Chapter 154 - Dedication (1/2)
Katie had already sent off letters to Edmund du Pont and Marcy Grandin, the other proposed members of the delegation, and expected to hear back within the next few days. Using carrier pigeons to get messages to the post office at the base of the mountain sped up communication.
One of the refugees who fled to Rowenhilde had learned how to train them before moving back here. His skill had been indispensable.
In the meantime, Jae would be staying at the de Kanta home so Al could inform him fully about the mission and what he would be expected to do. Abby hardly saw Blaise at all because he preferred tagging along with the men than with Katie.
She missed him already when he hadn't even left yet. Once her head had cleared from the euphoria of being reunited with her sister she found herself realizing that not talking to him had made a noticeable difference in her day.
How strange.
Her eyes sought him out at the dinner table or in the evenings after Adam had gone to bed and they all sat around chatting and playing board games. He hadn't been much of a talker to begin with but now he was practically silent.
It would have been funny watching him try to play Sorry without actually speaking if it wasn't so sad. Abby was actually starting to worry about him.
She finally confronted the taciturn Warrior a day later. ”What's up with you? Are you okay or are you homesick or something? Can you say something to me?”
A brief flicker of surprise crossed his face. ”I thought you wanted to spend time with your sister without interference. Forgive me. What would you like me to say?”
How about something honest? Abby didn't have a clue what Blaise had been thinking the entire time they had been here. But she couldn't deny that she hadn't expected such consideration from him, which was stupid because it was exactly the sort of thing he would do.
In her distraction she had been a bad friend. He would be leaving as soon as they got a positive response from Edmund and Marcy and then who knew when she would see him again. She needed to try and mend their fractured relationship before he was gone.
”I'm sorry for being so distracted,” Abby blurted. ”I should have been more considerate of you. Please tell me what you've been thinking about the past few days.”
Blaise smiled at her and it softened the harsh lines of his face considerably. Her stomach flip-flopped at the sight. Had he ever smiled at her like this before? ”I understand. I have been fairly distracted as well working with Alamar on the military plan.”
He didn't respond to the second half of her statement for over a minute and she was going crazy as she waited. What was it? What was he going to say that he had been bottling up for days now?
”I think I believe your story,” he said finally. ”You and your sister are very lucky to have each other again. I am also quite impressed with how much development she and her husband have inspired in this region. The old Kanta clan was known for being backward and set in their ways.”
That was it? Typical Blaise. He could think deeply about the tiniest thing and then later refuse to elaborate on it until it was least expected.
Abby was willing to bet there was a lot more to what he had been mulling over than that but wasn't likely to get it out of him without asking specific questions. Oh well. She would take what she could get.
”I think that's mostly Katie's doing. Al wanted her to be able to recreate as much from our home as possible and lets her do her thing using his influence,” she said lightly. ”He really loves her.”