I looked at the knife in my trembling hand, tears blurring my vision of it. “Why didn’t you just give me to someone who could love me?”

“No one was looking for another mouth to feed. And I tried multiple times to take you to the orphanage. You kept running back to find me.”

“I don’t remember all that.” I laughed, despite my budding tears. “I was a stupid child.”

“No, you were a survivor. Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.” He looked down at the knife, then shifted his eyes back to mine. “I might as well tell you I’ve decided to help you with the hyena.”

I dropped my arm to my side quickly, gripping the handle. “You mean you’re staying?”

“You think after raising you for fourteen years I’d let you die now?”

“I think you’d let me come close before saving me.” I said it like a joke, but neither of us laughed. Maybe because we both knew it was true. Normal. “And you’re right. Better the devil I know.” I put my knife away, and grinned, but only because it made me feel better about everything. “Come on, Satan, let’s go put your horse in the stable.”

“It’s fitting, since I’ll be in hell for the next few days,” he replied, but the corner of his mouth turned up the slightest bit. “The archbishop is going to lose his mind.”

The creaking of the stairs caught my attention, and I turned to see Saba hugging a folded wool blanket to her chest. Even the air around Jember went rigid when she approached.

Jember folded his arms across his chest. He didn’t look pleased to see her. How could he not be happy to see Saba again? Even I was happy to see her, and I’d only been away from her for a few minutes.

“Saba,” he greeted.

She nodded, giving him a shy grin.

He dropped his gaze to the floor immediately. Cleared his throat. “I don’t think we have anything more to say to each other. I’m just here to help Andi.”

Saba bit her lip, and then shook out the blanket, draping it over his shoulders.

“I don’t need it,” he protested sternly, and I was about to open my mouth to chastise him about being stubborn, but Saba was way ahead of me. She tucked it around him tightly, holding it in her fist by his chest, like she was threatening him. He looked at her then, and for a moment they stood in each other’s gaze.

It felt … intimate. It was a look. That was all. But I felt like an intruder to newlyweds’ first night together.

“You look exactly the same,” he murmured. His gloved hand lifted, lingering near her chin. “God … why did I let this happen to you?”