He didn’t answer. Sighing, Elena tapped her holopod again, giving him a gracious tip.
“He just left Flower Bud,” he said. “Should be off to Karishma now.”
“You could have said that just as easily without a bribe.”
“Well, how will I get to Cyleon then?” Eshaant grinned, winking. “Good luck, dealer.”
Elena smiled as she walked away. She pressed her pod, sending Eshaant another tip, one large enough for the fare between here and Cyleon. Even if he had given up hope on Ravence, she wished the best for him.
Besides, she thought,he’ll make a killing selling chaas to Cyleoni.
Elena slipped a makhana beneath her scarf as she skirted past the drunk singer, hooking left to the blue doors of Karishma. It was a large, three-storied club. After tracking Varun’s movements for the last few months, she knew he was likely on the second floor. She just hoped he would be unoccupied.
Elena crept around the back of the building and stashed her orb behind an abandoned cart. The scroll was too precious—she would keep it with her. She jammed a handful of makhana in her mouth and then threw away the cone. Ducking inside, she pushed past a throng of sweaty bodies dancing under phosphorescent lights that pulsed in time with the music. The beat pounded against the wall like a beast raging against its cage. Whiskey sloshed on her cloak. One drunk, pretty girl grabbed the end of her scarf, pulling her into a kiss. Elena quickly sidestepped her, smiling, and darted up the stairs.
There were more people here, this time dancing to the older tunes of a once-famous cinema star, now dead. As she pushed toward the back, the music faded. A thick red curtain separated the back rooms from the crowd.
“Dealer.” The guard nodded. “Here to see Varun?”
“Fai.” The Cyleoni was a big man, twice as large as her and twice as slow. “Not going to stop me this time, hmm?”
The last time she had ventured into Karishma, she had caught Fai on a bad day. He tried to demand money from her, for “aiding her in her dealings,” but Ferma had been there to step in.
“Your friend isn’t here with you.” Fai stepped forward, though Elena noticed with a smile that his throat bobbed as he scanned the crowd. “Or is she hanging back?”
“I just need to see Varun quickly,” Elena replied. “Is he… occupied?”
“Not yet, so be quick.” Fai smirked. “But you’ll need to empty your pockets before you go in.”
“Fai.” She sighed. “We’ve been over this. Do you want me to send you ass over head into the drunks?”
“I’d like to see you try.” He stepped forward again, massive under the lights, and for a moment, Elena wavered. Maybe sheshouldhave brought Ferma. She had the scroll on her, and if Fai ended up ripping it…
Fuck.
“You really don’t learn, do you?” Elena sank her weight back into her heels, tucking the scroll in her back waistband, but before she could kick him in his solar plexus as she planned, the curtain was thrown back.
Varun, clothing rumpled and buttons askew, stared between her and Fai.
“Phoenix’s mercy, what is all this noise?” he demanded. “Dealer?”
“I want to speak with you,” she said.
“I’mbusy.”
“It’ll only be a moment.”
“Dealer, not tonight,” Varun said, turning. She glimpsed a rather beautiful young man exiting a room in the back. “Get rid of her, Fai.”
“It’s about the pod,” she said.
Varun froze. Fai raised an eyebrow, but Varun waved him away. He grabbed her elbow and led her to a darkened corner.
“Do we need to talk about thisnow?” he hissed under his breath.
“You haven’t leaked the reports,” she said. “Why not?”
“I’m timing it.” He glanced furtively past her into the crowd. “Jangir suspects I’m up to something, so I’m lying low for now.”
