Chapter 14
The hollow clunk of Faron’s boots on the wooden pier forced a smirk that tugged at Tal’s lips.
Her cheek throbbed, a constant reminder of the blow to her head the night before.
Carrick was none-too-happy that morning while Sybil complimented her blue and purple trophy.
Once she’d slept off the attitude and alcohol, Tal admitted her actions were foolish.
She owed the noble a great deal of thanks for coming to her aid.
She bit her lip, her own pride keeping her from saying the words she’d rehearsed all day. “I almost hoped I’d finally scared you off last night.”
Faron’s footsteps vibrated through the planks. “You’re happy to see me, just admit it.”
Golden sunlight glistened along the water’s surface below her dangling feet.
Tal inhaled the rank odor of garbage and seawater.
She preferred it over the stuffy tunnels she had confined herself to for most of the day.
Her ribs screamed with each shallow breath, forcing her to sit with a straight back.
Egan’s natural healing salve provided minimal relief.
He had given her the jar without a word when she instructed him to search for her attackers that morning.
Rainier, on the other hand, had suggested she stay in the tunnels until her injuries healed. “They’ll be looking for a woman with a black eye,” he had said, gnawing at his top lip.
Tal sighed and turned when Faron’s footsteps reached her.
He grimaced when he saw her face. “That’s bruising nicely,” he said as he sat beside her.
Tal nodded, steeling herself. “Thank you for helping me last night,” she blurted.
Faron waved his hand. His flowy white shirt lay opened to reveal his muscled chest underneath. He caught her looking and winked, causing Tal to blush. “Feeling any better?”
Tal nodded, though her throbbing injuries said otherwise.
Faron reached into the satchel on his belt and pulled out a vial of light-yellow liquid.
“I told you I have my own,” she shook her head.
“It’s the one from last night. Just take it. You’re going to need to be in perfect health for what I have planned.”
Tal shot him a scathing look, but he just held the vial out, keeping his expression neutral. She pocketed the elixir, a shock running down her hand when her fingertips brushed his. “So, what do you have planned? Don’t tell me I’ve already corrupted you into hunting down those scum.”
“I already know where we can find them. Ed is trailing them with Egan for now, but no. I have something less… vengeful planned tonight.”
Tal blinked at him. When had he found the men from last night?
And why? Her eyes met his and froze. The last rays of the setting sun reflected in the depths of his irises.
Green and gold wove among each other like the leaves of her willow tree.
Beautiful. She hadn’t noticed that particular hue in them before.
“Care to share?” She cleared her throat.
“Or are you going to continue to be cryptic?”
“Are you well rested?” His lips quirked in a half smile.
“Yeeessss.”
“Good. Because we can’t leave until sunrise.” He braced his hands on the dock and tilted his head back, watching the sky turn dark.
“I don’t understand.”
His tone dripped with mischief when he replied, “That’s okay.”
Tal waited for more information but received none. After a few breaths, she carefully mirrored his posture and gazed at the first night stars. They sat in silence for several minutes until her broken ribs screamed for reprieve. She collapsed onto the pier, breathing against the pain.
Faron must have noticed the hitch in her breath, but he didn’t acknowledge it. After a few minutes, he lay down beside her and rested his hands under his head.
“Why are you here?” Tal couldn’t stop the intrusive question.
“I told you. I have made plans. I think you’ll enjoy them, though I could be wrong.” He shrugged.
“I don’t mean tonight specifically. Why do you keep coming back?” she pressed.
“Hmm. Fair question,” he mused. “I suppose your perception of nobility is that we only live to gossip and take advantage of those less fortunate.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“No, but you’ve thought it, and you’re not wrong.
” He turned his head toward her and smirked.
“Mostly.” When he continued, his expression faltered.
“There are members of the king’s court who would avoid you, some who would gossip and shun you, and then there are those who would see a lady like you and make a game out of breaking you. ”
“No one could break me.”
“Therein lies the challenge. And they would certainly enjoy the game.”
“Would you?” Tal did her best to turn to him without causing pain to her midsection.
“As much as I tease and as little as you might think of me, no. I don’t bother with that lot. Their idea of fun is breaking hearts, ruining reputations, and torturing small creatures. I’m disgusted that we are considered the same class.”
“Are there any decent nobles in the king’s court?”
“Besides me?” The skin by his eyes wrinkled. “There’s enough. You just need to be able to read people.” He turned his head back to the sky.
“Alright, so if your intentions are not less than savory, why are you here?” she repeated.
He paused, watching the stars. “You know, you’re unlike any of the women at court.”
Tal scoffed. “Gee, I hadn’t noticed.”
“You’re not really like anyone,” he said quietly.
“Now you’re just trying to insult me.”
“You don’t follow rules. You make your own.”
“Disgraceful.” Tal did her best impression of the pompous air of the nobles at the king’s masquerade.
Faron huffed. “You don’t fear… anything really.”
“Corsets.” Tal shivered.
A singular laugh escaped Faron’s lips. “I fear those too.” He met her eyes again and winked.
Tal groaned. “Enough with the double entendre.”
Faron chuckled quietly. After a moment, he said, “You throw yourself into situations without hesitation. You live for the moment.” He paused again before saying, “Do you have any plan for the future, any hopes or dreams?”
Tal didn’t hesitate. “Survive,” she responded.
“No husband? No children? No cottage with a garden and servants?”
“No. No husband, no children, just make it through this day, then the next.”
“It must be so freeing; to live without expectation. My entire life has been planned out for me, even before I was born. Even now, my day is planned down to what I’ll eat.”
“Is that why you come here? For freedom…” When he didn’t immediately answer, she added, “in your red suit.”
“It’s maroon actually,” he teased, “but yes. At first, I would sneak out as a rebellion against those who tried to control my every step. When I realized the condition of the kingdom outside the—outside high society, I saw the lack of aid. So, I chose to help in a way I could.”
Tal bit her tongue on a joke about how noble of a choice that was. “With your money?” She didn’t try to disguise the disdain from her voice.
His dark chuckle echoed over the water. “I’ve tried paying people to help, but it somehow finds its way into the wrong hands no matter what I do.
And there’s not nearly enough to make a difference.
I bring what food I can without raising suspicion.
I try to keep the criminals away from the innocents.
But I have to be careful not to draw too much attention.
Those corrupted nobles I told you about?
They’d be all too happy to strip me of my title, my influence, and my money if they found out I helped the common folk. And then I’d be no help to anyone.”
Tal hadn’t considered that. While Faron’s life wasn’t nearly as difficult as hers, it certainly came with a different set of problems. “So, what are you going to do?”
He rested a hand under his head, scratching his hair. “I haven’t figured that out yet. Some things I’ve done seem to make a difference. I arranged safe passage and a new home for a family trying to escape to the mountains. I’ve heard the children’s health has improved in the clearer air.”
“That’s just one family. Is it worth the trouble?”
“If I had done nothing, Madge said they wouldn’t have survived the next bout of illness.”
She searched the darkening sky for what to say.
One family. One life. Thinking of the effort it would take to save the whole of the docks exhausted Tal.
But she had already started to do just that.
Evania and Janin were off the streets and cared for because of one single decision.
Would it still feel pointless to save more in need?
Faron continued, “I’ve made sure Madge has access to the supplies she needs. She hasn’t charged a fee in over a year.”
“What?” Tal pushed herself up and winced. “She’s been charging me near double!”
Faron lifted a finger in thought. “Now that I think of it, her table appeared to be new.”
“Yes, because I replaced it.”
“Oh?”
“I may have bled all over it and broken a chair.” Replaced furniture or not, Tal still hadn’t apologized to the old woman for the words she said while in a rage. “I’ll steal it back from the old bat if she tries to charge me again.”
“You wouldn’t. You’ve got a big heart. You must have saved countless lives at this point.”
Tal hesitated. She never went searching for someone to help.
She fulfilled bounties and took payment.
She survived. But then she thought of the few times she refused payment, or purchased food, and clothing to return to them.
The young woman from yesterday came to mind.
Tal found herself telling Faron of the husband who beat his wife. His reaction caught her off-guard.
“I hope you gave it back to him ten-fold.”
Tal stared at her companion. His voice held no mockery, nor any disapproval. His reaction was so much unlike Daire’s that Tal didn’t know what to say.
Faron caught her gaze and sat up. “Well, did you?”
She blinked once, twice, and then told him about the man’s debts and how she helped Pochette’s men collect on them.
He nodded. “And the girl? Her mother?”
“The mother—the mother never recovered. But the girl inherited their home and is raising her family.”
Faron didn’t question further, which made Talwyn curious.
“He got a good hit on me before I could subdue him. Broke my cheekbone.” She tapped the spot on her face, the same spot that swelled in blotchy purple and blue hues.
“And I bet you sported a colorful black eye because you were already two pints in by then.” He nudged her shoulder with his own.
“Three actually.” She shook her head at the memory. “I was so angry at the world after that, I refused any healing elixir, made a point to let everyone see it so they knew I was the one who stepped in, not them.”
“Please tell me how they threw a tantrum at being shown up by a woman.” Laughter filled his voice, and Tal couldn’t help but join in.
“The sheriff tried to arrest me for breach of the peace, but his men were too afraid to try.”
“Truly?”
She nodded, biting her lip. She didn’t need to mention that the official had beseeched Daire and his men to step in, but the captain threatened to have him removed from his position.
Her friendship with Daire wasn’t common knowledge, but he had criticized the sheriff for failing to do his job and wasting the time of the king’s guard.
“He still has an active bounty out for me, but I’m the only bounty hunter in town. ”
Faron was in stitches. “Oh, please don’t say that. I’ll cancel our plans and have us go torment the bleeding sod instead.”
“One of my favorite pastimes,” she sighed.
They laughed until the sound blended with the water lapping against the pier.
It was refreshing sharing stories with someone who didn’t immediately worry over her or remove her independence, and curious even, that she’d found this trait in a noble.
She wondered what stars had aligned that caused her to cross paths with someone like Faron, because no one—not protective Carrick, or calculating Rainier, nor even quiet Egan—whole-heartedly believed her capable of handling things on her own.
No matter the circumstance, there would always be some shred of doubt or worry that caused them to question her actions.
But with Faron, he had shown at every turn that he trusted her judgement, no matter how reckless it was.
It made her want to know him more; to take him on adventures so he could encourage her forward instead of trying to hold her back.
Tal wondered what the noble had in store for them. She wasn’t ready to part just yet.
She lay on the pier once more, and the gentle timbre of his voice lulled her into an easy slumber where she dreamed of stolen gold, wine, and a pair of horses fleeing into the night.
“The sun’s almost up.” His voice soothed like waves washing gently on the shore at first sunlight.
Her eyes shot open. When had she fallen asleep? Why hadn’t he woken her up? Her hands sought out her daggers as a comfort. When Faron’s eyes came into focus, she forgot why she reached for them in the first place.
“Ready to go find some trouble?”
Tal pulled the healing elixir out of her pocket, a mischievous grin reaching her lips. “Tell me what these mysterious plans of yours are.”
“Drink the elixir, and I’ll show you.”