Aamon's words fluttered in the back of Anwyl's mind as she woke in the morning. She turned, snuggling against Aamon's warm form with a soft exhalation. Could it be true? Seanan doesn't seem evil. Aamon's steady, light breathing soothed her, and she laid her head on his shoulder.

He stirred sleepily, wrapping his arm around her. "Not time to get up..." Sleep fogged his voice, and Anwyl wondered if he was actually awake.

She chose to ignore the words and let herself drift in and out of a hazy dream-state. Her mind went to what she had been through in the past few months, and she contemplated her current situation. Things really weren't so bad.

Unlike before, she never went hungry. Clothing was provided in plenty, and there was a man who, if he didn't love her, at least warmed her bed each night. She knew he didn't love her, and at moments like this, she wished he would. Wishful thinking. She bit her lip, draping an arm over his waist. He isn't capable of love. At least, he isn't capable of loving me.

Anwyl closed her eyes, holding back an anguished cry. Why does it affect me so greatly? I knew before he didn't love me. There's no reason to be upset. Her body felt sore from the previous night's engagements, and she winced as she shifted to find a more comfortable position against Aamon's warm body. A dull ache thrummed through her body from her thighs upward, and she could feel the sting of the air against a love bite on her collarbone that hadn't quite scabbed over while she'd slept.

He certainly wasn't gentle when permission to go all the way was concerned. He'd satisfied her as always, but last night, she realized, had been more about feeding his unsatiated appetite than it had been about making her first time a pleasurable, memorable experience. He'd shown little patience as he took from her what she had offered without realizing everything her offer entailed.

Still, she decided. I don't regret it. He knows what he wants, and what he wants is me. For once in my life, I'm wanted and needed to fulfill someone else's needs and desires. Despite his rough behavior, knowing that she was the only one who could quench the raging fire she'd stoked in him was comforting. He might not love her, but he certainly wanted her.

She shifted again, still trying to find the right place to lay in order to avoid the majority of the soreness. Aamon grumbled another sleepy protest and pulled her into him. Wincing at the dull throb of her muscles, she stilled and let her body relax into him before falling back asleep.

***

Seanan woke to a bleak, rainy day. He stared out the window from his bed and debated going back to bed. Last night had been relatively sleepless as wave after wave of pain had crashed over him. She'd crossed over the line with Aamon, and she didn't even realize the danger her decisions would cause.

At least I'll get to see her today. Not that it'll change her opinion of me when the day ends. That knowledge more than anything else hurt, and Seanan had never been more tempted to give in to the laziness that begged him to remain in bed.

Groaning, he rolled over and got out of bed. Shuffling into the next room of his little cottage, he clattered around the kitchen, throwing a kettle of water on top of the wood stove and dashing a mixture of herbs into a cup for tea.

The bread from a few days ago was growing stale, but he pulled that out anyway along with some dried meat and fruit. While the water came to a boil, he settled into a rickety wooden chair at the table. He chewed disconsolately on the jerky while staring at the fog-covered world outside his window. Isn't there any way we can avoid all of this? But that was wishful thinking. There could be no way around this because Kadek had decreed it so.

Seanan didn't resent Kadek for it, though he did sometimes reflect that it would've been nice if there was a way to save Anwyl from herself without either of them having to go through all the pain and disaster ahead.

The steam began whistling through the kettle's spout, the sound breaking his dark reverie. His gaze snapped up to find the water boiling over. He hurried over, snatching a dish rag off the counter and using it as a pot holder to pull the kettle off the stove.

Pouring the water into his cup, he stood at the counter for a few moments, breathing in the steam and spicy aroma of the bark and fruit in the tea. His shoulders relaxed, and he let a smile flit across his lips. Morning was his favorite time of the day. The quiet calm and the occasional bird song soothed and invigorated him. The crisp scent of fall in the air was a bonus he always looked forward to.

In the end, things will be fine. Don't let your spirits drop just because the road to the end is difficult. Sighing, he returned to the table and polished off his breakfast. Either way, it's time to get back to work. Kadek, give me strength.

He tossed the dirty dishes into the sink and grabbed his satchel off the hook on his way out the door. There'll be plenty to do today.

***

They arrived in Ashteft a few hours before lunch. Anwyl stared out the window as the town came into view, and she could hardly stay still in her seat. Layt and Raeylin watched her in bemusement, and Aamon finally addressed her excitement.

"We'll be there soon enough, dear. Please, contain your excitement just a while longer." He smirked at her.

She sucked in a breath. "Sorry."

He patted her hand. "Just keep yourself calm. Did you have anyone in particular you wanted to visit?"

Anwyl nodded. But not the person you want me to see. She'd been contemplating this since she woke this morning. She still couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the situation in town than what Aamon had told her. Something didn't seem right about what he'd said about Seanan. The healer had spent so much time healing people in town. Why would he start a killing spree suddenly? None of it made sense.

"You should take Raeylin with you. Layt and I have business to attend to while you visit friends."

Anwyl squirmed, toying with the hem of her shawl. "Oh, of course..."

Raeylin's eyes narrowed. "You know, I had someone in town I wanted to see too. It's of a bit of a private nature. Perhaps Anwyl could bear to part with me for a few hours?"

Aamon eyed the two of them. "I'd feel better if she were accompanied. Town isn't particularly safe."

"All the killings have occurred at night, Aamon." Raeylin linked her arms with Layt's. "We'll be fine. Layt already assured me it was safe enough to wander around the town. It's not as if either of us have any fighting capability to speak of. What good does it do to have us together if we can't help one another anyway?"

Aamon's lips thinned. "This is something you've set your mind on, I take it?"

Raeylin shrugged. "If Anwyl really insists upon being accompanied, I can stay with her."

His gaze shifted to Anwyl. She hunched her shoulders, looking away from him. "I...I..."

"Do you feel uncomfortable with the idea of being unaccompanied, Ann? You don't have to go alone if you don't wish to." His tone indicated his wishes clearly.

Anwyl ignored the subliminal hint and took a deep breath. "I'm a grown woman. If Raey would like to visit friends of her own, I will be fine on my own. I promise to be careful, Aamon."

He exhaled softly, his jaw clenching and unclenching. "Very well. Just be sure to set a meeting place with Raeylin and don't be gone longer than the agreed upon time. If you see or hear anything suspicious, find someplace crowded. At least for now, that should be enough to keep you safe."

She laced her fingers through his. "Aamon, I'll be fine. Relax and focus on the work you have to do. Don't worry about me or Raeylin."

He nodded as the carriage pulled to a stop in front of the local inn. "Point taken. We'll be meeting back here at seven o'clock sharp. Please, be on time. Neither of us want to endure the anxiety of wondering where you are and if you're fine."

Anwyl leaned in and kissed him. "Remember what I said? Don't worry about us. We'll be fine."

"Yes, yes." He pulled away and waved her off. "Go enjoy your day. I'll see you later tonight."

She smiled and tugged Raeylin out of the carriage with her. The two girls waved the carriage off and then looked at each other. Raeylin burst into a gale of laughter. "He's like a mother hen. How do you bear it?"

Anwyl shrugged. "He's generally not that bad. I think the unrest in town has him on edge."

Raeylin pursed her lips. "Why don't you want to visit your friends with me?"

Realizing she'd inadvertently made Raeylin curious, Anwyl looked for a suitable response. "Well, it's just that the visits are of a private nature. Most of my friends are shy and wouldn't feel comfortable with an upper-class lady they don't know."

"I suppose I can understand that." Raeylin adjusted her hat. "Well, shall we meet back here at a quarter to five for dinner?"

Anwyl nodded. "That would be acceptable."

"You have the money Aamon gave you for lunch and spending?"

Anwyl snickered. "Yes, mother."

Raeylin rolled her eyes, but she rewarded Anwyl's quip with a bark of laughter. "Well, I'll see you at a quarter to five, then."

***

Anwyl's steps faltered the closer she drew to the Hall. Am I doing the right thing? Maybe I should just stay away like Aamon told me to. Her feet continued to carry her toward the Hall despite her misgivings. Rain pattered down on the pavement around her and soaked into her wool shawl. She shivered as a fall breeze whistled down the street and through her clothes.

Glancing up, she saw clouds full of the threat of a storm racing across the sky. A peal of thunder cracked through the air, and lightning ripped across the sky. Biting her lip, she clutched her shawl closer to her and hurried onward, her gaze fixed on the warm light emanating from the Hall.

I have to know the truth, she decided. Perhaps I can learn something by speaking with him. Find out what he knows.

Her knuckles rapped sharply against the heavy wooden door of the Hall. The rain increased its tempo behind her, making her mission seem even more urgent. The sky darkened further as more storm clouds rolled in. Her wet clothes clung to her now, and she quivered as the wind picked up, blowing the rain into her back.

The door creaked open then, and she stumbled into the warm interior of the building. The hot air from the fireplace near the entrance blasted her in the face, and her shoulders slumped. She pulled off her gloves and turned to thank the person who had opened the door.

Anwyl's eyes widened when she saw who had opened the door for her. Her gaze first met the inviting gold-brown eyes that she'd been thinking about since Aamon told her about the killings. Then her gaze took in the rest of his features. "Seanan..." Her voice wavered, and she suddenly wanted to run back out into the rain. Coming here was foolish, wasn't it?

"Anwyl. How has life been treating you?" He motioned toward another room off the entry where chairs nestled in front of a smaller fireplace.

She followed him into the room, settling gingerly on the wooden chairs. "Better than when I was at Mistress Wylia's."

"You've left her employment?" He settled into the chair across from her, and his face showed no surprise.

Anwyl narrowed her eyes at him. Why does he seem unsurprised by this? "I'm a slave. So no, I didn't leave her employment. She sold me."

He dipped his head in acknowledgment of her response, but he still didn't seem surprised. "And your new owner is better?"

"He's given me the chance to work my way to freedom. Five years and you'll be looking at a free woman." She twisted the damp gloves in her hands. "But I didn't come to discuss my current situation."

"I dare say you didn't. What can I do for you?"

Again. No surprise. Did he already know all of this? How queer. "I heard about the killings that have started here."

"Yes?" He leaned forward, seeming to wait for her to continue.

"I heard rumors that an Alter is killing them." She found herself leaning closer to him as well, waiting for any reaction, any sign that he might really be the villain Aamon said he was.

He nodded. "I suspect as much. The village headmasters refuse to believe it, but I know what an Alter's signature looks like, and it's all over the bodies we've found so far."

"You knew what to look for?" Anwyl frowned, leaning back in her chair.

Seanan's shoulders slumped. "I used to live in a region where they were common. The things I've seen..." His jaw clenched, and his eyes were wet when he met her gaze again. "Let's just say that the village has every reason to be terrified if I'm right. What we've seen so far is just the beginning."

He doesn't seem very guilty. Unless he's just a really good actor, there's no way someone like him could be involved. And they should be terrified? Just how bad is it if the man lauded as the Miracle Healer says we should be afraid? She stayed silent for a long while, pondering his answer. Her eyes widened, and her fingers trembled in her lap as his implications became clear. "You think it will massacre the town eventually?"

"Most likely. Unless it finds a reason to do otherwise or its master calls it off, it will gladly suck the life right out of the entire town." Seanan rubbed his temples, his gaze falling to the floor. "You know, with everything going on lately, we could use your help here. I could speak with your master about freeing you if—"

"No!" Anwyl's fingers clenched around her gloves.

His gaze snapped up to hers, and she imagined she saw some deep-seated hurt in them, a pain that rivaled what should be there over her sharp response. Biting her lip, she realized she'd been too harsh even if she couldn't understand his overly distraught look. "I mean, I want to work for my freedom. I don't want to be a charity case, Seanan. Once I've earned my freedom, I would like to come back here if the offer is still open. But I have to find my own way in the world instead of letting others gain it for me."

Seanan stood, nodding. His gaze still looked so melancholy and distant, and Anwyl couldn't help feeling she'd betrayed him in some way. But the feeling made little sense, so she dismissed it.

"You will always be welcome, Anwyl. But there are some things hard work can never gain you." He met her gaze with his heavy, wearied one.

"A job and my freedom aren't those things." Her voice faltered, and she puzzled over the odd phrasing he'd used. Some things hard work can never gain me? Why would a job here be one of those things?

"Perhaps the job isn't what I'm referring to." Seanan smiled, but it once again held that strangely sad edge.

Anwyl stood and shifted uncomfortably in place. "Then what are you referring to?"

"You'll figure it out in time and with guidance. For now, just know that I will always be here for you when it most counts." He shoved his hands into the deep pockets of his coat.

She frowned, wrapping her arms around herself. "Thank you, I suppose. But I'm fine. I don't need the help."

He bowed his head and mumbled something.

Anwyl thought she'd heard him say she needed the help and he'd be there when she realized it, but she shrugged it off. Seanan might not be the murderer, she decided, but he was certainly the strangest individual she'd ever met. Still, there was something strangely compelling about the odd man. "I think that's all I came for. Thank you for your time, Seanan."

Seanan shrugged with another forced smile. "Of course. Any time, Anwyl."

She tugged on her gloves and swept past him, seeing herself out the door. The entire way to town for lunch, she couldn't shake the image of his haunted gold-brown eyes from her mind, and she wondered if there was something he knew that she didn't. Why else should a perfect stranger seem so distraught by her insistence on independence? And what did he mean by the strange things he'd said?

Shaking her head, she trudged through the drizzle, looking forward to a hot meal in town.