Page 118 of Ruthless, But for Her

The boat slipped from the shore slowly, carried by the current.

No flames.

No spectacle.

Only water.

The crew watched as Leif was carried away from the docks he had called home, toward the sea.

The Einar's men lowered their heads, one by one.

Ryker stood at the edge of the water, long after the boat disappeared from sight.

Long after The Einar's men had pulled away from the shore and those who had come to bear witness to Leif's farewell disappeared back to their duties. Long after Margot stepped forward and placed her hand on Ryker's shoulder, leaving only when he remained still. Long after Sorren joined her and Ashton, after Leif's boat could no longer be seen on the horizon.

Only then did Ryker finally turn away from the sea.

He joined them, his eyes red-rimmed, his expression grim.

“He's gone.”

It was all he said.

No grand speeches. No sorrowful words.

None were needed.

What Leif meant to all of them, to Ryker especially, was plain enough to see.

Eventually, they began to move away from the docks, their party given wide berth from anyone they passed. No one spoke until they turned the corner onto one of the quieter streets away from the harbor.

Ryker took a leather string from the pouch at his belt.

“One's missing. He must have lost it somehow in battle.”

It was then that Cassia remembered.

In the chaos of the past few days, she'd never told Ashton about what Leif had given her.

Reaching into the pouch at her side where she vowed to keep it, always, Cassia removed her token and extended her hand, palm up.

“He did not lose it. Leif gave it to me, in Grantchester, the night he escorted me home.”

All three stared at her.

Cassia looked between them, confused by their reaction.

“He said it was a way to summon him. Or you,” she said, nodding toward Ashton. “If ever there was need. I'd have used it to get to Norham, but⁠—”

“It could be used as that,” Sorren said. “But 'twas not its purpose.”

“Oh.”

Cassia looked down at the token.

“Then what was?”

For the first time that day, Ashton smiled.