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His violet eyes narrowed, and he stepped closer to me. “Do youneverstop interrupting when greater beings speak toyou?”
“I don’t think you know how conversations work.” I rested my hand on Fezzik, though I hadn’t forgotten that he could incinerate bullets. Would he do so as easily with magicalammo?
He flicked a finger, and Fezzik flew out of its holster and across the room. I jumped as it smacked into the wall, almost hitting my change jug, and clunked to thefloor.
“Do not threaten me, mongrel,” Zav growled, his eyes slits as they bored into me. “In my realm, you would be slain for presuming to carry a weapon in a dragon’spresence.”
“No wonder everybody there flees to Earth.” I folded my arms over my chest, refusing to admit that I was shaken by his presence—by him. Even though I’d encountered plenty of enemies who could knock my weapons aside if I wasn’t fast enough, I could feel his aura crackling in the air like electricity on a high-voltage line. I knew Sindari was right, that he could kill me by accident, and that I wasn’t strong enough to fighthim.
“Only criminals flee,” he said softly, dangerously. “As the two dark elves I seek did. They recently joined the horde of them living under your city like ants under a rotten log. When you enter the dark-elf lair, you may encounter a high priestess, Yemeli-lor, and her odious mate, a warrior named Baklinor-ten.”
Though numerous sarcastic comments popped into my head, I managed to keep my mouth shut andlisten.
“The two I seek stole from a prominent dragon family an artifact of cultural and historical significance,” Zav continued, “and they are using it in their foul sacrifices to their bloodthirsty goddess. If you see them, you will bring them to me. If you see the artifact, you will retrieve it forme.”
“Uh.” I lifted a finger to protest further, but he reached forme.
Startled, I tried to leap back, but some invisible power immobilized me, and I couldn’t move. He pressed the heel of his palm against my forehead, his fingers resting against my hair. What thehell?
“It looks likethis.”
An image surged into my mind on a wave of power that would have dropped me to my knees if his magic hadn’t been holding me. I saw a thick platter carved from some purple and blue swirling stone or gem that I didn’t recognize, and on it lay a great gilded eggshell cracked into two pieces and adhered to the surface. The interior of the broken egg glowed with a soft bluelight.
Zav removed his hand, and the power gripping me disappeared. I locked my knees before they could buckle and did my best to hide the shakiness of mybreath.
He watched me for several longseconds.
“Is it my turn to speak now?” Iasked.
“It would be appropriate for you to obediently say you’ll do mybidding.”
“Uh huh. I don’t know how you know I’m looking for a dark elf—maybe you’re a fan of Zoltan’s internet alchemy channel—but the ones you named aren’t the one I’m looking for. I need a cure for my boss, not a weird dragonartifact.”
His eyes narrowed again. Sindari stood next to me and bumped his hip against my side. Possibly, it was a show of support, but more likely, he was reminding me not to irk thedragon.
“Imaybe willing to help you,” I continued, though I was already daunted by my own quest, “in exchange for a small vial of your blood forZoltan.”
“Nobodytakes a dragon’s blood to use for magical debauchery. Or for any other reason. I have already told that alchemist that he will get himself killed—further—if he attempts to collect such athing.”
“That’s probably why he wantsmeto collectit.”
“No doubt he sees you asexpendable.”
“What were you doing talking to him, and why can’t you get your own darkelves?”
“I sensed that several dark elves were above the surface and easily accessible. I went to see if any of them were the two I sought. They were not, but I am no longer surprised when you are found in the presence of the magical. Whether you accept the honor or not, youaremy perfect bait. And I will continue to use you assuch.”
He looked so smugly pleased at having discovered my secret utility. I wanted to punch him in the nose. It was a straight, strong handsome nose, so it would feel particularly satisfying to smash it, but even if he looked like a human, I doubted he was as fragile as ahuman.
“When you aren’t sending me in to do your work for you,” Isaid.
Fresh irritation—or maybe that was indignation—rose to his eyes. “Find the criminals and the artifact, and I will rewardyou.”
“Bynotusing me asbait?”
“No. Iwilluse you as bait. The sooner I complete my task, the sooner I may leave this vermin-infested world. What other reward would youwish?”
“A vial of yourblood.”
