Everything she hadn't seen in him before came out. Unreasonable jealousy, frequent hustle, and bustle, treason... And Malik began to raise his hand on her. However, the latter he did only once, just a couple of seconds before River broke his three ribs and reduced the number of teeth in his mouth. All this plus his husband's stunned eyes made it clear that there was no point in hiding his vocation. And she told him. Without the details, of course, but that was enough.
Malika's reaction was not as she had imagined it to be. He seemed proud that his wife was able to kick the ass of any bad guy. And along with the pride came the problems: again jealousy and yelling that "you don't understand me, of course, you're a super-woman, but the guys in the bar are laughing at me, they say you put me right under your thumb! After all, River, realizing she'd made a big, big mistake, left her husband. She got as far away as she could. And I wasn't going back. Officially they were still husband and wife, but let someone try to remind River of that.
Destiny, however, decided otherwise.
River shook her head sharply. "Do I have no other job but to think about him? Here's Erin, for example. Poor girl can become a sacrificial lamb if I don't intervene.
- Tell me, do you know how to handle a weapon? - She asked without turning around. Erin, who wasn't expecting a mercenary to talk to her, shuddered and tripped.
- What? What?
- What did you hear? What kind of weapons do you own?
The girl shrugged her shoulders.
- Nothing. Why do you ask?
River gritted his teeth. "Fine, just fine.
- I'm giving you a choice," she stopped and looked at the witch at point-blank range. - What's closer to you: a sword, bow, pole, dagger, crossbow? Something else?
Erin's eyes widened, and she retreated backward.
- Why would you do that? - she licked her lips nervously. River sighed.
- I might not be around at the right moment," she patiently explained and corrected her shirt cuff. - So what do you say?
Erin frowned. She didn't want to pick up any of the above things, but River was right: she couldn't protect her forever. Somewhere in the girl's head flashed the idea that, after all, River from the Light Council, but she threw her away and thought about the question.
- I guess the bow would have been just right," she finally said. River nodded.
- Fine, green eyes, as soon as we have the money, we'll do your training.
Erin didn't know whether to be happy with her or upset about this development. On the one hand, it is certainly good to be able to defend ourselves, but on the other hand...
"Yes, it's good on all sides," she cut herself off. - In my current situation, I don't have to choose. And thanks to River for worrying about me.
* * * * *
- We've been going for hours. You said the city was close.
Sylvia gritted her teeth, trying to restrain herself from hitting that annoying boy. He had been whining for three hours, making the mercenary's fists clench more and more. "His happiness is that I don't like loneliness. Blonde wanted to squeal, frighten Freddy to death so that he at least so silenced. The road wasn't easy without it, with all the climbing and descending, the rocks lying around, the branches of the trees whipping in the face...
- Well, are we going to go somewhere soon? - Freddie started again and was frightened when Sylvia turned a pale, angry face toward him.
- Look, you," she whispered as she approached the backward-facing guy, "thank you for pulling you out of the sea. You could still swim there but in a smaller version. Sharks don't like strangers.
- But I just...
- Without any "but"! - Sylvia shouted, stomped her foot and kind of accidentally hit Freddie's fingers. - We're moving forward. What else do you want?
Freddie wasn't answering, trying to cope with the unexpected pain. Sylvia snorted and muttered under her nose something like "Wussy!" and took a fresh step forward. Freddie, complaining about the bad character of some women, followed her.
* * * * *
- How beautiful! - Erin exhaled admiringly. She was standing near a large, set table, on which various jewelry made of pearls were laid out, and still couldn't take her eyes off. River, who by the will of captivity had stayed with her, was shrieking her face but was silent. For the last three hours, they had been walking, walking, and walking, so it was possible to give Erin a little pleasure when she was tired. Especially since they were finally in town. River was going to make some nice ringing rounds, eat, rest, and go back on the road.
The trader, who didn't know that the customers didn't have any money yet, and who wasn't losing hope of selling them something, was hanging around Erin, slipping her one thing or the other.
- How wonderful you look," he cooed, clasping large pearl beads around her neck. - And this color! It refreshes you so much.
To be continued...