Chapter 46

“You happen to be refugees?” he asked, nodding at Talfryn’s singed and restitched pack. Talfryn’s grin turned to a frown, and Akton held back a swallow.

“No,” said Talfryn. “Just travelers.”

“Been getting a lot of them,” said the woman Guard. “Seems to be a nasty group burning people’s homes. Watch out for them.”

“We’ll do that,” said Talfryn. Akton was impressed with how removed from the situation he sounded. They entered into Lethrin without further conversation.

“Surprised you didn’t ask her when her shift’s over,” said Akton as the gates closed behind them.

“You didn’t look in the mood. Only into men?”

Akton gritted his teeth at how casually Talfryn could ask something like that and followed him down the street. If he wasn’t careful Talfryn would be pestering him about warts and rashes again. He decided to go on the offensive.

“You don’t seem to be.”

Talfryn grinned.

“I might have a slight preference for men,” he said. “But—”