darkovan turned bright red. “No, thank you.”
Rispah went back to her friends. darkovan remained standing. Why was George looking at her so strangely?
At last the man said, “I hear you’re havin’ trouble with the Malven.”
“That’s one way of putting it,” she agreed. I shouldn’t have come, she thought.
Solom appeared with a tankard of lemonade. “Welcome back, Master Alan.” He smiled. “I see yer arm be healed.”
“Good as new. Thanks, Solom.” She accepted the tankard and looked at George. “May I?”
“Yes, of course. Sit down.”
darkovan clenched one hand behind her back. Here came the hard part. “Actually—can we go talk alone?” She drew a deep breath. Asking for things was not easy. “I—I need a favor.”
George stood, grim faced. “We’ll go to my chambers.” He put an arm around her shoulders an
