Blackmane watched him walk away, chest pinching as Tolly disappeared into the turret. He stood there for a full minute, not nearly exhausted enough, watching the water pool at his feet, then went to clean himself up.

Chapter 33

CHAPTER 33

Isabel stood with Ita in front of Maddock House, the hood of her cloak pulled up to protect her ears from the cold, wintery air, staring up at the roof.

‘It is definitely even?’ she asked.

‘Definitely.’ Though Ita sounded less sure than the last time Isabel had asked the question. ‘But even if there was a slight height difference, which there isn’t, it’s an excellent thatched roof for a first effort.’

Isabel nodded in agreement. ‘Even if the left side was a little higher than the right side, which it is not, it is not so drastic that anyone would notice.’

‘Agreed. We’ve been standing here for the past half an hour, actively searching for faults. It’s only natural that we would start to imagine them.’

Isabel let out a relieved breath. ‘You are quite right. We are viewing it through rather critical eyes. It is fine.’

‘More than fine.’

The sound of footsteps had the women looking over their shoulders. Rabbit approached, eyeing the roof as he walked.

‘What do you think?’ Ita asked.

He stopped beside her, crossing his arms as he stared up at the newly finished house. ‘The left side’s higher than the right.’

Ita jabbed him with her elbow.

He made an ‘oof’ sound, then raised his hands. ‘What?’

‘You could have commented on our excellent technique instead of pointing out its flaws.’

‘Lied, you mean?’

Isabel’s chest deflated. ‘But it is salvageable, yes?’

‘Everything’s salvageable in the wastelands,’ Rabbit replied. ‘I can give you a hand, if you like?’

Isabel knew there was no point dwelling on their disappointment. ‘We would appreciate that, thank you.’

Margery flew down and landed on Ita’s shoulder, looking around. Isabel reached out to pet her, but her attention was diverted by the sound of horses. Initially, she had found that sound alarming, but the wastelanders had proven over the previous seven months that they were more than capable of keeping the border secure. They were filled with a fierce determination that no king or lord was brave enough to test.

‘Is that Tolly?’ Ita asked as the horses drew closer.

Isabel narrowed her eyes on the man riding at the front of the group. ‘It is.’ Normally, she looked forward to his visits, but the speed at which he approached induced a healthy amount of anxiety. This was not a social visit.

As she watched him, she could not help but notice how much he looked like Blackmane when he wore that serious expression. A familiar sadness crept in around the edges of her soul.

‘Why does this feel like bad news?’ Ita said beside her.

A sick feeling settled in Isabel’s stomach.