Chapter 93: Mercenaries All

After fourteen hours’ sleep, Kvothe wakes recovered from binder’s chills, surprising his companions who had found him bloodied and near-frozen. They treat wounds: Hespe’s arrowed leg, Dedan’s shoulder gash, and Marten’s head lump. Kvothe tends his grazes and the self-cut on his arm; Tempi is unhurt and unreadable.

The group gathers the bodies: one sentry by Dedan, two felled by Tempi in the woods, three slain while fleeing (Marten one, Tempi two), and seventeen ravaged by lightning, eight likely dead beforehand. A sentry’s day-old tracks show one escapee; they choose not to pursue. The leader’s tent lies crushed under the blasted oak, and his body is missing. They build a pyre for the dead. Privately, Kvothe retrieves the sentry he had used as a mommet anchor, buries him under a willow, and is violently sick.

They remain three days at the camp, benefiting from provisions and shelter. Tensions ease with the job done and the rain ended, though Marten avoids Kvothe. Kvothe secretly destroys the wax mommets. Tempi offers no judgment but shifts focus from the Ketan to practicing Aturan and discussing the Lethani. Fetching gear from their old camp, Kvothe recovers his lute and plays; Tempi listens from hiding, rapt.

On the third day they clear the fallen limb from the leader’s tent. The leader’s body is still absent, unsettling Marten. Inside, they find ruined furniture, unreadable papers, and a locked Maer-crested box. After Hespe and Marten fail to open it, Kvothe theatrically cries “Edro!” and smacks it; the swollen lid pops. Inside are a local map and over two hundred gold royals. The map shows a shortcut toward Crosson, saving many miles.

Kvothe gives each companion a royal as an honesty bonus while keeping the rest for the Maer, secretly palming three more for tuition. He frames it as reward for exceeding their mandate. He stows the box and plans to sleep on it. They then scavenge: Marten takes bows and strings; Dedan claims boots, an armored vest, cards, and dice; Hespe pockets pipes and knives; Tempi selects a whetstone, saltbox, and dyes linen pants red; Kvothe takes a small knife, razor, and a free sword. Kvothe asks Tempi to teach swordplay; after a long Ademic pause, Tempi agrees only if Kvothe teaches lute. Kvothe accepts, and Tempi allows wearing the sword but forbids fighting.