Ford watched Martin's face as the older man absorbed his question. Magic was very rare in Foundrel. Martin was already a foreigner, but being a powerful one would make him even more despised. They'd probably call him a spy.
The man mentioned secrets to kill for. Maybe he was a spy… but then why reveal this to Ford?
Martin's eyes narrowed, and Ford wondered if the old man would change his mind and kill him to keep his secret safer.
"Seen plenty in my lifetime," Martin chewed on his words as if they were jerky. "Didn't care to have any more death around when I thought I could save one or two from the crush."
"But you didn't save one or two, did you?" Ford pressed. "I was deepest. I had to have been. Did you save others?"
"No."
"Then why me?"
"You know how many died in the cave-in?" Martin chewed the inside of his cheek.
