“I’m sorry, but this is an arranged marriage,” Crow teased Penelope when she said his plan would be romantic if she was with better company. “You don’t get to choose.”

[color=fff79a][b]“But...”[/b][/color] she added. [color=fff79a][b]“It’s not a bad backup, should worse come to worst...”[/b][/color]

Crow stared at Penelope in thinly veiled surprise. He had only been joking by suggesting they should pretend to be married if they got caught. He never expected her to actually go along with such an outlandish idea.

Then there was the matter of her sudden bashfulness. For a moment, he wondered if she really did harbor feelings for him, but he quickly put the thought aside. There was no way that was possible. Even though she was friendlier towards him now, he was still just a prisoner to her. She likely only decided to go along with his plan because she was so determined to finish their assignment for the king.

He blinked. What did it matter if Penelope was interested in him or not? He would be leaving her behind in a matter of days and, while she was a beautiful woman, there were plenty of other pretty faces back in the outer village. He would have his choice when he returned, so there was no point in pining for someone who would never return his affections.

He cleared his throat, suddenly realizing that she was waiting for him to say something. “Exactly,” he said, returning to his normal Brerratic accent. “Even if William and Abraxas get arrested, we can finish the job on our own, and the king can order their release when he gains possession of the staff.” He drew the dagger he kept in his boot and turned it over in his hands, absently examining the edge of the blade. “Besides, I work better in smaller numbers when I’m not on my own. If they get caught, we could move even faster, and we would be back in Brerra before the king even realizes he’s won.”

[i]I’ll also get home faster,[/i] he added silently. It was strange how one simple, offhanded remark could lead to such elaborate plans, but all of the sudden Crow could see numerous advantages to traveling with just Penelope rather than all three of the knights. He almost found himself hoping their plans to blend in with the Younisians would fail.