Helmat exhaled. “They’re all my fault,” he said tersely. “I’m the Wolflord. I’m the Wolflord, but apparently even I am not immune to charm.”
“And Severn lacks charm?”
“Not precisely. He’searnest, Rosie. Were it not for the Tha’alani, I believe I would have dismissed him out of hand.”
“Funny.”
“Oh?”
“I don’t.”
“You like him.”
“He works. He works hard. I’ve never heard him complain.”
“He’s on probation. This is the best his behavior is likely to be.”
“I’m not sure it will change. Jaren will approve of him, and Jaren never liked Darrell.”
“Jaren goes out of his way to avoid liking anyone he thinks isn’t likely to survive.”
“None of us are likely to survive in this job.”
“Probably why Jaren doesn’t spend much time here.” Helmat shrugged. “Time to chase the two of them out of my office.”
“There had better be simple, good news. I’ve spent most of the afternoon and early evening expending monumental effort not to strangle someone. I have no self-control left.”
Elluvian levered himself up from his leaning position against the nearest wall. “Then we will return in the morning, when perhaps your reserve of self-control will be less depleted.” En’s eyes were blue—not a strange color for a Barrani, but his eyes looked shadowed. One brow rose as Helmat inspected his face. “I have spent some part of the afternoon in almost exactly the same fashion.”
“An’Tellarus?”
“Of course.”
“And you?” Helmat asked the private. “Did you also expend similar effort?”
“It wasn’t necessary.”
“You were speaking with a Barrani Lord; I find it’s always necessary.”
That pulled a wry smile from the young man. “I don’t think you’d find it necessary in his case.”
“Helmat is far too suspicious to believe what you believe.”
“And you think Lord Marlin is right?”
“I think he is wise.”
“Wisdom,” Helmat said, “is seldom considered wrong.”
“What constitutes wisdom is frequently and heatedly debated,” Elluvian replied. He glanced at Severn; it was almost a glare. “Private Handred wishes to have a few words with you in private, and I’m of a mind to allow it.”
Helmat was surprised. He was tired enough to let it show.
“It is not the first time I have granted Wolves privacy,” Elluvian said, the words sour with unspent annoyance. To Severn, he added, “You are certain?”
Severn nodded.
Helmat walked past them to his desk, where he sat heavily, thumping the desktop with his elbows. “I am hungry and annoyed,” he told the private.