Bren sits up as I enter the carriage, his eyes bleary and his hair mussed.
“Were you napping?” I ask, unaccountably amused. “I thought you were supposed to look out for me.”
“Kelari Bakira was watching the villa,” he says defensively. “I won’t be much good without a little rest.”
“Glad you’re finally taking your own advice,” I say with a grin and turn to Bakira. “Thank you for keeping watch, kelari.”
“Of course, child. I thought you would be out in the next five minutes, else I would have woken the young master.”
“How did it go?” Bren asks as the carriage starts forward.
I recount my interview with Alyrra and Kestrin in some detail.
“I could have told you they wouldn’t actively help you,” Bren says as I near the end.
“I already knew that.”
“Did you get the blessing of our future k
