Steven Brust: Hawk

“Because-”

“And because there were Jhereg outside Cawti’s house, and I’m tired of not being able to see my kid.”

I walked a little ways up the coast, staying on the cliff edge. Years and years, I’d spent running. I’d counted on this to either end it, or end me. So, okay. Why change plans now?

The wind was in my face, and my cloak would have been billowing nicely if I hadn’t tossed it away and it weren’t soaking wet. Take that as a metaphor, if you will. Also I wouldn’t have been as chilly, but that isn’t as important as pulling off the whole billowing-cloak-hair-in-the-wind-on-the-cliff thing. Adrilankha was far behind me. I could keep going, of course. I could just keep going this way, and run, and run.

I could have done that a week ago.

“Boss?”

I tapped Lady Teldra’s hilt with my finger, stopped, and faced the waves breaking beneath me.

“Yeah?”

“What are you going to do?”

I took off the amulet and weighed it in my hand. Then I took hold of the chain and swung it over my head.

“Boss!”

I let it go, and watched it arc over the cliff, over the beach, and fall into the ocean-sea.

“Come on,” I said. “Let’s get back to town, I really want my cloak.”