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He placed his hand over mine and squeezed. “That’s not in the plan.”
“So that means you’ll ask for help when things get too hot?”
His shoulders stiffened with a familiar stubbornness, and he dropped his hand. “Well...”
“Fisk, it’s not a sign of weakness to ask for help. We’re friends, and that is what friends do. Help each other.”
“But then I should pay you like you pay me.”
I shook my head. “Not how it works.”
“Why not?”
“You need the money to run your business and give your helpers food, clothing and shelter, which is very important. Me, Ari, Janco, Valek and Leif don’t need the money. We are paid and have all the necessities in life.”
“I still feel like I’m taking advantage of you.”
I lightly smacked the back of his thick skull. “Then donate some money to Child Services.”
Fisk made a rude noise.
“They’re inefficient because they don’t have enough staff or resources.”
“I’ll think about it.”
Progress! I let the subject drop. We walked in silence for a while. A few other people strode along the streets Fisk had chosen. Some nodded to him in greeting; others smiled. I spotted one of his helpers lurking in an alley, but she faded from sight once Fisk met her gaze.
“They’re ready,” he said.
My heart fluttered as my hand rested on my abdomen for a moment. I’d been the bait before. However, this time, I had a baby to keep safe. If Valek ever found out... No. Not going there. I concentrated on the plan.
Fisk took a few turns, then led me to an alley’s entrance. He made a show of checking for a tail before we dashed inside. When the alley’s rank fragrance turned my stomach, I thought of Janco whining about the stench. The alley dead-ended, but a few doors surrounded us. Fisk produced a key and stepped toward the one on the right.
“Hold it right there,” a familiar voice ordered.
I spun. The Mosquito stood about twenty feet away. He aimed a crossbow at us. I wasn’t expecting that particular weapon, but we could adapt.
“Hello, Kynan, or do you prefer to be called The Mosquito?” I asked.
“You don’t really think Kynan is my name, do you?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “Perhaps you did, since you believe I’m not very bright and would follow your Ixian friends.”
“It was a good decoy,” I said in my defense.
He huffed with amusement. “Maybe at night or if I was half-blind. Her posture on Kiki didn’t match yours.”
I’d say his powers of observation ranked pretty high. “You need to get a life if you’ve been watching me that long.”
“I told you before. I don’t give up, and I always finish a job before moving on.”
I glanced at Fisk. He held his hands to the side.
“The boy can go,” The Mosquito said, gesturing with his weapon.
Fisk hesitated.
A twang snapped, sending the bolt right between us. I jerked in surprise as the tip struck the building behind us. By the time we returned our attention to The Mosquito, he had loaded another bolt.
“You’re not fast enough, boy. Now go on. Fetch help for Yelena.”
“Go ahead, Fisk,” I said.
Fisk frowned, but he strode past The Mosquito, who kept his weapon aimed at Fisk until he disappeared from view. Then he swung it back to me.
“That’s new.” I gestured to the crossbow. “What happened to your ice pick?” I asked.
“I learn from my mistakes. I’m not getting close to you until I’m sure you don’t have any of those darts hidden in your clothes.”
“Then it’s in my best interest to keep you at a distance.”
He laughed. “Yes, that would be right. But you’re in luck. The game has changed.”
“Funny, I’m not feeling very lucky.” Actually, I was quite confident—one gesture from me and The Mosquito would be squashed.
“Cute. My client has changed his mind about you. Instead of killing you, he wants to talk to you.”
“So he can kill me later?”
“All I know is you get a free pass this time. I don’t have orders for next time.”
I considered his offer. “Does your client have my brother?”
“Yes.”
“Will he exchange him for me?”
“No. And if you’re thinking you can use your...truth serum on me to get the location of your brother, I’ve no idea where my client is keeping him. My knowledge is limited just for that very reason.” He shot me a sour look.
“I’m guessing Bruns...or rather your client isn’t happy you blabbed.” I couldn’t resist needling him.
The Mosquito tightened his grip on the crossbow. “Is that your answer?”
“Where does Bruns wish to meet?”
“I don’t know. I’m to inform him of your response, and then he’ll tell me the location.”
Smart. This way I couldn’t detain him until after I’d learned the meeting place. Unless he lied about the extent of his knowledge.
“And I know all about your trap.” The Mosquito glanced up at the windows on the second story. “Should I wave to the Ixians?”
Busted.
“You really do think I’m an idiot.”
“Not anymore,” I said.
He smiled. “Your answer?”
“Tell Bruns I’ll meet with him.”
“Excellent.” The Mosquito backed away. He paused at the entrance, checked for an ambush and disappeared.
I replayed the encounter in my mind, but really couldn’t determine a way that it could have gone any differently.
Fisk arrived with a handful of his helpers. “You let him go?”
“I didn’t have much of a choice.” I explained what had happened.
“I’ve assigned a team to keep an eye on him,” Fisk said. “Maybe he’ll lead us to his boss and where they’re holding Leif.”
“He’s inte
lligent, so I doubt he’d be that careless. But it doesn’t hurt to try.”
The door into the alley swung open and Ari and Janco arrived. The red splotches on Ari’s normally pale cheeks warned me. I braced for his lecture on the dangers of meeting with Bruns. He didn’t disappoint, listing a number of horrific and creative outcomes. Janco had rubbed off on him.
“...not listening, are you?” Ari asked.
“I got the point. You’re not happy and neither am I, but I see no other way.”
“What do we do while we wait?” Janco asked.
What indeed? “We need to update Irys and...” My stomach soured. “And Mara. She needs to know what’s going on.”
“Can we trust the guards at the Keep not to turn us in to the Citadel’s security forces?” Janco asked.
For the first time since I’d come to Sitia, I truly didn’t know. “Fisk, can one of your helpers deliver a message to the Second Magician?”
“Yes. In the meantime, you’re welcome to stay with me. I’ve guest rooms.”
“Fancy,” Janco said.
Pride momentarily eclipsed my anxiety for Leif. Fisk had turned into such a fine young man.
* * *
Irys and Mara arrived after supper. Both wore worried expressions. Mara fisted the fabric of her skirt. We settled in Fisk’s living area. He had left earlier and hadn’t returned. I sat next to Mara on the couch and held her cold hand in mine. Janco leaned against the door and Ari occupied the other chair across from Irys.
“No,” Mara said when I’d finished detailing my conversation with The Mosquito. “You can’t sacrifice yourself for Leif.” She smoothed the wrinkles over her lap.
“It’s not an exchange.,” I assured her. “He just wants to talk. Plus we can follow him after—see if he’ll lead us to Leif.”
“And if he doesn’t? What if something goes wrong?” Ari asked.
“Then I’ll have a talk with him,” Irys said. Her steely gaze promised results, and the magic detector flashed in response. “Let me know when the meeting is scheduled.”
* * *
While we waited for a message from The Mosquito, my thoughts turned to Valek. It’d been sixteen days since we’d parted. I wondered if he waited at our rendezvous location or if he still hunted the Storm Thieves. Should I send a messenger? I asked Ari and Janco.
