Brief Explaination

“So why did you tell Kjarbo that my life may be in danger? What happened on that boat?” Beldin asked as he handed me a cookie. Cookies have a very positive effect on me and this one I think was meant to sooth me. Everyone kept expecting me to come unwound again but I had done my crying and I didn’t intend to burden anyone anymore with it.

“Our histories are more connected than you realize.” I nibbled the edges of the ginger cookie and sucked the strong flavor out of the pieces more crushing it with my tongue than chewing.

“Meaning?” he asked.

“You killed a galka dark knight in a tavern a long time ago. I was there. I was working with him. I hated him and the story is more complicated than I need to tell right now but he was my partner for a job. His name was Bruto.” I looked up to try to read his face.

“He wanted to kill me.” Beldin said with a raised eyebrow.

I nodded and looked down at my cookie. “It seems Pete the Meat was his brother of sorts. He said I turned him over to you to die.”

“I didn’t know.”

“I know. I kinda hoped it might stay that way.”

“Well I ‘kinda’ wish you had told me now.” He said a bit exasperated. “Maybe I could have…” he stopped himself and we sat quietly for a few minutes that felt like eternity, both of us looking down at the valley below us.

“The ferry captain said a small boat picked up the galka before he could get to port. They just don’t have the security on those ferries to stop attacks during transit.” He paused and rested his hand on my shoulder. “We will find him Alison.”

I smiled weakly. I wasn’t sure I had the heart for more death and it seemed only blood would satisfy our angry friends.