Sly

Chapter Forty One

The walk to the library was uneventful, but the whole time my heart raced anyway. Finally moving my body, doing something. I didn't even run into a clerk in the library as I slipped into the dimly lit row of books that would let me slide the shelf open to the secret office and quietly shut it behind me.

"Sly, what are you doing out of the captain's rooms? Is everything alright?" Rorik stood up at his desk swiftly.

We hadn't seen each other since the night I fought Grethan. With the daggers pestering me at any given hour of the day, he couldn't come without revealing himself.

"Girault fled his own estates." I walked toward the desk, facing the prince who's face darkened.

"Dammit." Rorik fell back and thudded into his chair again. "Sit, sit, tell me what happened."

I obeyed, taking my usual seat, and retold everything Jexa and Grahm said as well as the captain's orders. Rorik sat in thought for a while after that with his eyes closed. He ran his fingers through his hair, which seemed to be a nervous habit of his I'd noticed on more than one occasion while he was deep in frustrated thought.

"He didn't miss anything, I don't know what I would have done differently. Thank you for telling me." He finally said, looking weary.

A quiet fell between us. One I was quite used to, letting the one before me absorb, process, contemplate. He wasn't Davery, not by any stretch of the imagination. But I could appreciate that they had that one thing in common. What they could have accomplished together . . . I wish I could have seen it.

"Sly, have you ever wanted a higher station in life? Desired everything the nobility takes for granted?"

The prince's question caught me off guard. Certainly, the food and warm bed would be nice, but I had never truly envied them beyond that. The greed I saw as they looked down their nose at a girl from Swamp was nothing to envy. Their excess, extravagance. The only thing a coin had worth coveting was the security in the way they lived. Always knowing their socks would be free of holes, their plate would be full, their roof wouldn't drip in the Midlands rain.

"No," I answered. Rorik raised an eyebrow, but waited for me to continue.

"I can't say I'd like to leave what I know behind. The few things I'd wish for probably aren't as much as you'd expect. More meat would be nice sometimes. And a bed. I did spend most of my life on a mat on the floor." Which was true enough, and sharing Orchid's bed had been an extravagance I didn't think I'd want to give up now that I'd experienced it. 

Rorik's mouth immediately jumped up at the corners and a blink later he burst into laughter.

"A fitting answer. You are pretty wise to stay away from this lot. More trouble than it's worth. More meat indeed." He was still chuckling to himself. Amusement was a good reaction, I suppose, considering how presumptuous I speak in front of him. He was too damn comfortable to speak around and in front of any other royals, I'd have earned a tour of the dungeons by now. I held my breath, debating on how much liberty I truly got with this young royal. And yet, I'd never been good about minding my mouth.

"This is the least composed I have ever seen you," I said.

"Less composed than being toppled to the floor by a ladymaid in the library?" he asked.

I turned deep red. I had nearly forgotten about that, and would have been just fine with it if Rorik had as well.

I cleared my throat and moved the topic at hand. "Is there nothing else that can be done right now then?"

"There isn't anything else to be done right now. All we can do is continue the search for anyone not loyal to Father right now and prepare for his arrival. Has Arden told you? Mason had a brilliant idea, some of his handpicked soldiers have been given temporary work as additional city guards to keep the peace until Father's return."