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“Still off your leash?” I asked.
He turned and gave me a wry smile. “So far, yes. I feel both freed and terrified.”
“Yeah.” I searched for more words than that, but ended up not needing them. Our shared understanding of those experiences filled in the gaps. He didn’t seem nearly as broken as I’d felt, but then maybe it didn’t show on the outside. And maybe he’d been better at bending than I had been. He’d certainly been more willing.
“If I can do anything…” he trailed off, sounding uncertain. “At any rate, I know it’s not the thing to say in these parts, but I owe you, Gwynn. I know it. I’d like to make amends.”
“Healing Starling and the others you helped went a long way. Keeping doing that and we’re fine. Don’t fuck up, okay?”
He grinned. “It’s kind of nice to hear that in English again.”
“I know what you mean.”
“Um,” he started. Then stopped. “So, Starling…”
“Is her own person,” I filled in. “She’s a big girl.”
“I could maybe find her folks, if I had the scepter again,” he ventured.
No.
Of course Rogue was eavesdropping.
“I’ll see what I can do,” I told Walt, mentally sticking my tongue out at Rogue. “Meanwhile, keep your nose clean.”
“Yeah. Um, Gwynnie…” He fidgeted. Glanced toward the window and back to me.
I raised my eyebrows, reminding myself to be gentle with him.
“I know that you…saw some stuff, when you looked in on me—nice of you, by the way. And I figure, well, Starling knows what you went through, to some extent, but…” He trailed off again, swallowing down the rest of the words.
“I’m not going to gossip about the details, if that’s what you’re asking.” The very thought made me vaguely headachy. “It’s private shit. It stays that way as far as I’m concerned.”
His relief colored the air. “You don’t know how much I appreciate that.”
“Yes, I do.” I managed a cheeky smile. “And now you really owe me.”
As promised, Rogue waited for me in the hallway, leaning against the wall in an indolent pose that didn’t fool me for a second.
“I know you didn’t destroy the scepter,” I said, by way of greeting. “So don’t bother to pretend you did.”
“Were you spying on me then?” He took my hand and started walking, sounding amused by the idea that I might have.
“I didn’t have to. I can feel the thing, in the back of my mind.”
“I’m not well pleased to hear that, my precious Gwynn. It has an unnatural hold on you.”
“I agree. That’s why I’m mentioning it. Spirit of teamwork, honesty, all that.”
He made a snorting sound, but didn’t comment further.
“Maybe, if you don’t trust me with it, Walt could have it again. It’s a powerful tool,” I continued.
“Oh yes. I’d love to hand a dangerous magical weapon I don’t understand to a human wizard who tried to kill you. Brilliant idea.”
“Did you just admit that there’s something you don’t understand?”
“Many things,” he replied in a dry tone. “Including you, my delightful lady.”
