Page 182 of Salt Between the Wolves

Leander joined her at the window.

"Who?"

"My father."

A brief silence followed while gulls circled above the harbor outside.

"They speak about him as though he were a storm."

Leander watched the sea for a moment before answering.

"Storms pass."

The response settled heavily between them.

Eira turned toward him, thinking for a moment that he might leave it there, but instead he spoke quietly.

"Your father is becoming a problem for more people than just you."

The words lingered in the space between them. They were neither cruel nor unkind, merely true.

For the first time, Eira found herself looking beyond the role of daughter, beyond old wounds and family ties, and seeing the outline of something much larger—something that stretched far beyond Frostvein's borders and far beyond herself.

Eira left the council chamber with her thoughts still occupied by the discussion, as the voices, arguments, and unwavering certainty with which strangers had spoken about matters affecting entire regions continued to linger in her mind.

Everything about it felt different from Frostvein and Ironfang—messier, certainly, but somehow more honest as well.

She descended the stone steps leading toward the courtyard and nearly walked past the woman from the council.

The captain sat alone on a low wall overlooking the harbor, with one boot resting on the stone beside her while a pipe smoldered lazily between her fingers. The scent drifting from it was unfamiliar, sharp, and earthy.

The woman glanced up.

"You're Vargan's daughter."

It wasn't phrased as a question.

Eira stopped and nodded.

"Yes."

The woman studied her for a moment before nodding in return.

"I thought so."

A brief silence settled between them while the captain took another draw from her pipe.

"You look less irritating than he does."

Eira blinked, uncertain whether she had heard correctly, but the woman appeared entirely serious.

"Thank you?"

"You're welcome."

Neither of them spoke for a moment before the captain gestured toward the empty space beside her.

"Sit."