I slipped my hands into the pockets of my trousers. “Not necessary. What can I do for you?”
Wax dripped from the candle in the middle of the table, puddling around the tarnished holder. He picked at a dried glob of yellow goo, and his snowy Charmer’s emblem bleared up at me. Harsh in its vibrancy, it scorched the air with none of the softness of Leena’s power. “I would like a status update. We expected the job to be completed already.”
“We’re working on it.”
The man grimaced. “Work faster. She sells beasts on the black market. That’s punishable by death.” He steadied himself with a deep breath, adjusting the hem of his hood to hide his jawline. “Plus, she’s a skilled Charmer. She once used her talents to try to tame a human. For all you know, she could already have you under her spell.”
A human? My pulse quickened for a moment. I recounted every interaction, every hidden look or passing conversation and came up empty. If she had tamed me, then she was damn good at it, considering I was still here. Conducting business that involved her death.
I narrowed my eyes. No, this was different. Something was off about his anger. Something deeper. I’d spent enough time dealing with miscreants to know most people hid their true intentions, but it didn’t matter in my line of work. Leena had been marked. Whether it was for selling beasts or something else entirely, the result would be the same.
Twisting my right hand to show him the inside of my wrist, I held the inked mark to the candlelight. “You know as well as I do what this means. You think I’m willing to let her walk away in exchange for my own life?”
“Cruor’s Oath.” His lips quirked up in a wicked grin. “The reason we hired you in the first place. Your assurance is guaranteed.”
“Indeed.”
He braided his fingers together. A monstrous silver ring with garnet stones winked in the candlelight. “I’m sure you don’t get bounties like this often. Don’t forget what’s at stake here. For you. For your guild.”
I didn’t need the reminder. Jobs were necessary. They kept Cruor fueled, my brethren safe and fed, and made our extended life a little bit easier. Normalcy had died when I went under years ago, and this was the best I could provide. I would do anything to keep that intact.
Leena’s hazel gaze flashed before my eyes, and my heart shuddered. “I will keep you posted.”
The man leaned back in his chair. “She’s heading to Ortega Key… But you already knew that, didn’t you?”
“What are you insinuating?”
He snapped his fingers, and a severe glow ensconced his hand. The familiar groaning of a door dominated the room, and several patrons turned their attention to our table—including the bartender. Gaze stuck on my client, he polished the mug in his hand so hard it cracked.
A soft chirping dragged my attention back to the Charmer. A tiny bird with a violet breast and three eyes stared up at me. It blinked, and a yellow film slid over its irises. “You think I wouldn’t keep tabs on my investments? We hired you to do a job, and you’re dragging her halfway across the continent. You’ve even got backup. Why is that?”
I kept my voice level. “The job will be done. If you needed it within a set time frame, yourbossshould have set a limit when she hired us.”
“Ah yes, the terms.” He snapped his fingers again, and the bird disappeared. “An oversight on her part. Just speed up the process. You have her already, so end her.”
I had to rein in my fury to keep lashing shadows from blanketing the entire establishment. “Don’t question my methods. You hired us; we’ll do the job.”
He folded his arms across his chest. “We still need access to her bones within six hours of death, so don’t wander too far. Otherwise, I’ll be forced to send something to collect her.”
I froze, instantly ensnared. I needed to get back to her. He could already have someone, something, lying in wait. If she was in danger… I fisted my hand once before letting it fall slack. I shouldn’tcare. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll be on my way.”
“Quickly, Noc.” The way he said my name only fueled my anger. “Whatever promise she’s made you is a lie. She’s lied before, and she’ll lie again. I would expect an assassin to know the difference.” He stood slowly and leaned in close so the edge of his cloak brushed my shoulder. “And remember: If you don’t kill her, we’ll have to intervene. The last thing you’d want is something unfortunate to happen, say, to one of your friends? Think about that.” Without another word, he walked right through me, leaving a chill in the air and my heart.
Eleven
Leena
Between the hours I’d spent sleeping on the ride and the kicker from the Poi’s restorative saliva, I had more energy than I knew what to do with. Freshly bathed and wrapped in a fluffy towel, I dumped the contents of my bag across the four-poster bed. Everything from my clothes and makeup to the hidden pack of apple-flavored beast treats—which Kost must have scoured the black market to find, given only bakers in Hireath crafted such delicacies—was meticulously chosen and arranged. If I’d never met him, I would assume he cared.
I slipped on a pair of cutoff twill breeches and a low-cut, ivy-green blouse, then relaced my boots and paused before the mirror to apply a light go of cosmetics. Dark bags had started to form beneath my eyes. A by-product of stress, no doubt. I didn’t want to advertise that weakness, though, so I packed on some powder and called it good before leaving to enjoy Ortega Key’s nightlife. Warm air rushed against me as I stepped out onto the gravel road. Lampposts manned the sides of the street, sandy beaches laden with shells coming flush with the roads. A heavy crowd with loud men lingered outside a bungalow down the road, and I smiled. In past conversation, Dez had mentioned a pub in Ortega Key that ran in the black-market circuit.
Guilt soured the back of my tongue as I pictured Dez’s face. I’d said I’d come back, but now…I’d been made. If the assassins did let me walk, going back to familiar quarters would make me the easiest target around for any other bounty hunter. Maybe here I could have a new start in warmer surroundings.
Another debate for another time. The sooner I unearthed information about potential beasts in the area, the better. My bestiary only held data for locating and taming beasts I already owned. Anything new, including the Myad, came through hearsay. That, or failed taming attempts until one stuck.
A failed attempt is exactly what would happen if I couldn’t get my hands on the blood of one of these men. I’d almost forgotten about it, what with Oz’s reassuring grin and Calem’s shameless flirting. We were getting closer, and I still didn’t have enough answers. Enough solutions to the mounting problems clambering in around me.
Maneuvering through jumbling bodies, I held my breath to avoid choking on the stench of sunbaked fish and climbed up the steps to the Drinking Mermaid. Once I passed through the open doors of the tavern, ale and liquor drowned all other scents. A gaggle of women dressed in shift dresses and bathing garments giggled over crystal glasses filled with clear liquid. Nestled between two of them, Calem glanced up at me as I walked in. He offered a leisurely wink before turning to the blond on his right and whispering something into her ear.
