Page 68 of The Sorcerer's Thief
I ignore them. Let them bicker. Serves me well. I turn my back and return to work on the lock.
“He’s just some thief I picked up,” says Julian. “No one of importance. Let him go home, Tauren. He has a family.”
Pfft.Julian is good at lying. He said that so smoothly I almost believe him. But I haven’t had a family in a long time.
“What care I for your little friend’s family?” asks one of the men I’m going to kill. Tauren, I guess. “When I can use him against you, pet?”
Click.
Ankles freed.
I grab my knife with one hand and Julian’s wrist in the other. “The coin, Jules. Use it.”
He fumbles, shoving it at me. “It’s never liked me. It wants you.”
“I have other business to attend to.” I round on the two fae. “Which one of you cut up my boyfriend?”
Rune stands in front of Tauren, hands swirling with fire. “His neck or his precious wings? I did the first, but I’m sorry to say I wasn’t around for the latter. Would have loved to have seen it, though. Bet he screams real pretty. Do you?”
I consider them. Rune likes the sound of his own voice far too much, and Tauren hangs back, eyes keen, letting his lackey take the risks for both of them. They’ve noticed the coin. Do they feel its power?
I square off with Rune.
“Cricket, no.” Julian’s voice is threaded with panic. He balls his fist in my shirt.
Rune sputters a rolling burst of laughter. “His name is Cricket?” He’s looking past me, right at Julian. “Do you moan that name in bed? Oh, oh, Cricket!” He flails one arm dramatically over his face. “Right there, Cricket. Don’t stop Cricket!”
I despise him. “Enough talking.”
His false joviality turns sour.
I lunge for Rune, blade extended.
He rears back, flinging the fire at us. The flames engulf my shield, burning our protection away as if it were mere kindling.
My strike misses, slicing through the space where Rune was. The mage disappears like smoke, only to emerge behind Julian with his dagger held to his still-bloody neck. In his other hand, another ball of fire awaits.
Curses.
With little choice, I put my back to Tauren. “The coin, Julian.”
“Yes. The coin,” Rune croons near Julian’s ear. “Let’s have a closer look-see, shall we?”
The press of a blade cuts into the leather at my back.
Guards file into the room, surrounding us.
Julian digs his elbow into Rune’s ribs and jerks away, gouging another bloody line into his own neck in the process. He grabs my shoulder and spins me, putting his back to mine and getting me out of reach of Tauren’s knife.
Rune advances, the heat of his fire bringing sweat to bead along my forehead.
“Wait.” Julian holds up the coin for Tauren to see. “It’s worth a lot of money. Let us go, and you can have it.”
Would he really hand it over to save me? The coin, which is strangely mute, strangely still, and not at all helpful when we need it most. I’ve given up on understanding its motives.
“Why would I do that when I have you, your lover, your father’s dagger,andthe coin in my possession right now?”
He has a point. Wait.Your father’s dagger?Who’s Julian’s father?
