Page 3 of A Blade of Lies and Spirits

I watched Chance’s hands. The flicker of fire still covered them, pale wisps tinged with the color of fresh blood.

Then he raised them, his entire body oozing surprise and embarrassment.

“Assault?” Chance asked. His voice rolled smooth as a courtesan’s skin, his accent English. “I assure you that while my tastes lean to the erotic, she was dearly paid for this and more than willing.”

He projected stupid and lascivious in equal parts. A mask he was superb at wearing. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t realize that Walker knew me, and knew me well enough not to believe I was a whore.

Walker’s mouth quirked. “And you both decided to enjoy this experience In an abandoned Warden interrogation facility?”

“For the atmosphere,” Chance answered. “Besides, it was her suggestion. This one likes it kinky.”

I added another beating onto his account.

“So, apparently, everything is fine,” Walker said, giving me a hard look, like he was pissed I hadn’t spoken up or explained any of this. “But, unfortunately, I’m going to have to cut this short.”

The two men stared at each other, neither releasing their power. The air was oppressive and heavy, almost too thick to breathe. The static made everyone’s hair drift, as the tension in the room continued to rise.

They ignored me, and I desperately wished I could stick a knife into both of them.

“Really,” murmured Chance, soft and smooth. “I’ve already paid the woman for her services, as yet undelivered. You can have her in an hour.”

Walker blinked as their eyes met again like a clash of blades. Then, like a stone, Walker’s answer dropped in the air. “No.”

I could almost see their magic flexing in the air.

Walker turned his head, stared down at me.

“Why did you end up in Silsprin, Alys?”

“I have intelligence on a malevolent spirit, killing people. Something trivial. I was investigating when this happened. If you will both fuck off, I’ll get loose and continue working.” The beauty was that it wasn’t a lie, and Walker had to know it.

I wanted to know how he got here so fast, and how he had known my location. Was it a coincidence that he ended up coming to this town like it was with Chance? Or had he come here in search of me? I mean, clearly, he’d come to this abandoned facility to find me, but what led him here to begin with?

“I’d hoped you’d be willing to go with me on a bodyguard assignment? It’s been signed off, and I can help you with this after. But it’s an urgent assignment.” Almost apologetic, Walker met my eyes in the mirror. The darkness that ran along his skin raised bits of mist, condensing the water in the air.

The bare hint of a smile flickered at the edge of Chance’s mouth. “But I paid for the room,” he said, plaintively, in a small voice.

“Consider it payment for services already rendered.” Walker took a step to the side, gesturing for Chance to leave.

“There are a few mercenaries napping outside,” Walker continued. “They objected to me proceeding into the room.” His dark gaze shifted from Chance to me.

His amused expression relaxed some of the tension in me. I didn’t like him being angry at me. He began working on loosening a strap as his attention shifted to Chance.

“I also wanted to add that only the person who placed this geas can remove it. The backlash from anyone else doing it would kill Alys. I’ll be most unhappy if she dies. Don’t try this again.” Cold and flat, it was a tone I’d never heard from him.

What was more, it was information I believed. Information that neither I, nor Chance, given the look on his face, knew. How Walker did, I had no idea. Maybe people with his powers simply had the ability to sense geas more than we did. Either way, something deep in my chest ached, and Chance had a flicker of disappointment come and go across his face.

“Understood,” Chance finally managed, and then he gave Walker a funny little bow and exited.

Well, I’d never seen Chance run for it quite so quickly. I had no doubt I’d see him again, but I also suspected that between Walker’s manner and powers, Chance had decided this was a situation he wanted to extract himself. Probably before Walker started looking into him more, which wouldn’t go well for anyone.

“Do you have a change of clothes on you?” I asked. “Has a new scandal started, so it’s safe for me to go back to Capitol?”

“It looks like a change was provided.” Walker dropped the last strap and gestured to a shelf by the door. “No, the Greene family is out for your head, and pulling in favors to get it. Silver’s swearing at all the paperwork you’ve generated. He asked me to tell you that Elise and the children will be taking a short vacation in Silsprin and to try to be discreet.”

WHen I stood and stretched, the sweat pants alost fell off. Far too large. I shook out the clothing folded on the shelf. A figure-hugging shirt and skirt in dark red, touched with silver lace at hem and cuff. Leather gloves in the same color.

Bastard. I hated red.Walker turned as I shimmied into it, grumbling at the heels provided.

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