“A clean kill?” suggested Will. “A hygienic homicide?”
Laina pointed at him accusingly. “I don’t believe any of it, liar.”
Selene broke in, “I think the spell would work, actually. But the rest…” She started shaking her head.
Janice returned, having recovered from her nausea. “He’s terrible when he thinks he has an audience.”
Laina agreed. “I’ll believe the rest, but there’s no way you said that bit about a ‘clean exit.’ You can barely think straight when you’re not being tortured.” Everyone nodded, seeming to come to a consensus. Then Laina looked at the others. “Did he try to tell you about his philosophical revelation regarding lies and naked people? I’ve never heard anything so stupid in all my life.”
Tiny and Will fell back slightly, letting the women take the lead while they began to enthusiastically discuss his flaws. The squire looked at him with pity. “It was a good story.”
“You believed me though, right?”
Tiny draped a large arm over his shoulder. “Listen, Will. I trust you, and trust is something you give a friend even if you think they might be lying, because lies are like clothes…”
Will punched him in the side. “Let go of me, you traitor!” They laughed together the rest of the way home, where they found the remainder of the Nerrow family waiting with a big lunch already prepared, courtesy of Armand.
The powerful embraces he received from Tabitha and Agnes warmed him all the way through, and the final, unexpected hug from Mark Nerrow brought him almost to tears. After a year separated from Selene, it was the best day he could remember ever having.