Page 36 of The Warrior Priest
“You’re noble born? That explains a lot.”
He humphed. “He’s my younger brother.”
I frowned. “Then shouldn’t you have inherited the title?”
“I gave up my inheritance to join the order.”
“Why?”
“There.” He pointed at me. “That question proves you don’t really understand what it means to be called by a greater power to serve a greater good. I gave it up because I wanted to join Merdu’s Guards. Being a warrior priest is more important to me than being a nobleman. My purpose is as clear to me as you standing there. Merdu’s Guards is where I belong. I know it in here.” He tapped his chest.
Rhys had said something similar, that he felt as though being a warrior priest was right for him.
“Your point, Rufus?”
“I simply want to know what your intentions are.” He rolled his eyes. “I sound like an overbearing father. I don’t want to be overbearing, but Rhys is my friend and I don’t want to see him…torn.”
It was the first time any of Rhys’s friends had acknowledged that there was something between he and I, something that went beyond friendship. It wasn’t surprising that the clever and observant Rufus was the one to notice, or that he was prepared to tackle it head-on.
“If you’re asking whether I will try to tempt Rhys away from the order, then you can rest assured that I won’t. We came to an understanding last night. I know what the order means to him. If I have a plan for the future, I can assure you it doesn’t involve being with Rhys.”
I thought that might satisfy him, but it didn’t. Not quite. “You have plans to leave Tilting?”
“No. This is my home. I know no other place.”
His lips flattened. He didn’t like my answer. “I won’t ask you to leave?—”
“Then don’t.”
“I think you want what’s best for Rhys, as do I.” He stood and headed for the door. “Good day, Jac.”
I watched him leave as I reeled from the strange conversation.
I was still replaying it in my mind when there was a knock on my door. I opened it and stifled a gasp. “Giselle! What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to meet you properly. You intrigue me and I want to get to know you better.”
“How did you find me?”
“I followed Rufus. Don’t blame him. He didn’t know. I’m too good for that.”
I smiled to myself. She may be good, but I was better.
“After I heard a body had been found with convincing evidence that pointed to him being guilty of murdering the deputy governor, I went to the temple to speak to Rhys about it. It wasn’t hard to guess it was his idea. He knows everything that goes on in this city, thanks to his spies, and he must have heard the governor was going to tear through the slums until the murderer was found. Ever the savior, Rhys would go to great lengths to protect them. You’re one of his spies, aren’t you? I could see he trusts you, so it wasn’t a great leap to realize you helped him last night. I wanted to meet you. Your name’s Jac, isn’t it?”
I didn’t like that she knew so much about me. It was time to prove she wasn’t the only one in possession of information. “Why did you need to speak to Rhys about the body? What business is it of yours?”
She looked oddly pleased that I’d answered her question with one of my own. She leaned forward. Her sleek black hair, chopped short at her shoulders, fell forward, enveloping us both in the scent of orange blossom. “To thank him, and you. You see, it was me who killed the deputy governor.”
I stepped aside. “You’d better come in.”
She reminded me of a cat when she moved. Her lithe limbs seemed to effortlessly glide rather than walk, yet every bone, muscle and sinew was poised to pounce at a moment’s notice. “I see from your lack of reaction that you knew,” she said. “I suspected Rhys guessed it was me, so I assume he confided in you.”
I closed the door. “I was the one who told him.”
It was rather satisfying seeing her surprise. It quickly vanished, however, replaced by admiration as her gaze took me in anew. “You followed me?”
“I saw you use the vine to climb into and out of the house. I didn’t know whose house it was until later.”
