was probably the real problem. Not to say there were no elves among the nobility – but that one would require explanation. Ceren would do the job but she wouldn’t like it. And she wasn’t much of a liar besides.
“I’m sure you don’t mean the rest of that, Circle boy.” It was easy to forget the circumstances of Caro’s previous life when he was ordering you about and teaching you to kill people. Then he’d say something like this and remind you. Esme touched his collar, very lightly, trying to imagine the effect of the full costume laid out beside him.
“Saying that a woman is suited to street work makes it sound like you’re calling her a prostitute. Very rude. I didn't think you had it in you.”
She didn’t have the experience to put it into words. Nights like that first one, when Karvil had been so terribly hurt – maybe things wouldn’t happen like that, if they weren’t scrabbling in the dirt for their coin.
Or maybe the attacks would just be more deadly next time.
Caro had gone into the other room. After a couple of minutes of silence, she got up and followed to see what he was doing. Laying out his clothes, evidently. That mask was still very odd – and she wasn’t sure that the Barclays would have a salamander insignia if they were real people. Wouldn’t rich folks pick a dragon instead, if they could?
“I guess that’s fair.” The Dogs were even newer than Esme, though not by much. Lelindin being an elf was probably the real problem. Not to say there were no elves among the nobility – but that one would require explanation. Ceren would do the job but she wouldn’t like it. And she wasn’t much of a liar besides.
“I’m sure you don’t mean the rest of that, Circle boy.” It was easy to forget the circumstances of Caro’s previous life when he was ordering you about and teaching you to kill people. Then he’d say something like this and remind you. Esme touched his collar, very lightly, trying to imagine the effect of the full costume laid out beside him.
“Saying that a woman is suited to street work makes it sound like you’re calling her a prostitute. Very rude. I didn't think you had it in you.”
05-24-2024, 07:24 PM
