Inside the room, Tristana checked Renato from head to toe. Only after confirming that his clothes were completely intact did she let out a long breath.
The young cleric's shoulders finally relaxed. But once her embarrassment passed, anger quickly flooded her heart, and she blamed the weapon master who had caused Renato to be summoned for all her fear of her mother.
"That lowborn drifter Aknath-does he really think he's some grand noble?" Tristana's voice was sharp and grating. She kicked the stone chair beside her, sending it flying. "Doesn't he know you're mine? How dare he give you trouble, defy Mother's orders, and humiliate you in front of so many family soldiers? That's a slap in my face..."
Renato frowned as he watched her sweep a pot of glowing mushrooms off the bedside table.
Tristana had brought it over and set it there only a few days earlier. She had clearly liked it, even making a point of boasting to Renato about how expensive and rare those mushrooms were.
Now, however, the ghostly blue mushrooms and their clay pot had been knocked to the floor and rolled between them.
"Calm down, Tristana." Renato reached out to stop her arm as she reached for the lamp, closing his fingers around her wrist. "The weapon master didn't give me trouble. He took me on a mission, I earned a large sum of money, and he promised to practice swordsmanship with me. Those are all tangible benefits."
"Besides, I have no intention of becoming some captain. What could a bunch of drow soldiers who spend all day patrolling the barracks do for me? It's pointless..."
"Naive! Stupid! You've already fallen into his trap!"
Tristana violently shook off his grip. Looking furious at his failure to understand, she jabbed a finger hard into