in the red ochre corridor

They'd done a lot of thinking in that inn's basement. A lot of planning. Safehouse shelter, orphanage in the near-distant future, cooking contest, and here the negotiations on faith in the final battle?

Something in him that felt devilishly close to Addam's influence, if such a fairytale found-family thing even existed, made him want to crouch down next to the boys, say something soft and reassuring. "Hey, hey, look at me - I want Addam safe just as much as you do, so I'm gonna make sure it happens, huh?"

But Minoth was a born stander-by. So he zipped his lip.