A slight motion of my hand reminded Burrich that his words sounded close to treason. He stepped into the stall beside me, to scratch behind Sooty’s ears pensively as I finished with her.
“You could do nothing else,” I conceded. “But I must wonder what his real intent is. And why she suffers him.”
“His intent? Perhaps just to wriggle his way back into favor with her. It is no secret that she pines in the castle. Oh, she is fair-spoken to all. But there is too much honesty in her for her to make others believe she is happy when she is not.”
“Perhaps,” I conceded grudgingly. I lifted my head as suddenly as a dog does when his master whistles. “I have to go. King-in-Waiting Verity …” I let the words trail away. I did not have to let Burrich know I had been summoned by the Skill. I slung my saddlebags with the arduously copied scrolls inside to my shoulder and headed up to the castle.
I did not pause to change my clothes, or even to warm myself at the kitchen fires, but went straight to Verity’s map room. The door was ajar, and I tapped once and then entered.
Verity leaned over a map secured to his table. He scarcely glanced up to acknowledge me. Steaming mulled wine already awaited me, and a generous platter of cold meats and bread stood on a table near the hearth. After a bit he straightened up.
“You block too well,” Verity said by way of a greeting. “I have been trying to get you to hurry for the past three days, and when do you finally know you are Skilled? When you are standing in my own stables. I tell you, Fitz, we must find time to teach you some sort of control over your Skill.”