Rezkin shook his head, turned, and continued the walk back to the inn. Not wanting to think about the whole incident, he tried to keep his full attention on his surroundings to avoid any troubles with the locals. It seemed these two were still unwilling to trust him. He could not really blame them since they had not known him for even a day, but it seemed they were constantly expecting the worst from him. Just because he could force people to submit to his will did not mean he would. He was not a cruel man, the kind who took pleasure in intimidating or hurting others.

In truth, he was most disappointed with himself since he was trying his best to adhere to Rule 1, and he seemed to be constantly failing. He knew he had the Skills to protect his friends, but honoring them at the same time seemed beyond his abilities. They were not happy with anything he did. He mentally sighed. The whole situation was completely new. As they became accustomed to each other and engaged in more tasks, they would gain an understanding of each other’s Skills and dependability in following the Rules. It had been so with the strikers at the fortress. The team had been extremely effective after training together for so many years. Rezkin unconsciously rubbed at the tightness in his chest once again. Given time, he could have that with his new friends.

Rezkin escorted his two companions back to the inn in silence and then left without a word for the main guardhouse. He bought a meat pie and an apple from a couple of vendors on the way. For a few hours he pored over the previous week’s entry records. As he expected, he found nothing concerning Farson, but he did make a mental note of the comings and goings of a number of nobles, successful merchants, and other people of interest.

Leaving the guardhouse, he headed back to the market district. He would need to restock a few supplies for the voyage. He had never been on a boat, but he had learned about them in his studies. His masters had said that some people became ill with the motion of the vessel, and a few of the strikers had confirmed this. Apparently, even well-trained warriors could be vulnerable to the effects of water. He stopped in an herbalist’s shop and purchased a small amount of fennel, horehound, and ginger, in compliance with Rule 96—Always be prepared.

The young warrior stopped at a few more stalls and was heading back toward the inn when a rainbow of fluttering fabric caught his eye. Rezkin suddenly remembered his master telling him that the wind could be quite cool on a boat. He thought that he should probably make sure Frisha had something to keep her warm. It would not do for her to catch a chill.