Page 99 of The Tribes of Magic
“Whew. If only all magic were that easy,” I said.
“How did you do that?” A man poked his head out of a very large bush. He must have used it to hide from the Cursed Ones.
“Hey, I know you,” I said.
The man’s voice was thick, smoky, and very familiar. He wasn’t wearing a helmet this time around, but I would have recognized that voice anywhere.
“You’re one of the guys who tried to kidnap me and the other Apprentices.”
“Don’t take it personally, sweetheart. It was just a job.”
His mouth curled into a half-smirk. I guess he was trying to be charming, but the big scar across his face slightly marred the effect. He was muscular, as most Metamorphs are. And from the look on his face, he had a very high opinion of himself, as most Metamorphs do.
“Your name is Harlyn.”
“It is indeed.” Harlyn bowed to me.
I glanced at Conner, who was watching the man the way people watched their valuables around shady characters. Harlyn’s attempt at chivalry had left him decidedly unimpressed.
“You’re Savannah Winters, the infamous Apprentice.”
“Did you know who I was when you and your friends tried to kidnap the Apprentices? Or when you attacked us at the Spirit Tree?”
“First of all, those guys aren’t my friends. I’m an independent agent.”
“A mercenary.”
“If you prefer.”
“I most certainly donotprefer being attacked, kidnapped, or otherwise accosted.”
“I never would have done any of those things—I never would have taken the job—if I’d known about you.”
“What about me?”
“That you’re a Polymage. And that you have Polymage friends. Anyone who’s got the Cursed Ones running scared isn’t someone I want to make an enemy of. You’re just not normal, are you, girl?”
“Not especially,” I admitted.
He laughed. “All right, all right. I give up. Howdidyou scare off the Cursed Ones?”
“I don’t know. I just did. It’s kind of my thing.”
“I believe it has something to do with the way you talked to the Cursed Ones.”
“Decisively?”
He folded his arms over his chest, looking me over. “I’m not sure exactly. Your voice definitely changed when you talked to them. Your pitch was different.”
“Mypitchwas different?”
“Yes. I think they reacted to that.”
“I wasn’t aware I changed my voice.”
“You did. I have an ear for these things. My hearing is excellent. My last crew liked to use me as a safe-breaker since I can hear those little variations that others can’t.”
Nice that he was putting his hard-earned criminal talents to good use.
