I’m still sitting in my chair, the ladle beside me, when Bren steps in and shuts the door behind him.
He leans against the doorjamb. “Tell me I don’t need to go after that mage.”
I snort. “God, no, Bren. He’s an ally.” I rise and lift my satchel.
He looks away with a disbelieving smile. “Of course he is. What was I thinking?” His gaze comes back to me, measuring. “Is that why you didn’t tell us you’d been here before? That it was this town, this Speaker who helped you on your way to Lirelei?”
“No! I would have told you. I don’t even know the name of this town; I thought it was farther upriver. I didn’t recognize where we were till I looked out the window. I was coming to find one of you when Lui walked in.”
His shoulders sag. “Then you’ll tell me, next time, if something isn’t right?”
