Chapter Thirty-One
Thirty-one
Faolan
The Merrow sits in the center of the Docklands, golden nets littered with scales dangling from the ancient sign. As we walk through the darkening streets, cobblestones changing to bent planks beneath our heels, those scales catch the light: peridot, amethyst, tourmaline.
I asked the owner, once, where she’d gotten them, and the crone claimed they were taken from merfolk captured by her own great-grandfather a long way past the Crescent’s farthest points.
More likely, they’re an artist’s creation—but I’ve always held out some hope the myth is true.
With a wide grin, I push open the vibrant blue door with its swirling, wavelike stain and step into the pub that’s served as a haven for pirates since before the Ring of Stars was formed.
To the right, the bar stretches out across a sagging wall, wooden top gouged in a hundred different places from fights and knife games played over rounds of whiskey and ale.
To the left, a couple of girls sit in the corner with fiddles and a bodhrán held in beautifully tattooed arms. And at the center…
“Right,” I mutter, tucking a hand behind me to wrap around the hilt of my short blade. “Tavin, enjoy the music. Nessa, head to the bar.”
“What about me?”
I glance at Rí Aidan, the young king dressed in a pleasure worker’s cloak.
Borrowed from one of the lads at Tit’s Tempest, the outside is a muted, ruddy orange—the sort of color you’d spot on the horizon just after the sun’s gone down, but the inside flashes delicate pink: a shell turned over to expose its silken walls.
Between that and his pale blue eyes rounded with awe, he’s caught a fair number of looks already.
Exactly how I’d planned.
I try not to smirk as I offer him my free arm. “You’re with me. The rest of you? Keep an eye out.”
Three of Kiara’s crew came with us for the journey, Kiara herself remaining back at the Tit to oversee Lorcan’s recovery and get the rest of her men back to the docks and their ships.
If all goes smoothly, we’ll leave with the apothecary tonight and Lorcan will follow along in a few days’ time with the rest of Kiara’s men to Ashen Flame.
Tavin and Nessa split, casting each other a furtive look before disappearing into the crowd.
I cut straight through its center with Aidan, allowing a calm to descend on my steps as I search for—
“Thought I smelled a wolf.”
Something sharp touches my side, beneath the flap of my coat. Aidan stiffens in alarm, but I merely tilt my head back and smile.
“Páidí! It’s been too long.”
Rian’s first mate grunts, his long face utterly devoid of amusement—or maybe it’s just the fact that a chunk of his nose is missing, alongside his hand. “Not long enough. Heard you caused trouble last night.”
“Aye, well, where the Wolf goes, trouble’s sure to follow. But worry not, I come bearing gifts.” Nudging Aidan out of the way, I pull the marble eye out of my pocket, spinning it slowly between my fingers. “Here. A token of good faith.”
“That won’t get you far, Faolan. Not these days.”
“Does it at least get me through the door?” I glance past him to a solid length of wood painted just a shade darker than the rest: a not-so-secret panel that leads to a room where dealings are done.
Ordinarily, the Merrow’s considered neutral territory, but business is business and sometimes it’s known to get bloody.
As long as it’s kept behind the false wall, no one turns much of an eye.
Páidí looks from the object in my hand to Aidan, then finally snatches it up and steps back. “You, yes. Your companion, no.”
“But he’s such a good companion. Look at those cheekbones.
” I pat Aidan’s face more firmly than is strictly necessary, catching the attention of a couple of patrons.
“You don’t imagine Rian might be even a wee bit curious?
” I lean forward as Aidan shoves my hand aside.
“He’s the Tempest’s prized jewel. Trained by Rowan herself, and you know how Rian and Aoife love a third. ”
Páidí considers for one more moment, then rolls his eyes and steps back.
“Fine. But—”
“You’re a treasure.” Taking Aidan’s arm, I pull him toward the door and try not to laugh as his steps fumble just behind mine.
“What in the shade’s realm are you doing?”
“You wanted to come, you play along.”
“But I didn’t mean—”
“Ease up, would you? It’s all just to get you through the door. Keep an eye out for the relic while I handle the rest.”
Aidan stops talking at that, his arm stiff in mine as I knock twice on the panel, then fit a fingernail in the edge and peel it back. The door swings open, and I glance over my shoulder just once for the wolves before stepping inside.