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In each of the pools, other men sat soaking, some of them enjoying the (paid-for) attentions of the bathhouse prostitutes. A few male prostitutes worked the floor, but most of them were women. They were the only women present on this side of the building. Female visitors enjoyed their own pools.
Seth scanned the pools’ occupants. Ahmet had described Jamil as thirtyish and slightly built. While that could describe a number of the men present, the “little triangle chin beard with a thin mustache, like this”—Ahmet had drawn his fingers slightly up his face—was more distinctive.
Raider had (helpfully?) added that Jamil had a habit of smoothing said mustache with his finger. He’d demonstrated with what Seth hoped was comedic exaggeration.
Ahmet had also said that Jamil would likely have female company.
A man meeting every element of Ahmet’s description was reclining in the second pool on the right, making the overpriced room Seth had reserved worth the money.
Of course, there was the unfortunate fact that Raider would also be staying at the tavern. How a man could be so rootless was beyond Seth. Despite his own orphaned childhood, Seth had found a place that was home. It might only be a cramped apartment in the Arcanum’s dormitories, but at least it wasn’t a seedy tavern room.
Then again, that probably suited Raider just fine. A man like that, all smirking lips and silk? A rogue, as Seth had first judged him.
By Roth’s divine scepter, that violet sash was outrageous, not to mention the absurd dagger. Any man who needed that much ornamentation was likely much plainer than he seemed without it. Even a handsome face could be an illusion with enough flash around it.
Another look would reveal the truth: Raider was simply a bronze-skinned man with unruly hair that was begging to be grabbed. (In a fight, Seth told himself, not for … other reasons.)
One of Jamil’s two female companions gave a little screech at Seth’s approach. He moderated his pace and made an effort to soften his expression. Maybe he should have taken the time to eat first. Hunger was undoubtedly responsible for the scowl that he was undoubtedly wearing. Hunger and impatience, but at least the latter was about to be resolved. Jamil would give him answers. Seth would leave him no choice.
“Jamil?” Seth inquired.
The man was trapped in the pool, his back against the wall, but he still managed to give an impression of leaning away. Of course, that might have been thanks to the naked woman sitting on the ledge of the pool behind him. Her legs, which had formerly been draped over Jamil’s shoulders, had gripped the man’s neck so tightly at Seth’s approach that she was all but choking him.
The other woman clung to Jamil’s side, as though that slim reed of a man could protect her from Seth. Not that Seth would ever harm a woman.
Yes, he definitely should have eaten. He rolled his shoulders to loosen them and tried to look nonthreatening.
“You are Jamil?” Seth prompted. “I have a few questions. Your answers would be valuable to me.”
The woman seated on the pool ledge relaxed her legs and adopted a sensual pose, propping her hands behind herself and leaning back to display her impressive breasts to full effect. Too bad it was entirely wasted on Seth.
Leaving one leg draped over Jamil, who was giving his throat a gentle massage, she extended the other and used her toes to playfully flick water in Seth’s direction.
“I have all the answers you could need,” she teased.
Seth, who could not be rude to a woman as he would be to a man, looked away uncomfortably.
Why the hell he had to look in that particular direction at that particular moment, he did not know. Apep, that devious little god of mischief, must be having a laugh at him. Because at that exact moment, a certain bronze-skinned man went walking—no, not walking, sauntering—by.
Seth caught only the briefest glimpse of Raider’s face, but there was no mistaking it: the interesting angles and straight nose, the sharp cheekbones. His thick dark hair remained a mess of waves, but his beard had been trimmed close to enhance the line of his jaw and his hollow cheeks.
Part of Apep’s prank, clearly, was making Seth stumble over his earlier insistence that it was the flashy clothes that made Raider striking. There was no ornamentation to catch Seth’s eye this time. No gaudy dagger. No billowing kaftan or violet sash. No clothes at all, in fact, and soon that glimpse of Raider’s face was gone—and Seth found himself staring at the man’s broad shoulders and muscled back, his firm ass flexing as he walked.
“Maybe I don’t have the answers you need.”
Seth ripped his gaze away and returned his attention to Jamil and his companions. The woman who had spoken pouted playfully.
Seth scrubbed sweat from his eyes. Why the hell was it so hot in here?
“My beauties,” murmured Jamil, “come back in five minutes. That is”—he narrowed his eyes at Seth—“assuming you understand that it’s not only my answers that are valuable, but also my willingness to interrupt my bath.”
“Of course.”
The women withdrew from the pool and set off toward the curtains that likely shielded the women’s area. They, too, were naked, like most of the pools’ occupants. Somehow, though, no one seemed to be on display quite like Raider.
In the absence of ornamentation, he used his movement to draw attention. Carelessly confident, obnoxiously sensual—
“Your questions?” Jamil prompted.
