“I’ll not ask what arrangement you made with Midden, but I must know why. You know what he is, what he’s capable of.” Lukas said.

“I know.” Sirach put his hands on the table. “Jeofram was pressuring me, said he was going to take the Emperor’s Bounty if I didn’t pay him in full. We don’t do business like that out here. I didn’t know what else to do.”

“So you turned to the least stable among the Changed? One who would kill you for looking at him cross-wise? One who considers me a rival, if not an outright enemy?” Lukas tried not to let his anger get the better of him but Midden was trouble. And he knew that Sirach knew it too.

“I turned to him- BECAUSE HE WAS THE CLOSEST! I hadn’t seen you for months, I had no idea when, OR IF, you were coming back!” Sirach choked at the strain of yelling and then paled as he realized who he’d just been yelling at. “M’Lord, I am so sorry-”

Lukas sat back in stunned realization. “No, I’m the one who is sorry. If you turned to Midden, things must’ve been wretched indeed.”