Ventus by Karl Schroeder

Karl Schroeder / Ventus / Page 186
They would have to trick him into thinking he was still hurt.
"I'm thirsty." Jordan nodded and went to get some water
from the table. He tilted a cup to August's lips, and the man
drank awkwardly.
"Where are we?"
"The tower. We're going to move you to town tonight.
You can recover there, out of sight of the Boros."
"Ah." August appeared to consider this. "Will I have a
commission to come back to? Duelling is frowned on."
"What about self-defense? You can claim you were
attacked while you were out taking a piss." Jordan shrugged.
"We'll think of something."
August's eyes squinched shut for a second. "Thank you,"
he said. "I'm beholden."
"I don't think so." Jordan sat back on the wood floor.
"Why were you fighting?"
August sighed. "I saw Sheia’s man Andre acting
suspiciously. I think he was stealing. Anyway, I followed him
and challenged him, and he took me on. Maybe I should have
raised the alarm, but... Linden has a curfew, and I was breaking
it. I'd have had to explain myself too. And what about you?
What were you doing out of your room?"
Jordan pointed to the window. "You woke me up."
"Oh. ...Sorry." August grinned ironically. "We thought
we were being so quiet."
Jordan scowled. "Duelling is stupid."
"I know." August looked very serious now. "My older
brother was killed in a duel."
"So why did you do it?"
August stared at the ceiling pensively. "It gets easier to
risk your life as you get older. I think women understand that
when they have children. Suddenly they know they would give