"That's definitely not mine."

Finley frowned as she looked down at the piles of reports on his desk, trying to see what trinket or bauble might have been left there to confuse him so. "What?"

"Or…rather, just not right, I suppose. This report…it's not…" Cullen held up one of the papers and looked it over, clearly suspicious. Finley liked the way the skin around his eyes crinkled a little when he narrowed them, and she couldn't help but get distracted just taking him in before she abruptly realized that that pleasant drum in her ears was his voice as he explained what was going on.

She tried to tune in and fake that she'd been following along.

"…sent Ser Drisdyn to the south to check for resources. If anyone should have written from there, it was him, not…this."

While Finley hadn't caught most of what he'd been saying, the end was more than enough, and rather abruptly it was her turn to narrow her eyes. "South. South where?"

Cullen shrugged, gaze still firmly focused on the paper as though staring at it long enough would unveil the hand that had written it. "It's some small lake not far from the mountains. There was talk about a quarry near it. We don't have time to check every lead, but Ser Drisdyn volunteered to go with a few others."

"Where exactly is this lake?" Finley tried again, sidling up beside Cullen to glance down at the report for any telling signs. The second she laid eyes on it, she didn't need his answer. She knew exactly where his men had gone.

And that was right into an old acquaintance's haunting grounds.

And that was his handwriting. She was sure of it.

"It's southern Ferelden," Cullen answered, not realizing he needn't bother.

"Were they all templars?" Finley asked as innocently as she could.

At that, Cullen lowered the paper, eyes narrowing. "Do you know something about this?"

"What?" Finley straightened up, doing her best to look indignant. "Why must it be that every time something odd happens within twenty miles of the Wilds, you ask if I was involved?"

Cullen rose from his seat slowly, holding one hand up, pointing at her. "That doesn't happen, and I didn't. I asked if you knew what was going on, not if you played a part in it."

"Must I know every secret hidden beneath those grand canopies to the south?" Finley retorted, crossing her arms.

"No, but whenever you deflect like this it's because you do know something."

At that, she sniffed delicately, letting her gaze wander away from him. "That's not true."

"It is." Cullen crossed his arms as well. "Look, I won't ask you for names—"

"Wouldn't give them if I had them."

"—but can you at least tell me if my men are safe?"

While Finley considered continuing on with her deflections, she couldn't help but notice the earnest way he was looking at her. Uncrossing her arms, she reached up to fiddle with her braid, shrugging lightly as she did so. "If I tell you, you have to swear you will not send out a hunting party."

Despite a flicker in his eyes that seemed like he might not agree to her terms, he finally nodded. "No hunting party. Are they safe?"

"It's the Wilds, Commander," Finley stated, a little annoyed. "I promise you no matter where they go, they are always within some predator's territory."

"A predator's territory," Cullen echoed, though he looked as though he was trying to find hidden meaning in her words.

Honestly, Finley had meant to tell him about Marcus and Randall, the two former Circle mages who lived near the quarry. Marcus had clearly written that report. She'd recognize the terrible way he drew his Ms anywhere.

However, she'd already chickened out and blamed it on wild animals, so she might as well go with it.

After all, there were wild beasts out there…that people would want to hunt. This was getting worse by the second.

And Cullen was waiting.

"There might be…things that live in the waters near that quarry that could potentially pose a threat." Finley dropped her braid to pick at her sleeve. "But if they attack it's because they were threatened…"

Or were hungry.

But there was no need to argue that point, was there?

Abruptly, she pointed at him. "This is why I told you not to send anyone into the Wilds! I even drew that line on your map!"

"It is hard to forget the line when I see it every time I go in the war room," Cullen sighed, though he did seem to relax. "However, it would help a great deal if we could harvest our own resources instead of having to trade or pay for all of them."

"Then I will find you some unclaimed resources outside of the Wilds," Finley declared with a defiant shrug. "After I go find Ser Drisdyn."

"Inquisitor," Cullen called before she could make it to the door. He was holding the paper, looking down at it. "This report was writ…" She felt a pit in her stomach, even as he trailed off mid-word. Of course beasts couldn't write. She should have thought of that. With a shake of his head, he looked up at her. "You know you don't have to retrieve every missing group we have, yes?"

"I think it's for the best if I go get this one."

Cullen hesitated a moment before nodding. "And I will try to remember not to send anyone that way."