“I thought you could use it,” Marissa said in her soft voice. Sarah smiled. Marissa was so thoughtful. At first Sarah had been put off by the other’s title and light, Rankan good looks. Now she wondered if she could have made it this far without her friend.
“Thank you, Marissa. I think you’re right.” She took a sip of wine, letting the liquid numb her mouth, enjoying the sensation of it sliding down her throat.
“Cade’s really getting to you, huh?” Marissa said with a raised eye- brow.
“Oh, that man. I don’t understand him.” Sarah’s voice dropped to a whisper. “He frightens me.”
Marissa laughed. “He frightens everyone,” she answered, “even Targ.”
“I can’t believe that.” Sarah considered the notion that anyone or anything could frighten Marissa’s strange mercenary and found it ludi- crous. As ludicrous as, well, as thinking anything scared Cade.
“0h, it’s true,” Marissa said. “Targ snorts and struts around every time Cade walks into a room.” She smiled though Sarah thought it looked a little strained. “I swear his hair stands orTend.” Sarah laughed at that. Targ’s excessive hairiness had been a running’joke between the two for some time. The thought of all that red hair standing up straight was amusing. “Just like a little porcupine,” she said, and the two laughed again.
“Marissa,” Sarah said, her voice losing all trace of amusement, “why have you hired more mercenaries?” Marissa was quiet. She hated this. She liked Sarah and longed to tell her the truth, all of it. The lies between the two of them kept them apart, but she owed people and she had always paid her debts.