That gave her pause, and she stayed silent until they were up to the edge of town, passing the first buildings. Not many people were out and about, a few wanderers who glanced at them and then quickly away. The answer wasn’t hard, she just didn’t know if Faol would believe her. “No,” Orfeus said. “Not in the moment.”

Faolan looked at her. “Then you’re a liar.”

It had almost felt like a peace offering, which was the only reason his jibe caught her off guard, surely. “Thanks,” she bit off.

Faol shrugged. They walked through town, down these streets she knew. Anyone who saw them walked faster or hurried inside. Curtains twitched back over windows as they passed.

Orfeus seethed in silence for as long as she could bear to before she said curtly, professionally, “Can I know the target at least?”

Faolan strode forward easy and quick, unmindful of the looks he got from the few townsfolk around. “Maybe…not until we’re there.”

Orfeus snorted through her nose. Faol didn’t trust her; good. “Oh, there’s nothing to worry about,” she said. “I’m sure there won’t be that many people who’ll cause a conflict of interest here. I only know most of the people in town.”

Faol walked ahead a metre or two forward before saying, grim and low and in half a mumble, “I’ll at least say it’s not Primrose.”

Orfeus laughed a little, painfully. “You know, I’ve wondered if it was her?”

Faol’s look was a little blank. “Her what?”

Orfeus waved her hand a little in the space between them, because she already knew he wouldn’t give any more information on whoever had gotten the hit on her, if he even knew. “Someone put that contract on me, the first one,” she said. “It could be Primrose.”

“Your lover,” Faol said, with a look of disbelief. He shook his head. “You trust no one!”

She winked at him. “That’s the way to survive.”

It wasn’t. She knew it wasn’t. She’d have to choose someone to trust eventually, but certainly not the Wolf, striding through her town like the spectre of death again. Wasn’t this what she’d wanted to prevent? And all she’d achieved was stalking beside him with a knife in her hand, playing at being a monster.

She hoped she was playing.

The Hub didn’t look too damaged from the explosion. That was more of a relief than Orfeus would admit to herself. As long as the Hub was receiving and transmitting, any urgent needs Tinctora couldn’t take care of on its own could be provided to them. Medical supplies or building supplies, to supplement the stores that surely hadn’t been enough to rebuild all that had burned down. With the Hub working, no one would’ve been in too much danger.