Velin's mind went blank for a moment.
A man...
This Kael was a man.
An absurd thought uncontrollably popped into his head.
That refined appearance, that cold temperament, and on top of that, Barrett's talk of a past spent "cleaning up trouble."
He almost instantly made the connection as to why Kael assassinated nobles...
He suspected some vermin had made a demand along the lines of "don't turn around."
Velin immediately banished the dangerous question from his mind. He resolved to never, ever ask it out loud.
He cleared his throat, and the stagnant air in the office began to move again.
Velin turned to Barrett and said in a business-like tone, "Barrett, your room is ready. Go get some rest. We'll talk about your situation tomorrow."
Barrett grinned. He understood that his lord wanted to speak with Kael alone, so he nodded crisply.
"Yes, my lord."
He clapped Kael heavily on the shoulder, the force of the blow knocking a cloud of dust from his clothes.
