Of course, I refused Clifford's offer of the lord's quarters. While I might have helped, it was mostly his magical talent that brought us here. The Marquis had been so impressed—and so desperate to enlist him—that he ended up entrusting both a castle and a town to a foreigner.
That said, I still made sure to find myself a decent room. It was a castle, after all, with no shortage of chambers to pick from. I chose one of modest size, facing away from the sea and its constant salty winds. I'd had enough of that back on the ship. Now even the sight of water—or the faintest whiff of brine—turns my stomach.
The lone window overlooked the town and the chapel beyond. The view was high and wide, rooftops and crooked lanes stretched out like a child's rough drawing, with the people below small enough to look like scurrying ants. From up here, I could almost pretend the town was nice, that the stench of fish guts and dung didn't drift on the air when the wind turned.
