Ten Arrows

Chapter 26

"But-"

"And you didn't assume the worst, either. In the end, you trusted me. You stayed here and waited, despite how bad everything looked, and you gave me a chance to explain myself. If anything, we can chalk this whole experience up to really awful timing... tangled plans within plans, ridiculously complex difficulties perched upon complications, all feasting hungrily upon a plethora of things gone awry. The two of us bumping into each other here this morning just wasn't supposed to happen the way it did." I rubbed my jaw a little. "Actually, come to think of it, several things didn't happen exactly the way they were supposed to this past little while."

"You can say that again. You could have died today, Vincent! From what I've heard, even just from your own retelling of events, you came pretty close to it."

"Yeah, a couple of times. I really wasn't expecting Borshank to attack me like that in the courtroom, right in front of everybody. But see, that's a fine example right there! He'd attacked me, and the law would have been on my side if something happened to Borshank while I was defending myself. I already had every reason to want to kill him after that 'surprise' he'd tried to arrange for you on your birthday, and I could have killed him right there in the Executioner's Hall. A part of me really, really wanted to. But I didn't. I figured there was a more fitting punishment - letting him remain alive and well, living out the rest of his days knowing it was me who destroyed his reputation and shattered his career."

Talia gave me an arch smile. "And who also shattered his nose with a sword pommel."

I coughed softly.

"That is true, yes," I said. "Not very mature of me, I'll admit. And I'll warn you right now, I can be very petty and vindictive, when it comes right down to it. Especially when it comes to people I care about being put in harm's way."

"I've always known that about you."

"What, that I'm immature?"

Talia gave me a warning look that was accompanied by a tight-lipped smirk, and I chuckled.

"No, I get what you mean. And you do know many things about me already, Talia. In a way, I feel that you know and understand me more completely than anyone else. Perhaps that's the whole reason why you stayed, and gave me this chance to explain myself. You trusted me. I don't ever want to risk losing that... not for anything in the world. I cherish that understanding, and would never do anything to jeopardize it. So, perhaps in future, if I'm ever doing something that seems completely out of character and I tell you not to worry, you'll maybe give me the benefit of the doubt?"

"'Not to worry,' he says." She snorted softly. "So, you didn't almost die today?"

"Well, that's true. Twice, actually." I raised a tired hand to interrupt the question I saw forming on her lips. "I'll tell you about the second one later. It happened this morning in the vault, during the first break-in attempt... forgot to mention. It was Borshank that time as well. And yes, at times you may be justified in worrying about some of the insanity I've gotten myself mixed up with, and when you're concerned I certainly want you to put voice to your worries and tell me about them. But you get what I mean."

Talia pursed her lips and nodded, at which point she went still, allowing the silence between us to linger for what seemed like a rather long time. Eventually, I realized that Talia could be attempting to find the best way to phrase her next question. Considering how quick she'd been to share her thoughts thus far, a part of me became a touch concerned by this lengthy pause.

"So," she said, eventually, "tell me this then - exactly why is it you couldn't have told me about all of these various plans of yours earlier? And by 'earlier', I mean much earlier."