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“Okay,” she says, nodding.
Her hand lingers on my arm, keeping that simple point of contact. The warmth of her fingers soaks into my skin and I stay, unwilling to break the moment. But then my eyes drift to the Maulavi sitting on my couch. The way I placed him looks so casual. Why did I do that?
To make it easier. To put her at ease.
For her. Of course. She was clearly shaken and I wanted to do anything to make her comfortable again. I’ve killed for her and now I’ve done this. What is this? Who am I? Why do I feel drawn to her, willing to do anything for her?
Reluctant but knowing we need to move I step away, losing her touch. Ridiculous, her fingers are so tiny I should never notice the lack of them, but I do. Acutely.
I cannot walk the streets with her openly. She will draw too much attention and word of our movements will travel. I frown and rub the back of my head. My braids jangle as they’re tossed around by the motion.
“A cloak,” I say.
“What?” she asks.
“A cloak,” I say. “I do not want anyone to see that I am traveling with a human. There are spies everywhere. The Maulavi, they know everything. We need to keep our movements under wraps for as long as possible. If you wear a cloak you might be mistaken for my nephew.”
I race up the stairs and pull what was once a thick lined cloak from my trunk. It is now worn and more than a bit threadbare but it will serve the purpose. I return to where she waits downstairs and throw it over her shoulders. I step back while she adjusts the fastener around her shoulders and neck. Once she has I look her over with a critical eye.
“Well?”
“Pull the hood up, let me look.”
She does as I ask. It’s not going to work. Her form is entirely too slight. I scratch the growth of my beard then rub the back of my head trying to think of a solution. Then it hits me and I run back up the stairs.
“What is happening?” she calls after me but there is no time for answers.
She will see in a moment. I grab the two pillows from my bed and carry them down stairs. I motion for her to remove the cloak. She places it over a chair and then I place a pillow on each of her shoulders.
She is smart and picks up on my idea without any need to explain. We work together, finding pieces around my house to fasten the pillows to her shoulders. Soon they are bound around her arms and we try the cloak again. Now she looks like an Urr’ki. A small one, but that is fine, my nephew is on the smaller side. As long as there is no close inspection, she will pass a casual look. And that is the best I can hope for.
“Good,” I say and she smiles. “Keep your head down and the hood up. Lengthen your stride as much as you can and it should work.”
“Got it,” she says.
Acting on an impulse I turn and walk over to the dead Maulavi resting on my couch. I stare into his empty eyes then lean close to his ear.
“Never threaten my female,” I whisper. I smile, amused at my own morbid sense of humor then return to her side. “This will take a bit as we’re not going to go directly there. I’m also going to use as many back streets and alleys as possible to avoid being seen any more than we have to.”
“Good idea,” she says.
“Stay quiet. Your voice will give the lie.”
“I understand.”
“Okay, let’s go.”
I open the door and we emerge onto the dark and dangerous streets.
20
BHOJA
Iwelcome the increased sense of danger if for no other reason than it forces my thoughts into focus. The streets of the city are always crowded, even in the nighttime but this is midday and it’s shoulder to shoulder traffic. Citizens interspersed with guards. The only clear pockets are those around any wandering Maulavi.
I hold her hand through the cloak so no one can see her pale skin and pull her along in my wake. I have to fight through the crowds. Pushing, pulling, turning sideways and dragging her along behind.
When the crowd suddenly surges in on us I lose my grip on her hand. My stomach drops and I whirl around before she can be swept away. I shove a male aside, stepping into the opening thus created and getting ahold on her again. The shoved male growls but then recognizes my armor and snaps his mouth shut.
