It took Lerran two days to get all of his affairs in order—mainly that just involved convincing Tassina to let him leave. On the morning he was to depart, he was awoken by her singing. He couldn’t remember the name of the song, something about the little boy from Varravar, but he remembered its flitting melody from late nights in the tavern as a younger man. He crawled out of his blankets and hurriedly got dressed in his black uniform tunic. He armed himself with his short sword, and buckled up his leather riding boots. Tass came into their room, humming the chorus to herself and started when she saw him.
“Good-morning,” he said, cheerfully.
“Hardly,” she returned. She pulled a strand of her dark brown hair out of her eyes, and stepped closer to him. They kissed, quietly, and then she pulled away. “How can it be a good morning when you are leaving me the gods know how long?”
Lerran held her close anyway. “Because I get to see you this morning,” he said and they kissed again.
When they separated, she showed him the breakfast she had had prepared for him. The servants had roasted a side of bacon, with tapioca buns lightly singed with cheese and sausage. Tass’s special touch: a sprinkle of cinnamon, just a hint of it, in his coffee. After they had eaten, they went downstairs to find Kolt and three other guards waiting in the antechamber. On the stairs, before going to them, Tass kissed him once more.
“Where’s Paksis?” he asked, as he strode up to his travelling comrades.
Kolt shrugged. “Drinking? Fang-face can hold her liquor better than anyone I’ve ever drunken with.” He was checking the straps on his scabbard, then paled and stammered, “Present company excluded, sir.”
“It’s fine,” Lerran chuckled. “She drinks even more often than I, which is saying something. Go fetch her, will you? Oh, and Kolt: never call her fang-face again, are we clear?”
“Crystal clear, sir,” Kolt said, bobbing his head. He ran off to find their resident demigod.
“Tass?” Lerran asked, abruptly down to business. She stepped down the remaining stairs into the foyer. “Take care of the property, and don’t let the Grey Brethren bully you. Any of those preachers take to the streets again, tell Antha. Hang them.”
Tass nodded. “I wouldn’t done it already, but I’ll stick to your terms,” she said, with a smirk.
“Good,” Lerran said. “Where is Antha anyway?”
“Making an arrest,” one of the other guards said. Lerran’s warriors wore grey uniforms but he allowed them a measure of ease. The man who spoke had a red headband keeping back neck length black hair.
“I see,” Lerran said. He led the way out into the courtyard, where a small breeze of water drops dampened his forehead. He was rather thankful for rain, if it came to that—the Barren Road along Radregar’s southernmost point was brutal in most conditions.
“You’re sending men to fetch me now?” Paksis asked, as she stumbled across the cobblestones toward the readied horses. Lerran was checking the bridle and saddle of his, a tall dark grey steed named Ash.
“If you’re going to drink through this morning, yes,” Lerran said, with a cheerful wink.
“I’d like a word first,” Paksis said, once she was closer. Her breath smelled of rye, but he was accustomed to her sharp teeth. Lerran stepped aside with her and she muttered, “The lives I’ve claimed stare back at me no matter the time of day. I will ride with you, and I will defend myself from attackers… but do not task me with killing anyone. I’ll not harm the innocent, nor am I a contract murderer.”
“I’ll take care of the killing myself,” Lerran, without blinking, “If it comes to that. You’re strong, but not heartless. I know that. Will you ride with me?”
Paksis’s frown didn’t waiver, but she sighed and said, “This time.”
Lerran kissed his wife again, and then mounted up with the other guards. Paksis clambered awkwardly into the saddle of their largest horse, but the burly woman still looked disproportionate to the mount. Kolt led the way through the outer gate, trotting along on his mare. They had to navigate the narrow streets up to the highest part of the sloped city in order to reach the land gate out of Sheld.
The Barren Road had once been cobblestone, a component of the Imperial Roads of Noress. In the millennium since the Orrish fell, it had been ground into a wide rocky path, with erratic milestones and rare roadhouses. Lerran looked back along the cliffs of Comet’s Cover soon after leaving, to see his rocky city clinging to the slopes of Tieko’s Ridge. He would miss it, as always, and he would miss Tass. He took a small sip from a flask in the side of his uniform and hoped all would be the same upon his return.