“Well, if you plan on listing my superior qualities, I won’t stop you. Please, continue. You haven’t even mentioned my flawless beauty or svelte figure.”
I choked on a laugh and tucked the money into my pocket, light-headed with relief. “Your ego can’t handle it.”
“Probably not.” Vivian clasped my shoulders and gave them a gentle squeeze. “Be careful, Tess. This thing with Argus, and now the detective, it’s a mess. You need to ditch both of them as soon as possible.”
“I know. That’s the plan.”
Through the windows, I could see a faint drizzle glistening on the cobblestones in the lantern light. The dark street was deserted, and it was a long walk back to the magic shop. Argus’s men were probably roaming the alleys looking for me. I’d grown used to seeing them skulking around in my peripheral vision. Still, I couldn’t risk spending any of my newfound wealth on hiring a carriage. Not when I needed every royal penny.
“Viv, you aren’t using the wig again tonight, are you?” I asked with a smile.
She wrinkled her brow. “No, why? Do you want it?” Vivian plucked the wig from its holder and watched with a grin as I arranged the head of hair artfully over my own.
“How do I look?” I posed, hunched over, one hand on my hip.
“I think I wore it better, but it should keep anyone from recognizing you.”
Perfect. Pulling the collar of my cloak up around my neck, I shuffled down the steps and into the night.
Chapter 5
Wigs were the worst.
Thick strands of hair fell into my eyes, the rest hanging in weighty clumps down my back as I hobbled blindly through the dark alley. Bile rose in my throat when a furry body darted past my feet and scampered into a gaping hole beneath a brick wall. The rancid odor of spoiled fish and salt was a pungent reminder I was near the docks, a playground for rats and larger, more dangerous creatures. Maybe I should have taken the hit and hired a carriage after all.
Someone was close by, I realized, when an icy wind tunneled through the alley, carrying the ashy scent of cigar smoke. I braved a glance over my shoulder and caught the orange flash of embers before they dissipated. The urge to run barreled through me, but I maintained my limping gait. One more step, then two.Keep it together, Tessa.I repeated the mantra until my heart slowed and my breath evened. See, nothing to it. Just a leisurely nighttime stroll through the kingdom’s unsavory back alleys.
A cat screeched from some hidden hovel. An answering howl sent the animal racing through the narrow passage. The cat had the right idea. I picked up my pace, dropping the limp when I heard the echo of footsteps ricocheting off the walls. My pulse pounded against my throat, while up ahead, a lantern cast a welcoming pool of light. I dove for the beacon of safety. Its glow grew stronger, and I reached out as if I could capture it and bring it closer.
Before I could, rough hands clamped around my forearms and hauled me backward. I clawed at my assailant, nails raking along his skin. His grip tightened, digging blunt fingers into my muscles, the pinpoints shooting pain up my arms. He pressed me into the wall. The coarse brick scraped my back, catching on the fabric of my cloak. My shoes slid on the wet cobblestones. Fingers that reeked of cigar smoke covered my mouth. I screamed anyway, the sound a muffled moan in the back of my throat.
Panic surged inside my body as the man’s vile, alcohol-soaked breath filled my nostrils.
“All alone, witch? You shouldn’t have missed a payment.”
A match scraped against stone. Sulfur scented the air, then the soft glow of a lantern expanded in the space. I squinted from the sudden light and renewed my struggle, managing a well-placed elbow in the man’s ribcage. He grunted but didn’t let go. My attacker moved to the side, and in his place, another man came into focus.
“Argus,” I whispered.
“Caught you.” He smiled, and shadows danced beneath the sharp edges of his cheekbones.
Thick ebony hair grazed the tops of his broad shoulders and curled behind his ears. He had youthful, roguish features, but the rigid set of his jaw and apathy lurking in his green eyes spoke of suffering beyond his years.
“Trying to avoid me, witch? You haven’t paid me yet. It offends me that you’re evading our agreement. I’m a businessman, not an animal.” His steely gaze flicked toward the man holding me captive. The corner of his lips hitched. “He’s the animal. Try to stay on his good side.”
“I’ll get your money,” I said between clenched teeth.
Argus lifted his shoulders. His leather coat stretched over lean muscle. “Everyone says that.”
“I need more time.”
He chuckled and looked around like there was a larger audience. “Everyone says that too. So unoriginal.” His hand moved toward my neck, and I flinched, expecting his lethal fingers to tighten into a stranglehold. Instead, they rubbed the strands of the wig that had torn loose from my head and gathered in an awkward pile on my shoulder. “Points for the disguise. I don’t see that every day. But you weren’t wearing it when you visited your friend. Did she give it to you? Did she give you anything else? Money, perhaps? Maybe I should speak to her about your missed payment…”
Anger burned my gut. “Leave her alone. She’s not involved in our deal.”
Argus pressed his lips together, impatience narrowing his gaze as it traveled down the length of my cloak and honed in on my pockets. “What a pity. I wouldn’t mind getting to know the ghost-hunter a little better.” His hand dipped into my pocket and withdrew the coins I’d received at the pawnshop along with Vivian’s share. He stuffed them into his jacket, then sent me a devilish wink. “I’m not above picking pockets. It reminds me of where I come from. This buys you more time, but now, I want your entire loan paid by the end of the month.”
“End of the month? You can’t do that!” I twisted in his goon’s hold, wincing as pain shot through my arm.
