Chapter 23 #3
Faron stepped toward her. “We’ll figure this out. We’ll find out who told—”
“Dammit, I don’t want to figure this shit out!
” She stepped back. “I don’t give a damn who told him.
I don’t care who sent the fucking mages.
I don’t care about the godsdamned Fury Rings.
I’m done sitting around. His time is up,” Tal ground out the last part, her voice hoarse with the effort of containing her fury.
Egan stopped her with a hand. “Apparitions are everywhere. One watches the house day and night. One hides in the alley behind the tavern they frequent. And one trails him around the docks. Others hide in the shadows along the streets.”
Tal crossed her arms. “I’ll take out the one by the house.”
Faron paced the small space. “And risk the others noticing?”
“We need to take the mage out first. It cannot wait.” Carrick cracked his knuckles.
Tal should have been worried. When Carrick suggested action, the situation was dire, but she only felt relieved anticipation.
The king stopped pacing. “None of you should go after him. This is a problem for the whole kingdom. I’ll lead the Guard to the incinerator, and we’ll handle him while you go after Badger. I’ll have Eddard search for Gully and secure him for you.”
Tal nodded. He would save the kill for her. She gritted her teeth. The king sure made it difficult for her to keep her resolve.
Everyone else stared at Faron in shock, except Sybil, who remained unaffected. Carrick shook his head. The Guard rarely deployed within the docks. “You’ll be putting all of them in danger. They’re no match for a mage.”
Tal may have killed one with a dagger, but the soldiers were trained in a different form of combat. They’d never met an enemy like this.
“It’s what they’re trained to do. Protect the kingdom. I cannot ask any of you to put yourselves in harm’s way when I have the resources to handle it myself.”
“Why now?” Impressively, reticent Egan questioned the king, a man he always seemed to admire.
“The council controls our armed forces. They won’t deploy the men within the kingdom without clear proof of a threat. It’s too dangerous for our people. Until now, I haven’t been able to provide that proof.”
Tal’s mind blanked at this new bit of information. She assumed the king to be all powerful, and the council simply offered advice.
“What proof do you have?” Egan continued.
“I have a witness.” For what felt like the hundredth time that night, Faron shocked Tal. He locked eyes with her when he continued, “The sheriff has met with a mage on several occasions, and he’s more than happy to relay that fact to the council.”
Tal had shared with Faron her dislike for the sheriff.
She once revealed how the man essentially told her to learn her place when she asked him to intervene with a client’s abusive father.
It came as no surprise that the sheriff had met with the mages, and an unlikely coincidence that Faron had singled him out to find the evidence he needed.
Tal wondered whether Faron went after the sheriff for neglecting his duties or for what he had said to her.
“What happens if the council still chooses not to send the Guard? Is a witness enough to convince them of the threat?”
“I’m a fan of asking for forgiveness.”
Tal snorted and Faron’s signature smirk returned for the briefest of moments. “Doesn’t mean you’ll get it,” she countered. An awkward silence fell on the room, and Faron’s smile fell.
“I’ve already spoken with Daire. He’s ready to go at my command.”
Tal ground her teeth at the mention of the captain. “Fine.” She took in the eager expressions around the room. “How soon can we move against Badger? Do we risk attacking at his house?”
“Actually,” Egan chimed in, “he still visits the brothel nightly. Oona says the apparitions aren’t allowed inside. The headmistress only allows her girls, her guards, and her clients. It’s fairly secure, but we’ll need to be wary of the guards. They monitor every hall.”
Sybil picked at something in her teeth with one of her daggers. “So, we send one of us into his room.”
“What, you mean for one of us to bed him?” Carrick laughed.
“He’ll think that, yes. Which will make it the perfect opportunity to tie him up and strip him, skin and all.” Sybil stared at Tal when she said the last part. Her eyes did not blink, did not waver. She’d had a vision.
“And who are we going to send in there? You?” Rain asked his sister.
“Me,” Tal answered.
“No,” Faron snapped at the same time Carrick said, “Absolutely not.”
“He’s my kill. The easiest way to get to him is inside that room.”
“After what he tried to do to you, you’re going to simply walk in there, knowing what he’s expecting?
” Faron shook his head. “You will not be posing as some whore and locking yourself in a room with that filth,” he growled, the first sign of possessiveness he’d ever shown.
Something heated in the pit of Tal’s stomach, but the more stubborn part of her spoke louder.
“You have no power here, your highness.” She sneered at him. “I am perfectly capable of defending myself. You think I can’t handle one street thug?”
“Rain would be the ideal person to go in. He could coerce the man to give up information and then to keep silent,” Egan pondered.
“Except we know for a fact that he prefers women,” Rainier added grudgingly. Apparently, he too thought himself the better option over Tal.
“We could always ambush him before he goes inside once the apparition disappears,” Carrick threw out, always more suited to action over espionage.
“No. The commotion would draw attention. I get in there, kill him, and get out before anyone realizes the new girl escaped.”
“New girl, huh?” Sybil smiled. At least she supported Tal’s plan.
Tal smirked. To Egan, she asked, “Can you and Oona get me in?”
“There’s got to be another way. Can’t Rain coerce everyone to forget they saw him?” Faron gripped his waterskin a little too tightly.
Tal gritted her teeth. He had always been supportive of her choices before, but now he wanted to shut her down. She would have none of it.
Rain shook his head. “Memory coercion takes a lot of energy with only one person. I couldn’t coerce a whole brothel.
Believe me, I’ve tried large groups in other situations.
Besides, there’s ways around a silencing coercion that would allow one of them to say they saw me.
I’m better with actions. I could tell someone to look away, but there’s the chance someone else comes down the hall and sees me before I can stop them. I’m better one-on-one.”
Sybil’s head whipped in Faron’s direction. “Oh no, loverboy. Don’t bring me into this. Tal’s made up her mind.”
“She’s not going,” Tal ground out, knowing that Faron wanted to suggest Sybil go instead. “Syb, what do you see?”
“Not much. It’s too dark to really tell. But you get in there alone with him.”
“I can get you in tomorrow,” Egan added.
Tal nodded and walked to the outer tunnel.
Faron followed after her. He reached for her arm, but she pulled away. “Tal, this is too dangerous. Don’t do this.” After a pause, he released a pained whisper. “Please.”
His tortured expression threatened to break Tal’s resolve, but she gritted her teeth. “Did you forget? I’m a bounty hunter. I hunt criminals for a living. I’ve killed them if I’ve been hired to. I’m not one of your princesses who needs someone to save them.”
He ignored the jab. “You’re deliberately offering yourself to someone who attacked you. Someone with a mage actively watching them. Don’t you see how mad that is? I’ll dig deeper. Hells, I’ll kidnap him if I have to.” He threw his arms wide in frustration.
“You can’t just flaunt your authority or throw your precious gold around and expect it to solve our problems. If you want to be the hero, go back to your palace and find homes for the poor.
Hire a sheriff who will actually stop the violence.
Tell your damned council which pawn will be your bride so you can save this kingdom from itself.
Who knows, maybe one of them comes from a country that can bring in the resources to stop the mages if more of them come. ”
At the mention of a bride, Faron flinched like she had hit him. If she had been a better person, she would have apologized for being so harsh. Instead, she stormed off toward her room. Faron didn’t follow her, and she didn’t turn back to see the hurt on his face.