Across the Midnight Sea

Chapter 32: Night Sky

Hello, Welcome to another chapter thank you for being here.

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The stars above were shinning brightly in the moons absence. It's usually round pale face was only a fingernail's sliver in the sky. 

This was Imre's favorite kind of night, quiet, peaceful and filled with twinkling light. 

"How is your shoulder Emiricus?"

"I told you not to call me that," Imre admonished, though he was too tired to argue and they were far enough away, and Heftar's voice quiet enough that he wasn't worried about anyone else hearing.

Hearing Heftar say his name felt strangely painful.

There were other lips that he had wanted his true name to fall from.

Would it have really hurt so much to tell her? To have her say it once?

Yes, his mind answered back. It could have. If she had said his true name aloud even once, loud enough for others to hear it...even by accident...Imre shook his head. It was enough that she had said his shorter name.

Enough that he could hear her kind voice whispering it to him in his memory.

"Will you be able to pull?" Heftar interrupted Imre's internal discussion.

"I don't have a choice," Imre shrugged. He knew the motion was not visible in the dark. He didn't particularly care. It wasn't important that Heftar see.

He would pull or he would die.

Truth was Imre was more concerned about his wrist.

Smither's had put his shoulder back into place and while the pain there was still immense the joint obeyed when he called upon it. While he had no doubt that the first leg of the canal tomorrow would be excruciating he also had faith that the shoulder would hold.

The wrist, which had held the rope to save Adira's life was not recovering in the same fashion.

His grip was all but gone in that hand and when Imre tried to close or move his fingers the pain was some of the worst he had ever endured. If it did not improve there was a very good chance that it would be the death of him.

"The girl came to see you. The Tamerian," Heftar said. It was not a question, rather a statement seeking confirmation.

There was no real point in denying it and Imre was fairly certain that Heftar was the 'dog with a bone' type-not good at letting things go.

So Imre gave the truth in as small piece as he could:

"Yes."

"And?" Heftar prompted immediately.

"And what business is it of yours?" Imre asked dismissively. "How many times do I have to break your nose before you stop sticking it in my business?"

Heftar chuckled which only served to re-confirm what Imre already knew. Heftar, stubborn giant that he was, had no plans of leaving Imre alone. Still, it was somewhat refreshing to have someone around, especially someone with a bit of a sense of humor.

"At least keep away when Verek is around," Imre said, more seriously.

"He does not like you," Heftar said pointedly, then showing that he saw more than he let on. "Or perhaps he likes you too well."

"He knows who I am," Imre answered, not wanting to think about Heftar's keen observation regarding Verek's interest.

"Ah," there was a pause and Imre got the distinct feeling that Heftar was nodding in the dark. "I will keep my distance as much as my conscious will allow."