Weight of the World

Chapter Thirty-Four

—Tregaar—

"This is such a waste of time," Raler grumbled as he stood in the middle of yet another abandoned building. "Low Reach is such a shithole. Regis oughta just tear it all down and start again."

Behind him, an upbeat chuckle mocked him in a friendly manner. If it had been anyone else, Raler might have had a mind to snap at them, but Sahn was his friend, or as close to one as Raler could have. Besides, even if he did yell at him, it would make no difference. There was nothing that seemed to rattle the First Silencer anymore. From the day his hair had turned stark white, Sahn Ikhari had never lost the small smile that always adorned his face or stopped finding the humor in all things. To anyone else, he was a patient and contented man, but Raler had been there the day Sahn had seen the Savior perched above the Tomb of the Holy Light. A smile he may have, but there was no warmth in Sahn's gaze anymore, only a slow-burning rage that boiled beneath the surface. Raler was not going to be the one that caused him to finally snap. The only one who had ever beaten Sahn in a fight was the Shadow of the Creator himself.

"And where, exactly, do you imagine we shall put all the people that live here?" Sahn asked good-naturedly as he continued to needlessly inspect the clearly abandoned building.

Raler shrugged. "Not my problem. Would save us the trouble of digging through this flea-infested corner of the city looking for rats too cowardly to face us in the open."

"I wasn't aware there were any courageous rats. My mistake."

Raler rolled his eyes, striding quickly for the nearest exit. Sahn followed closely behind.

"Are you truly upset with our lack of progress, or does this have more to do with the fact that you left your Mistress Tor'Varyan alone with Lord Carlisle?" Sahn only blinked at him expectantly when Raler whirled around, eyes wide.

"Don't say that so loud!"

Sahn offered that annoying chuckle again as he stepped past him and through the door to return to the bustling street. "Now, now, brother, you forget the Savior was one of my dearest friends. I would never allow her sister to be placed in danger I could prevent. There is no one listening through our Echoes. I ensured our communications were silenced first."

Raler felt his shoulders relax, but Sahn's earlier question still hung between them as his partner waited patiently for a response. Raler shook his head and continued down the street. There were still a few locations they needed to check before they were finished for the day. Likely the rest would prove the same as the others they had investigated. Empty and a waste of time.

"She ain't my girl," Raler said over his shoulder, refusing to look his partner in the eye.

"But you wish she was."

Raler rolled his eyes again. "Just 'cause I want to bed the girl don't mean I wanna keep her."

"You would be quite the idiot to not want her forever."

Raler snorted derisively. "Ain't never claimed to be smart."

"Ah, I see. So, you are an idiot when it is convenient for you to ignore your incredibly obvious feelings."

"We're Silencers, remember? We don't do feelings. We have our orders, listen to the Path, and collect a paycheck. Simple life. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy, pickle on a stick or whatever that stupid phrase is."