Chapter 28
I couldn’t keep up my tune for very long outside the alley. My air and strength ran out, and I slumped in Marc’s arms.
He drew me tighter against him, and his eyes darted down to me. “Are you well?”
I managed a shaky smile. “I’ll be better when I know we’ve lost them.”
“Then I’ll make you feel better,” he promised before he clenched his teeth.
Bright blue light burst out from beneath his eye patch and illuminated much of his left side.
My eyes widened as I watched a pair of leathery wings burst from his back.
His facade collapsed with the use of his magic, but fortunately, we were alone in the street.
He leaped into the air and flapped hard and fast, and we were airborne in a few seconds.
I gripped tightly to the front of his coat as the wind whipped over us. The city became a miniature of itself, and the bright lights were twinkling specks. I could barely make out the small shadows of people and vehicles as they traveled the roads.
Marc flew us over the city and landed neatly in front of his uncle’s home. He folded his wings before they completely shrank back into his body. “Can you stand?” he asked me.
“We can try,” I suggested, and he set me down.
My legs were wobbly, but enough to hold myself up. Marc helped me toward the door, but we’d only gone half the distance when the portal opened. Ramaro shot out eyes blazing and his jaws snapping.
“What have you done to her now?” he growled as he skidded to a stop in front of us. “Why is she as pale as a sail?”
“You’ll be worse off if you get in our way again,” Marc warned him as he stepped over the creature.
Ramaro spun around and scurried after us. “Why is your deception magic broken? What have you two been up to?”
Eldric met us in the hall, where he looked almost as perturbed as Ramaro. “What’s happened?”
“A little visit from a trio of Managers,” Marc revealed as he nodded at the stairs. “Let’s talk about this upstairs in Rose’s bedroom.”
I was only too glad to be helped up the steps and into my room. The plush mattress was a welcome seat, and I flopped onto my back with a loud sigh. The men stayed standing, with Ramaro at their feet. His tail whapped against the floor in time with his snorting nostrils.
Marc told our tale to them, and by the time he finished, Ramaro wasn’t any more pleased. “How could they know you were there?”
“Whoever has contracted them must have been at the party and somehow guessed who we were,” Marc suggested.
I sat up, and my face fell. “So that means one of the rich people in Cathair is who contracted Encina to kidnap me.”
“That’s what it looks like.”
My mouth ran dry, and it felt like someone wrapped a cold hand around my heart. Someone at the party. Someone who knew who I might be.
Marc grasped my upper arms. “What is it? You look like you caught the ugliest fish in the sea.”
I bit my lower lip. “Have you ever heard of a guy named Crestmoor?”
Marc lifted an eyebrow. “I have. Why?”
“I. . .I met him tonight, and I told him I was a singer. He asked to listen to me, and there was just something. . .something-” I shuddered and wrapped my arms around myself. “I had a feeling that saying ‘no’ to him wasn’t an option, so I sank for him out in the yard. Just the two of us.”
“The diving merchant?” Eldric spoke up as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Does her magic have any practical function for his business?”
I shrugged. “Only if he needs me to bring up rocks or dirt.”
Marc leaned his back against the wall near one of the windows and furrowed his brow. “Then he knew you could sing. Is that all?”
“And he knew I was hiding myself with magic,” I admitted as my hands fidgeted in my lap. “He wore a ring that could see through anything. It saw through Baba’s magic, at least it made it waver.”
Eldric stroked his chin. “Interesting. Did he happen to tell you the history of this ring?”
Ramaro flicked his tongue out at the professor. “I think that’s less important than that he saw she was hiding herself, and then they get attacked by the Managers and that blasted cat that tried to get us in Rynek.”
“One must know your adversary’s every trick to overcome them,” Eldric countered.
Marc tapped a finger against his arm. “This one seems to have only one trick, and that’s to sic the Managers on us.”
“And we got away both times,” I added.
“Yes, but we’re running out of tricks,” he pointed out as he pushed off from the wall. “The Manager who smashed your magic with his mallet won’t make the same mistake twice.”
Ramaro wrinkled his nose. “Mallet? What sort of mallet?”
“A magic one with runes on the handle,” Marc informed him as he paced the room. “We’ll have to ask the Tinker tomorrow.”
The name piqued my curiosity. “Who’s that?”
“A weapon-smith by trade, and he also collects antiques on the side,” Marc told me as he stopped his pacing in front of me. “He should be able to tell us something about the Managers and Crestmoor.”
A clock somewhere in the house struck the late hour. My body responded by yawning, and I clapped a hand over my mouth to avoid sucking in flies.
“That’s your cue to leave,” Ramaro spoke up as he frowned at the others.
“You’re not coming?” Marc wondered.
Ramaro marched over to the doorway and plopped himself down beside it, where he faced the room. “I’ll take the first watch, just in case they were able to follow you. You don’t exactly blend in when you’re flying above the city.”
“I think I’ll go reset my step trap,” Eldric mused as he sauntered to the door. He paused on the threshold and turned to bow his head to me. “I hope you sleep well, Miss Rose.”
I brushed my hand over the smooth sheets and smiled at him. “I’m sure I will.”
“Then I will bid you goodnight.” He inclined his head one last time and slipped out of the room.
Marc walked over to the bed and took a seat beside me. “You’re sure you’re alright?”
“I think I’m better than those Managers,” I pointed out as I recalled their haggard appearances.
A laugh escaped me. “I suppose they’ll have to find a tailor somewhere around here.
” Marc stared ahead and pursed his lips.
My humor died in my throat. Regret crept into my mind.
I leaned forward to catch his eye. “What is it? Did I do something wrong?”
“Nothing you were aware of at the time, but we both saw their faces. A Manager relies on their anonymity to travel the islands.”
My heart began to sink into the pit of my stomach. “So what’ll they do to us?”
“The common punishment is death.”
I stiffened, and the color drained from my face. “Death? For seeing their faces?”
“That’s their usual policy.”
“But didn’t you see that other Manager’s face? The one that passed away?”
“He waved that rule for me, but only because we respected each other. These others won’t give us the same courtesy.”
“But if they kill me, then they won’t get paid, right?”
“They may or may not care about that.”
“Oh.” I grasped my hands together in my lap to stop them from shaking. “I. . .I really messed up then, didn’t I?”
I set his hand over mine and met my gaze with his bright blue one. “There’s no way you could have known about their policy, or what your magic would do.”
I bowed my head and bit my lower lip. “But I need to know about the second one before I get someone hurt who shouldn’t be hurt.”
A hard slam made my head shoot up. Ramaro had slammed his tail on the floor and now glared at me. “Stop this blubbering and focus. Tomorrow we practice out in the garden. The professor has enough flora, fauna, and watering troughs to fill any witch or wizard’s order.”
I managed a smile. “I suppose that’s what’s needed, isn’t it? Then I’ll only end up killing one of you guys.” Ramaro and Marc’s faces drooped, and I burst into laughter. “I’m joking!”
“I hope you are. . .” Ramaro muttered as he dropped onto his stomach on the floor.
Marc stood and turned to face me. “Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I winced. “Please don’t say ‘bright and early.’ I’m not sure I can do either right now.”
“A pirate gets up with the sun,” he warned me with a twinkle in his eye as he made his way to the door. He dropped his gaze to Ramaro and jerked his head in my direction. “Watch over her good, or I’ll be having a new coin pouch.”
Ramaro flicked his tongue out. “Better than you have been this evening.”
Marc chuckled, but there was a hollow sound to it. He winked at me before he slipped out.
I stood and stretched my arms over my head. “I guess I’ll wash up and-”
Ramaro’s head shot up. My eyebrows shot down. We both whipped our heads at the bathroom door.
I bolted with the lizard close at my heels. My longer legs and a millisecond head start gave me the advantage, and I raced into the bathroom and slammed the door on his face. I leaned against the wood and burst into laughter.
Ramaro pounded against the door. “I can’t protect you on this side of the door!”
“And you can’t watch, either!” I quipped as I pushed off.
“I can.”
I froze, and my face fell. The voice had come from the opposite door. I scowled at the knob and looked around, finding a small eyeliner brush. I snatched up the brush and shoved the tube into the keyhole.
Marc’s voice floated through the door. “You’re unprotected, Miss Larkin.”
“I’ll only take a moment, Mr.-um, Mr.-”
“Marc.”
“Torvus,” Ramaro corrected him.
I rolled my eyes. “How about both of you go away from the doors, leave me alone for just a few minutes, and I’ll come out safe and sound?”
Heavy sighs were my reply, and I heard them shuffle away. I snorted and shook my head as I went about my business, silently thankful for their care.