“Finally in the mood for company?” he asked and gave her a kiss wrapping one muscular arm around her waist and pulling her closer to him. She caught a few glares from the crowd but ignored them. Public opinion of her was quickly becoming a secondary concern.
“No, I’m going home. I just wanted to let you know before I left,” she said quietly and rested her head against his shoulder for a moment. The scent of dozens of liquors was thick on him, mingled with the lighter brushes of perfume. Though she hadn’t seen him approach any of the women in the crowd at least three of them had given him hugs or clung to his arm.
“I’ll go with you,” he offered and started to set his drink down.
“No, you don’t have to. Marrow is just outside and it’s not far. You are enjoying yourself and I don’t want to ruin that,” she said quickly and gave him another kiss.
“Are you saying I wouldn’t be entertained if I went home with my wife?” he asked sounding amused.
“I’m saying I will probably be poor company and I’d rather not ruin your night,” she replied with a halfhearted smile.
“Mmm, there is a possibility that rather than ruin my night I could improve yours.” He spoke quietly, his breath warm on her neck, and she felt her skin tingle in response. “I can take your mind off of everything,” he promised and kissed her neck gently.
“Are we going to get a bar show, Finn, or are you going to go home?” Valor asked playfully and Finn shoved him lightly in response.
“I’m going to go home. Sorry you don’t get to see more of my beautiful wife than you already have Val,” Finn replied, drawing chuckles from a few in the crowd.
“Well, as sad as that is, at least I don’t have to see more of you in the process. Off with you then and put a smile back on her face, she looks so depressed,” Valor responded with a grin and took the half full glass from Finn’s hand. With a wink he downed the drink and sat the empty glass on the bar motioning for the bartender to pour him another.
“Lush,” Finn said with a chuckle and nodded farewell to the crowd. Keeping his arm wrapped tightly around Jala, he guided them both toward the door. “I’m sorry you are having such a miserable night,” he offered as they stepped out into the cool night air.
“It’s nothing you did. It was just seeing all of that suffering and then …” She trailed off, unsure why she had even started to mention it.
“And then what?” he asked, glancing both ways down the street before starting their walk back to the Academy. “I don’t see Marrow do you?” he asked while she was still contemplating if she should tell him about Hemlock. She didn’t like the idea of keeping secrets from him but she was sure it would just upset him.
“He is on the roof, don’t ask me how he got up there but he is,” she said absently waving in the direction of the Bendazzi.
Looking up, Finn nodded a greeting to Marrow who sat quietly watching them and glanced at her again. “And then what?” he prompted again.
Sighing, she linked her fingers with his and rested her head on his shoulder as they walked. “And then Hemlock sat down at my table and asked me for a reason he shouldn’t kill me,” she said quietly and felt his fingers squeeze tighter on her hand.
“I didn’t see anyone at your table all night. I kept looking over there, hoping you would join me. If I had known he was there, I wouldn’t have left you alone. I’m sorry,” he said and squeezed her hand again. “What did you tell him?” he asked after a moment’s pause.
She gave a bitter chuckle and shrugged lightly. “I told him if he waited to kill me I’d be worth more money,” she said dryly.
“Uhh, hmm, really?” Finn said, pausing between each sound, and shook his head. “Not the reason I would have given but I’m sure it was a first for him. Most tend to plead for their lives, I would guess.”
“I don’t think I’m exactly the pleading sort, at least not for that,” she replied.
“You won’t plead for your own life? That’s generally the number one thing most would beg for. What would you plead for then?” he asked.
“Yours. He asked me for a reason to not kill you as well. And he wanted me to give you a message, though I really don’t want to. I don’t want to keep secrets from you either, though, so I’m still tossing the decision around in my mind. To tell or not to tell.”
“You have to tell now. You mentioned it. You can’t just say something like that and then not tell,” Finn pointed out practically. “It’s cruel and you aren’t cruel, so spill it.”
She cleared her throat and sighed again. “Tell him that he shouldn’t leave his wife alone, there is no telling who might decide to keep her company.” She repeated the words as perfectly as she could and waited for Finn’s response. His mood had darkened. She could feel it through their link but he remained silent. “I think he was trying to anger you and it has apparently worked,” she said after the silence had stretched for several minutes.
“Not at you. Not at him. At myself. He is right, I shouldn’t have left you alone at that table,” Finn said at last. “I know how many enemies we have in this city. I should have stayed by you.”
“I don’t need your constant supervision, Finn. I don’t expect you to stay by me at every moment. I was perfectly fine drinking alone tonight. As I said, I’m not the best of company right now,” she said in what she hoped was a soothing voice.
Her gaze flicked to an alley as Marrow dropped down and paced over to walk by them. His thick white coat stood out against the shadows and his yellow eyes seemed to gleam. Running her hand through his fur she smiled faintly at the Bendazzi. “Did you have a good nap?” she asked quietly.
I didn’t nap. I followed the bastard in the cloak. He went back into Merro to a transport stone and activated a rune near its bottom. One that is very well hidden, Marrow informed her smugly.
“Did he notice?” she asked in a bit of shock.