Page 29 of The Warrior Priest
“I only told the high priest that Giselle is here in Tilting and that you saw her but haven’t…had a liaison. Does he know she’s an assassin and that she killed the deputy governor?”
“No, and nor will he. He doesn’t condone violence. If he knew what she was, he’d probably hand her over to the sheriff. Thanks for keeping her secret, Jac. She owes you.”
“Don’t tell her,” I said quickly.
He lifted his hands in surrender. “I have no intention of seeing her.” It was as if he felt compelled to reassure me, much as a husband would reassure his wife.
I shook off the notion and added kindling to the fireplace.
“Did the high priest say anything else?” he asked. “Anything about the order?”
“He said you’d make an excellent leader one day, now that you’re maturing.”
“Maturing?” He scoffed. “Last night would prove I’m not.”
I swung around to face him.
“I meant getting drunk, not the kiss,” he said.
“I thought we agreed not to mention it.”
His mouth kicked up with his wisp of a smile. “I should have let him see me like that, and Master Tomaj, too. Then they might change their mind and groom someone else to take over.”
“You still don’t want to do it, even though you’ve decided to stay in the order?”
He huffed a humorless laugh. “Maybe I don’t want to be called mature.”
“AndI’mthe one everybody calls a boy.”
He flashed a grin. “Are you making that fire or just piling up sticks?”
I used the flint on the mantelpiece to light the kindling then blew gently on the flame until the fire took hold. “I overheard the high priest directing Brother Milo to tell Master Tomaj to send you, Vizah, Rufus and Andreas into the slum alongside the governor’s men tomorrow.” When he didn’t respond, I looked over my shoulder at him. “Be careful, Rhys.”
“It’ll be fine,” he said, not taking his gaze off the fire. “They know us there.”
“It’s not the residents I’m worried about. The governor is frustrated, and his men are always spoiling for a fight. They’ll outnumber you.”
“They wouldn’t dare test Merdu’s Guards.”
He spoke with such confidence that I was immediately reassured. I placed a larger log on top of the kindling and watched it catch alight. I didn’t turn around until I heard Rhys move.
He sat forward. At first I thought it was merely the flames dancing in his eyes that gave him an air of mischief, then I realized he was fighting back a wicked smile. “What do you say to a little nocturnal mission with me?”
Knowing Rhys, it would be reckless and mad. If it were anyone else, I’d refuse on the spot without hearing it. But I could never say no to his schemes. Someone needed to join him to make sure he didn’t get into too much trouble. “Go on.”
“I have a plan that will thwart the governor and render it unnecessary to search the slums for his deputy’s killer.”
Anything that would keep Rhys out of a highly combustible situation was a good idea in my book. “All right, I’ll join you.”
“Good because you gave me the idea so it’s only fair that you’re involved.”
“What’s the plan?”
“Extinguish the fire and grab your cloak. You’ll need to cover your hair, so the moonlight doesn’t shine off it. Do you have your lockpicking tools on you?”
“Always.”
“And a cloth to cover your nose and mouth?”
