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“Fine.” He took a breath. “I’m a spy for the Kovak king. When rumors started spreading about the Rathalans building an army equipped with malarite weapons, I was sent from Askeland to see if the rumors were true. Hence the transformation spell and my brief stint as an enemy guard.”
Again, I watched his face for signs he was lying, but he didn’t so much as blink. Beside us, Kah tilted his head like this was the first time he was hearing this story—or maybe the hundredth time, I couldn’t tell. “And you just felt like risking your life to help me?”
“No, Ifeltlike burning down that entire blazen city and freeing every prisoner there, but I couldn’t do that, could I?” he said, his jaw tight. “But I realized I could help you. So, I did. As I said, after what happened in the mine, I—I felt like I owed you.”
“Oh.” I felt my inner defenses receding a bit. Though I couldn’t shake the feeling he wasn’t telling me the whole truth, I decided not to press him further for now and risk driving him away. As much as I wanted to ditch him and go find my brother, I could still use his help, if I could get it. With my impaired memory, everything was foreign to me. I didn’t know what dangers awaited me in Eastlandra. Back at the tunnel entrance, I would have been killed by an overgrown weed if Jeddak wasn’t there. Not to mention I wouldn’t have been able to pay for this meal or these clothes.
“So, what now? Are you going back home to Askeland to report to the king?” I asked.
“Yes. But first, sleep,” Jeddak said with a yawn. “Kah and I are going to see if we can find accommodations for the three of us tonight and …”
He was still speaking when my attention shifted past his shoulder to the far side of the tavern. There was a person sitting in a dark booth in the corner who hadn’t put down the hood of his black cloak. His face was shrouded in shadow, but I had a strange feeling that his eyes were on us.
I shook my head to dislodge the absurd thought.This isn’t the mine, I told myself. There weren’t mineguards lurking everywhere with their whips at the ready. And Jeddak had said that the Rathalans wouldn’t be crossing the wall tonight.
“Raven, did you hear what I said?”
I pulled my attention back to Jeddak. “Sorry, what?”
“Wait here until I come back for you, k’da?” His eyes bored into mine to indicate he was serious this time. “The marketplace is more dangerous than it looks. There are Rathalan spies, dark spells, and underhanded dealings happening in the shadows. So, stay here.” He pushed his chair back and stood. “We won’t be long.”
I watched him and Kah leave. The cloaked figure in the corner hadn’t moved. Was it Bloodbain? Surely not. But there was no way I was sticking around to find out. I counted out five inhales and five exhales before standing up to follow Jeddak.
As the tavern door swung closed behind me, my skin prickled like I was being watched.
I glanced both ways down the avenue to locate Jeddak and Kah. They had just walked past the inn across the way without stopping to check for vacancy.
Where were they going?
I resolved to find out.
With my hood up, I followed them to an indigo-colored tent in a more populated part of the marketplace. By the lookof it, this was not an inn. I waited at a distance until they’d disappeared inside and then tiptoed closer. There was no sign posted outside the tent telling of the person’s trade.
I strained to hear what they were saying inside, but only broken fragments of the conversation floated out the door.
“… need to know … she’s the only one …” Jeddak’s voice was muffled.
“… you have found … the girl is … that’s all I can tell you …” the person in the tent responded. It was a woman’s voice.
Were they talking about me?
After several minutes, Jeddak stormed out, followed by Kah, whose pace was always grounded and steady. I hid out of sight as they passed, catching a glimpse of the woman inside. She had deep midnight skin, stark white hair, and tattoos on her hands. From Hen’s description of the tribes, I knew she was a Magi. Maybe she was the same one who’d disguised Jeddak as a Rathalan.
At first, I started to follow Jeddak, but the lure of the candlelight and smell of burning sage inside the tent called to me. As much as I wanted to see where Jeddak was headed next, there was something I wanted more.
I stepped inside the tent. The air felt like a snug blanket on this cold night. I pushed my wet hood back.
“Good evening,” the woman said, her voice like warm honey as she approached me, drinking in my presence. “I am Sal Sahteene. What can I do for you?”
“I’m looking for someone,” I said vaguely, trying to keep my voice from trembling. Hen had told me stories about the Magi, how they could wield magic and bend it to their will, but I’d never talked to one—at least not that I could remember. This woman looked as serene and enchanting as the clear night sky, though something in the backs of her eyes told me she couldchange into a raging storm if one word were to displease her. I had to tread carefully.
“Looking for someone?” she said, slowly gliding closer to me. “Looking for your soulmate perhaps? Or for a baker who makes spiced plum dumplings just like your grandmother? Or perhaps for the person who gave you those bruises to seek revenge?”
“What? No,” I said, pulling my cloak tighter around my neck. Her words were alluring and disorienting, flowing into my head like a quiet fog. I needed to stay focused and try a different approach.
“No?”
“No, I’m looking for my brother.” I couldn’t read the map, but maybe there was a way to find my brother without it. If this Magi could transform Jeddak into a Rathalan guard, surely she could help me with this.
