Page 22 of The Warrior Priest
“Giselle?” Andreas looked around until he spotted her, chatting to her companion. “Ah. Now it makes sense.”
“The reason why Rhys is acting strangely?”
“How the deputy governor was killed.” Andreas said it quietly enough that only we could hear. To me, he added, “She’s an assassin for hire. She usually only takes jobs where she eliminates what she calls undesirables.”
“Who decides if they’re undesirable?” I asked.
He had no answer to that.
“I already knew she did it,” I told them. “I saw her go into the house then leave via the river.”
Rufus, Andreas and Vizah cast me admiring looks. Rhys continued to stare into his tankard.
“Merdu’s blood, you’re good, Jac,” Vizah said. He leaned forward. “Since you’ve clearly been following her, can you tell us?”
“Tell you what?”
“If Rhys has slept with her.”
Rhys slammed his tankard down on the table, drawing the attention of several patrons seated at neighboring tables, including Giselle. His nostrils flared. I’d never seen him look so angry at one of his friends. Indeed, I’d never seen him look angrily at anyone.
Vizah swallowed heavily. “I get the hint. You’re keeping that vow nowadays. Probably just as well. The high priest wouldn’t like it, especially now you’re the second.”
Rhys’s anger extinguished as quickly as it flared. “Can we talk about something else?”
“Speaking of breaking vows,” Vizah said with an arched look at Andreas. “When are you going to give the whores a rest from your prick?”
“Vizah!” Rhys snapped.
“What? Why are you giving Jac the side-eye? He’s old enough to know about women.”
“First of all,” Andreas said, “mywomen are not whores. I don’t need to pay for it. Secondly, that’s not why Rhys is telling you to shut your mouth.”
Vizah frowned. “Then why?”
Rufus rolled his eyes again. “Idiot.”
“Why?”
“You really don’t know, do you?”
Vizah shook his head. “Don’t know what? Rhys?”
“It’s not my place to say,” Rhys said.
“What isn’t? Jac’s old enough. Isn’t he?”
“You’re the idiot for not—” Rufus hissed in pain and leaned down to rub his shin. Rhys had kicked him under the table. “For not getting me another drink.”
“Get your own drinks,” Vizah grumbled. “I’m not your servant. Anyway, I haven’t got any money.”
Andreas removed his hat and dragged his hand through his thick golden hair. The entire cohort of serving women sighed in unison. “You lost at dice again, didn’t you? You should give up and do what I do instead, and the drinks will flow all night, for free.”
“I am not going to sleep with the serving women to get free ale. That’s asking for trouble.”
“They won’t get into trouble. The innkeeper loves me after I stopped his son getting into a fight once. He won’t dismiss them for keeping me happy.”
“Not that kind of trouble. The women kind. I’d say more,” Vizah added, shooting a glare at Rufus, “but I don’t want to be called an idiot again for speaking about sex in front of Jac.”
