by Boone Brux
Jade continued down the street, breathing deeply and struggling to close off the tiny tendrils of Luc Le Daun that were trying to wiggle through her defenses.
She stepped inside the fabric shop and waited for her eyes to adjust to the dim light. Bright swaths of expensive material hung for customers to admire. She caressed a length of nearly transparent, yellow fabric.
“You like?” A thin, rat-faced woman approached wearing an oily grin. “With that hair.” She waved a gnarled hand at Jade’s head. “And this material, you’ll look like walking sunshine.”
“It’s not for me.” Jade glanced at Luc, whose attention was elsewhere, and quickly back to the old woman. “I’m in need of something more durable, less—bright?”
“I got cotton.” She scooted behind a table, pulling out a drab length of gray material from under it. “Good for hard work.”
“That’s hideous,” Luc said. The owner scowled at him. “Have you anything else?”
Though extremely blunt, Jade was glad he’d said something. Gray was the color of servants. To present Delphina with such fabric would be an insult.
“Yes, perhaps in blue or dark red? Our friend has recently lost everything in a fire,” she lied.
To her surprise the woman’s wily look melted into one of compassion. “The fire from last night?”
Luc shifted next to her. She forced herself not to look at him and nodded.
“So sad,” the woman continued. “So many beautiful trees lost. Bless the Sainted Ones that nobody died.”
“Yes, a tragedy. People should learn to be more careful with their campfires.” She couldn’t resist the chance to plant a barb. She prodded the old woman for more information. “Were many homes lost?”
“I thought none until you told me of your friend. Life is tough enough. Here now.” She dug into a large trunk and extracted several bolts of serviceable material. Red, blue, there was even light lavender. “How about these?”
“They’re perfect. I will take three lengths of each.”
“Wonderful, wonderful,” the old woman chimed. “And I’ll include two needles and a spool of thread at no extra cost.”
“That’s very kind of you,” Jade said.
The owner shrugged. “What’s the point in having all this if I can’t share a little of my good fortune.”
Jade scrutinized the shop and the woman’s inventory. Certainly it was no king’s ransom, but what the shopkeeper had was hers. That was more than Jade could say for herself. She turned to Luc as the owner began measuring and cutting the lengths of material.
“I need to go to the shop next door. I will meet you outside.”
“Why?”
Jade cleared her throat and lowered her voice. “Gloves.”
It wasn’t a complete lie. She did need gloves to cover the tattoos. It was just unlikely the curiosity shop carried them. Her excuse seemed to placate him.
“Don’t be long.”
She gritted her teeth and gave him a strained smile. Why the man thought he could tell her what to do confounded her, but this was not a battle she wished to engage in. More important matters pressed.
With a quick nod, she pivoted and headed to the door. The bright sun momentarily blinded her when she stepped onto the street, turning the clay wall running along the street a stark white.
Jade shielded her eyes and approached the low, open door of the curiosity shop. The smell of dust, leather, and oiled wood greeted her.
“Hello?”
Nobody responded. Shelves crammed with strange items lined the wall and filled the small area in the center. She picked up a large conch shell and held it up to her ear. Muffled tones ebbed and she could almost imagine she was listening to the ocean.
She replaced the shell and wove her way to the back of the store, stopping to examine a two-headed snake floating in a jar, a heavy piece of glass shaped like an egg, and a brass kaleidoscope. Pointing the tub toward the door, she spun the wheel at the end. Colors and shapes toppled together, forming and breaking apart in a brilliant burst that reminded her of a blossoming flower.
“May I help you?”
Jade jumped, nearly dropping the kaleidoscope. “Oh, uh, yes.” She replaced the toy. “I don’t know if you remember me, but I was here last month.”
The old man squinted and lifted a monocle to peer through a milky eye at her. His skin was tan and wrinkled like old boot leather and his fingernails were long and filed to sharp points. “You look familiar.” He lowered his monocle. “What can I do for you?”
She glanced over her shoulder, hoping Luc was still occupied next door. “I sold you a book.”
“I buy many books, my lady.” He pushed aside the edge of his coat and slid his eyepiece into a small pocket at the breast of his vest. “You’ll have to be more specific.”
Jade lowered her voice. “It contained symbols and markings.”
The old man’s bushy brows furrowed into hard lines of concentration. Suddenly, his face brightened. “Ah, yes, a very lovely item.”
“What item would that be?” said a deep voice behind her.
Jade cringed, her heart leaping to her throat. How could a man so big move so quietly? “Nothing.”
“The young lady sold me a very rare book last month,” the shopkeeper said.
“Really?” Luc leaned an elbow on the counter and slanted her a suspicious look. “Tell me about this lovely book.”
“Just a book.” She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. “Nothing special.”
The old man laughed. “Oh, not just a book. The symbols and markings were the likes of which I’ve never seen. The man I sold it to was very pleased to get it.”
“Symbols?” Luc slowly straightened.
Her defensive stance melted. “You sold it?”
“Indeed. A wealthy gentleman purchased it. He often sends his man in here to buy or trade items.” He pointed a trembling finger at Jade and smiled, his mouth only partially filled with teeth. “And he was very interested in you. Asked a lot of questions.”
“Me? Why would he want to know about me?”
“He probably wanted to know if you owned more,” Luc said. “As do I.”
“Yes.” The old man nodded his head. “He said he was a collector. Wanted to know where he could find you.” He rubbed his hands together greedily. “Do you have more books you wish to sell?”
“No, I only had one.” Her gaze darted between the two men. “I found it in an abandoned church.”
Her explanation seemed to placate Luc. He gave a single nod of understanding, but asked no more questions.
The old man’s shoulders slumped. “A shame. I would have given you a good price for more.”
Luc continued to stare at her, not speaking.
“What?” she said. “I’m telling the truth.”
“Can you describe the man who bought the book?” Luc said to the shopkeeper.
“Yes, yes.” The shopkeeper licked his lips, as if tasting something wonderful. “He was wealthy. The worth of his robes totaled more than my entire store.”
“Did he give you a name?” Jade said.
“No.” The owner leaned forward. “And you never told me yours.”
She couldn’t remember what she had and hadn’t said during their haggling. “Nor will I now.”
The smile slid from the old man’s face.
“How long ago did you sell it?” Luc said.
“Two weeks, maybe.” The shopkeeper scowled. “He sold me a dagger on that same day. A lovely piece.”
He opened a rickety drawer and pulled out a gleaming dagger. Luc’s stance stiffened. She glanced at him, but his eyes remained riveted on the knife in the man’s hand.
She followed his gaze. The weapon was beautiful, a true work of art. Three smooth ropes of gold were braided together to create the handle. A dragon in flight was embossed on the small guard that was meant to prevent the dagger user’s hand from slipping up the blade. What looked like an extremely thin
sharp blade delicately balanced the weapon.
The old man laid the dagger on the counter and smiled again as if sensing Luc’s interest. “A real beauty.” His voice was full of pride. “It is my belief that I got the better end of the trade.”
Jade’s fingers itched to touch the weapon.
“May I?” Luc said as if reading her mind.
The old man hesitated. “You are interested in buying it?”
“Perhaps.” Luc’s eyes never left the blade.
Shivers of apprehension tingled up her arms. She was missing something.
The old man enthusiastically slid the weapon toward him. With the lightest touch, Luc ran his finger along the edge of the blade. His finger twitched. For a second, Jade thought he had cut himself. His hand wavered above the hilt and she wondered if he was afraid to touch it. With a deep inhale, he wrapped his hand around the handle and lifted the knife.
She watched his face, knowing that was where he’d betray his thoughts. His brow furrowed. He twisted his arm, palm up, and opened his hand. The blade never wavered from its spot in the center of his hand. His fingers curled and uncurled around the knife hilt.
After a few seconds, he closed his fist and looked at her. “Hold out your hand.”
She clutched her fist against her chest, not trusting that he wouldn’t cut her. “Why?”
“I want you to feel the dagger.” He held her gaze and something in the way he said feel piqued her curiosity.
She opened her hand and he laid the handle in her palm. An impulse to curl her fingers around the handle was too strong to resist. The handle grew warm and vibrated against her skin. She glanced at Luc and she knew he had felt the same thing. With effort, she opened her fingers and offered it back to him.
He gingerly plucked the weapon from her hand and turned to the shopkeeper, who was staring at them with a great deal of interest. “How much?”
A crafty smile spread across the old man’s face. “Five gold liats.”
“Five?” Jade exclaimed. “Are you mad?”
“Done,” Luc said and slammed the coins on the counter.
“What?” She spun on him. “You could buy ten daggers with that much.”
He glared at her. “But I like this one.”
The old man cackled, scraping the money off the counter and pocketing it into a leather bag at his waist. “Nice doing business with you, my lord.”
Obviously there was something special about the dagger, something Luc was unwilling to share with the shopkeeper around. She worried her lip. Hopefully he would explain himself once they were outside.
“Do you have any other weapons with these markings?” He indicated the embossed dragon. “I’d be interested in purchasing all you’ve got.”
There was some satisfaction in watching the greedy shopkeeper being offered a large sum of money and not having anything to provide for it. There was even greater enjoyment in watching Luc not get what he wanted.
“’Tis the only one I have, my lord.”
Luc slipped the blade into the waist of his pants. “If you acquire more, hold them for me. I will pay you five gold liats for each item.”
“Yes, my lord.” Greed blazed in the old man’s milky gray eyes. “I will, my lord.”
Luc turned and walked toward the door without another word. Jade scrambled after him. A stranger crowded the door, but Luc pushed past him and stepped onto the street, leaving Jade to plaster her body against a shelf of colorful feathers in order to not get run over. She let the customer pass and then followed Luc outside. He stopped and turned toward the shop again, staring at the door.
She glanced behind her but saw nothing out of the ordinary. “What is it?”
“That man…”
She looked again, but saw no one. “What man?”
Luc tilted his head back and stared at the sky, squinting as if reasoning out a problem. Jade didn’t know if it was against the sun or in concentration. What she did know was that he was acting very strangely. After a few seconds, he shook his head, turned, and started toward the ship.
“Wait,” she said.
He stopped and looked at her, but his thoughts seemed elsewhere. “We need to get back to the ship.”
“What about the rest of the supplies?” She glanced around and lowered her voice. “What about the dagger?”
He started walking again. “We’ll collect food on our way, but I don’t have time to gather the rest.”
She jogged next to him. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing? You’re practically running to the ship!”
He stopped and sighed. “I need to speak with Ravyn and Rhys.”
“About what?” Her patience was wearing thin.
Luc glanced around and spoke through gritted teeth. “About the book you sold.” He paused. “And about the dagger.”
She ignored his reference about the book. “What about the dagger?”
He stepped close. “It matches Ravyn’s.”
“So what? Lots of weapons are crafted in pairs. They were probably made by the same craftsmen.”
“Indeed.” He leaned in, his mouth inches from her ear. “There’s only one problem.”
Every time he was this near, her mind seemed to stutter. “W–what?”
“Ravyn’s dagger is one of the Bringers’ lost immortal weapons.”
CHAPTER TEN
Thunder rumbled across the sky and the wind rattled the windows. The storm outside seemed to mirror the mood inside the ship’s cabin.
Luc had taken a chance trusting Jade, and from her response it seemed she knew what an immortal weapon was, probably from her father’s tales. Too many unknown pieces had been thrown onto the game board today: the dagger, the book she had sold to the shop owner, and the mysterious man who had bought it. His interest in Jade was not from simple curiosity, of this Luc was sure.
Siban leaned against the doorframe, while Rhys and Ravyn stood on the opposite side of the desk from Luc, staring down at the twin daggers. The knives were a perfect set.
“You say you thought this shopkeeper knew nothing about the seller?” Rhys said.
“Just that he was rich and interested in Jade.” Luc didn’t elaborate, hoping Jade would join the conversation willingly.
He glanced at her. She glared back. He attempted his most sincere look of pleading. With a haughty tilt of her chin, she crossed her arms and looked away. The woman was so damned stubborn.
“If there are more of these weapons in other shops, we need to find them.” Rhys glanced at Ravyn. “Are you feeling anything from the daggers?”
She picked up both knives and held them. After a minute she shook her head. “All I can sense is that they are a set, forged at the same time, from the same metal, by the same person. Nothing else.”
“Tomorrow we search every shop in Faela that might carry weapons.” Rhys ran his hands through his hair and released a heavy breath. “We need every advantage we have against Vile.”
“What do you have planned?” Siban’s question hung in the air.
Rhys glanced over at the imposing Tell. “We need to attack Vile before he has a chance to rally.”
Luc’s gaze settled on Siban. Only the slight tightening of his jaw showed the Tell’s unfavorable reaction. “You mean to engage him in the Shadow World?”
“I do not expect you to go, Siban. Your time in the Shadow World is still fresh—I know you are not ready. It will be too dangerous for any who aren’t yet at full power.” Rhys glided around the desk to stand next to Ravyn. “As difficult as it is for me to say it, Ravyn and I will be undertaking the mission.”
Ravyn’s arm slid around his waist, her eyes conveying the love and gratitude she had for Rhys. “He’d rather I stay home, locked away and safe—but he needs me. We’re stronger together.”
Luc rubbed the back of his neck and looked at Jade. She refused to look at him, but the tiny sniff and lift of her chin told him she was aware of his censure. He contin
ued to glare. His friends were heading into the bowels of the Shadow World to face the Demon King and she stood there, unwilling to share information that might be helpful to them or even save their lives.
Ravyn drew his attention back to the conversation. “I think it’s time you two share whatever it is you’re hiding.”
Rhys looked at Luc and then at Jade. “Do you have information?”
Silence enveloped the room, all eyes turning to Jade. Her posture stiffened and she rolled her lips together, refusing to speak. The four continued to stare at her. For his own part, Luc was prepared to wait her out. She had no idea how stubborn he could be, but Ravyn wasn’t nearly as patient.
She released a heavy sigh. “Whatever it is, Jade, you can trust us.”
“If you’ve something to contribute, please, now is the time,” Rhys said.
Jade’s stiff exterior crumpled a fraction.
“We’re your friends,” Ravyn continued. “I hope you know that. We’d never do anything to hurt you.”
Jade looked at her. “I can’t.”
“Can’t?” Ravyn paused. “Or won’t?”
“It’s all the same,” Jade said. “I can’t and won’t tell you.”
“Are you in some kind of trouble?” Rhys said.
Luc snorted and hooked a thumb toward Jade. “Trouble follows this one.”
She glared at him. “You’re one to talk.”
Ravyn moved around the desk. “We want to help.”
“Thank you, but I don’t need any help.”
“Then…” Ravyn reached to touch her. “Help us.”
“Don’t.” Luc stepped forward, intent on stopping Ravyn from using compulsion on Jade. “She needs to trust us, not be coerced.”
If Jade spilled her secrets against her will, it would only create more animosity between them.
Ravyn lowered her arms and nodded. “Please, you’re part of our family now.”
“Whether you want to be or not,” Rhys added, smiling.
Jade’s stiff demeanor softened a bit more, her expression changing from anger to helplessness. She swallowed hard. “I can’t tell you. I can’t betray…”