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“How can you say that? There could be benefits.”
“I doubt that.” She uttered a low, disapproving rebuttal.
“Be that as it may, she’s here, she’s looking into Lomar’s affliction, and you will be nice.”
“No, I won’t, because I have no intention of encountering the charlatan again.” With a mighty sniff, his mother swept out of his receiving chamber to find his father.
When Kormac followed he saw no sign of Fionna.
His father caught him looking and murmured, “The envoy went haring off to the dungeon.”
Alone?
Without a word of farewell to his parents, Kormac raced to find her.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The trip back down to the dungeon didn’t take long since Fionna didn’t pause to absorb like she had the first time. She headed straight for the Lomar’s cell. The guards tensed at her approach.
“I just need a moment with him,” she stated.
“The warlord said no one is allowed to visit,” the burliest of them declared. He’d not been there earlier when she’d visited. The shift change must have happened in that short interim.
“The warlord granted me access so if you want to take issue with his order, go right ahead. I’m sure he’d love to hear why you think you can ignore his wishes.”
The guards shifted with discomfort.
“Well?” She arched a brow.
The burly fellow sounded sour as he said, “The door stays open, and don’t get too close.”
“It’s daytime. It will be fine.”
She entered to find Lomar once more staring at the slit of a window.
“Back so soon?” He offered a wan smile. “Perhaps you’ll do the kindness of ending this nightmare, seeing as how Kormac won’t.”
“Kormac?”
“Don’t tell me he hasn’t properly introduced himself.”
She waved the inkwell. “He might have, but given everyone calls him warlord, it just seems easier. Not to mention, if I use anything else, people will be muttering even louder than they already are.”
“Oh, and what are they nattering about?”
“Apparently, I’m his whore, you know, because a female diplomat doesn’t exist.” She rolled her eyes.
Lomar grinned. “In their defense, they don’t in Srayth. Add to that you have Kormac’s undivided attention, and I could see why they’d assume.”
“It’s ridiculous and misogynistic.”
“Agreed, but old ways are hard to change.”
“Only hard because men refuse.”
“Not just the men,” Lomar said with a shake of his head. “But we have made some advances. We no longer force widows to vacate their homes and return to their parents when their husbands die.”
“That’s ridiculous,” she squeaked.
