Page 269 of Seer Prophet

I wondered how much of that was put-on, too.

The sheik-guy only smiled, again exuding sympathy, and even some humor now.

“How was she?” he said, his voice holding more of a friendly tone. “Can I ask top dollar for this one, do you think, my brothers? What is your expert opinion?”

Dalejem gave the barest of glances at Revik.

In that look, for the first time, I saw an infinitesimal break in the infiltrator’s mask he wore. It was there and gone, flashing so quickly across his eyes, I almost questioned if I’d seen it.

His answering smirk met the sheik’s.

“Definitely,” he said, winking at me. “She was… quite talented, brother. A mouth like an angel, and a velvet cunt to match. We were just considering taking her again, when you came.”

Clicking softly, Dalejem clapped the robed man on the shoulder, giving him another knowing smile. “…If you want my advice, I would accept nothing less than the very highest price for this one, my brother. Perhaps, if they argue with you, you should remind your buyers that training them in manners is half the fun?”

I felt something off Revik’s light at that, too, but he muted it at once.

Even with our connection, it barely lasted long enough for me to feel it, and most of that reached me through the bond structure we shared.

The sheik didn’t spare Revik so much as a glance.

Instead he laughed at Dalejem’s words, tilting his head in acknowledgment. He gave both of them a polite bow, making a respectful sign with his hands in seer sign language, even as he straightened.

“Very good,” he said, still smiling. “I will do exactly as you say, my brother.”

He clicked his fingers.

Before he’d even turned to follow, his guards were already leading me away.

I wasn’t wearing shoes, but I guess that wasn’t a priority for them.

It didn’t occur to me until I’d already rounded the corner that I hadn’t gotten a chance to grab the earpiece I’d brought, either. Or my gun.

Then again, given where I was going now, maybe that was for the best.

Chapter49

Unrequited

Revik fought to control his light.

He fought to remain silent, too, knowing they were still under surveillance, particularly while they remained in the area of the docks. As long as he could feel those lines humming around his form and recording his light, he focused solely on his physicality, ignoring thealeimiccloak woven over his light.

He focused on keeping his legs walking outside their normal rhythms, on holding his body differently, on keeping his mannerisms and the way he used his light in relation to his body less… harmonious… than usual.

He hunched more, too, patterning his gait after a civilian, versus how he normally walked, which had more of a military andmuleibent to it, at least when he wasn’t trying to make it otherwise.

Even so, he had to fight to control his light.

He kept his cloak tightly around his body as they left the main area of customs, watching as Dalejem flashed badges for both of them to get them through the access gate.

The guard waved them through once they’d gone through several scans and a blood test to ensure they weren’t carrying C2-77. Through all of it Revik stood there, feigning boredom and tiredness as if coming off a shift.

Even with the added distraction, his light struggled.

He followed Dalejem’s lead as they exited through the transit portal used by dock workers, then walked a tunnel-like corridor to the train station. Clicking back and forth from his memory of the specs, Revik noted their progression towards the employee-only platform. He knew passengers and ship’s crew not directly affiliated with the Dubai docks got out via a different line, one that fed into a second set of customs and quarantine protocols on the city side, which is why they’d gotten him and Allie worker IDs, instead of transit ones.

Once they hit the dry, cool, night air of the desert?or what Revik could feel of it from the aboveground platform?he could no longer remain silent.

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