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“He is with me. He won’t hurt you if you don’t hurt me…”
“You said you weren’t a Crow. But I would recognize the Reaper anywhere. He’s one of them.” The dragon reached for Nava, his fingers turning to long claws covered in golden scales.
“Don’t touch her,” Arkimedes growled as he reached the bar, his hand on the hilt of his sword. He was almost a head shorter than the pirate but stood just as tall with the shapes of his shadows.
The tavern was so quiet Nava could hear her own ragged breaths as she racked her brain for something to say. “Let’s go talk somewhere more private. I promise you we aren’t part of the Crows.”
“Fuck that. Like I’d believe shit you say.” His distorted voice held nothing back, and the scales growing on his body had extended past his elbows. He smelled like smoke and fire, and the scent turned her stomach as she remembered the Zorren.
“Settle down, dragon. There are more of us than you right now, and we aren’t looking for a fight,” Devon said as he came up beside Arkimedes. Although they were all speaking in hushed whispers, everyone could probably hear them.
This was it, their one opportunity—and he was shifting to fight them. Nava’s heart was in her throat, beating quickly as she dipped her hand into her pocket and held the sun stone, wanting Ari to give her strength. The sun stone beat inside her grasp, warm as a newborn chick. She had to get the artifact to protect Ari and Arkimedes and to avenge Illaris.
“I’ve got this.” She withdrew the stone, light against her palm but hidden from view of the crowd by her lap. The dragon’s eye snapped to the stone, and his scales retreated as he settled into his normal size.
“What’s that?” His voice wasn’t the same as before, but he suddenly seemed more interested in the treasure than even his fear of Arkimedes.
Nava pocketed the sun stone and raised her chin. “We want to talk, in private, about what I already told you. I wasn’t lying then, nor am I now.”
Drake glared at Devon and Arkimedes. “I don’t like to be outnumbered. If you want a deal, mouse, then meet me at the night market. There, we can talk business.” He reached for his clay mug and gulped down its contents, making sure he was taking his time—even though a minute ago, he’d been itching to leave.
Then he walked in between Ark and Devon, knocking the latter with his shoulder as he passed him.
Devon stumbled, barely catching himself against the counter. Ice traveled across the wooden surface, triggered by his temper. “That fucking bastard always pisses me off when he gets away. I told you, Arkimedes, one of them was bound to be up in the rooms fucking a whore.”
Nava’s lips parted, and she blinked rapidly as she caught up to what Devon said. “You’ve met him before?”
“Draken? Yes, he and his crew are always in trouble with the Corvus. His captain is vicious. That fucking snake is not who we should work with. He’s dangerous.” Devon coughed loudly.
He wasn’t even a ship’s captain? Given his size and how alpha he acted, Nava had assumed he was in charge and used to make demands.
She looked at Arkimedes, who was staring daggers at the door through which the dragon shifter had disappeared. Both of them were soaking wet, as if they’d been standing outside in the rain instead of waiting inside for her to arrive.
It didn’t take long for the patrons to resume their chatter, although uneasy tension lingered in the room.
Nava patted her pockets to make sure she still had her sun stone and the leftover gold, and followed them to the front door. “You didn’t see Draken before I arrived?”
“No,” Arkimedes said. “Everyone here isn’t anyone we recognize—but everyone knows him.” Arkimedes opened the swinging door for her and Devon to exit.
The cold evening air enveloped her like a thick, unwanted hug. She wasn’t wearing warm enough clothing for this kind of weather, and she cursed her own stupidity for leaving her coat at the inn.
The server caught up to them before Nava could fully step outside the establishment, gripping the billowing sleeve of her dress. “Miss! You may not leave until you pay for Drake’s drink. We won’t welcome you back if you don’t.”
The nerve of him.
Nava yanked her arm away. “I never ordered that drink, and I won’t pay for it. Next time, ask the person to see if they agree instead of ignoring them the entire night.”
They left the round-eyed fae and loud place behind. Nava doubted she would ever step foot in there.
“Is there such a thing as a night market?” she whispered to Arkimedes. Devon was leading the way, a mere silhouette in the dark street before them.
“The guards often spoke about it, but I haven’t been to it myself.” Worry was etched onto the lines of Arkimedes’s face. Even though they were outside and had the information they’d come for, something was wrong. “Speaking of the guards, two of them have been following us ever since we left the safe house.”
29
NAVA
The whereabouts of the night market cost them another five gold coins, given to a drunken shifter they encountered while walking down the old port road.
