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“It’s my weapon,” I say, ignoring them. “I’m the most qualified to sell it and get the most money from the sale.” It will be uncomfortable. I loathe negotiating, but selling this spear will set us up for months. I can do this for us.
“If I can’t be risked selling it, then neither can you,” Temra says with finality.
“I could take it in,” Petrik says.
Temra, Kellyn, and I all eye Petrik. He’s so uncomfortable outside of his scholar’s attire. And the way he holds himself—he looks nothing like a fighter.
“If you walk in there, the vultures will eat you alive.” The mercenary shakes his head. “And you were seen by their family.” He points to Temra and me with his thumb. “By now the warlord could know you’re with them. You shouldn’t be the one to enter.”
“But that leaves—” I start.
“Me,” Kellyn finishes. “It has to be me. I’m the only one not under suspect. No one will think twice about me selling a magical weapon because I’mactuallya mercenary, and I look the part.”
“Absolutely not,” Petrik says. He grabs my arm to pull me aside. “I don’t trust him. He’ll run off with the money from the sale and leave us behind.”
“I can still hear you,” Kellyn says.
“Ziva, let me do it,” Petrik says.
“Just let me do it,” Temra puts in. “I’ll be in and out in two minutes, tops.”
If we weren’t in such a hurry, perhaps I would take the timeto ponder the fact that everyone is deferring to me. When did my decision become the final say in the matter? When did I become the leader of this poorly-stitched-together group?
“Ziva—” Petrik starts.
“Enough,” I say.
I put my fingers to my temples, as though that will help me think. I’d rather be the one to take this risk. If anyone is going to get caught, it should be me.
But if I’m caught, I’ll leave Temra on her own, protecting that Twins-forsaken sword.
“Kellyn will do it. He hasn’t gone back on his word. Not once.” I force myself to look him in the eye. “Do you promise to sell this spear and return the earnings to us?”
Kellyn steps forward. “I do.”
I believe him, and I think he knows I do, but seeing Petrik’s hesitancy, Kellyn slides the massive longsword scabbard from off his back and tosses it to Petrik, sword and all.
Petrik fumbles with the weapon before dropping it.
“Why don’t you keep watch over that for me until I return? If you can manage to hoist it at all.” Then he takes the spear and dashes to the front of the pawnshop.
And we wait.
“If I can manage to hoist it,” Petrik says in a laughably mocking tone of Kellyn’s voice, but Temra and I manage straight faces. Petrik bends down, wraps both hands around the scabbard, and heaves.
He holds the weapon triumphantly in both hands, but after a minute, his arms start shaking. He tosses the sword aside and side-eyes Temra, as though hoping she didn’t notice.
Seeing that she did, he sighs before fixing his attention on the back of the shop.
“What are you doing?” Temra asks him.
“Like I said, I don’t trust him. I want to make sure he doesn’t try to run out the back with our money.”
I roll my eyes. “And leave his precious longsword behind? He wouldn’t.”
Temra says, “With that much money, he could buy a new one ten times over.”
“Yes, thank you, Temra, that comment is definitely helping things,” I snap.
