“Whatever you’re planning,” he said, shifting to lean closer, his arms braced on his thighs. “Don’t. These men are vicious at the best of times. You do not want to see them at their worst.”
“And you,” she sneered, raking her eyes up and down his body, hoping he saw how lacking she found him. “Are you not equally vicious? Absconding with a helpless woman while others fight in your stead? A vicious, lying,thieving, Riverman?”
Sonah felt him still, the grin fading, replaced by a cold mask of cruelty completely changing his features. His green eyes narrowed and, for the first time in hours, dread washed over her.
“I give you fair warning, Lady Sonah,” he said so softly, it was almost a caress. “Do not test me. I am civil now, but Iama vicious, lying,murderousRiverman.”
It was a long time after he’d gone before Sonah stopped shaking.
Chapter 17
CORVO, ERMANEL
Terena walked in silence beside Rydon, with Croak trailing behind. She was still angry over the news of Sonah’s escape from Xoran’s men, her mind preoccupied with visions of her sister alone in the woods in the middle of gods knew where.
Vassori had tried several times to reassure her that Xoran was already searching, and that Sonah could not go far on foot, but Terena was not in the mood to be placated. While they awaited an update from Xoran, Rydon had suggested they continue on to Ermanel to find the seer.
The place Rydon had brought them to was some sort of gambling den, or perhaps a dance hall for the criminal element. As soon as Terena walked in, cloying smoke surrounded her, snaking up around her head and into her eyes and nose. She coughed, looking over at Gabriol, standing beside her, to see if he was feeling it, too. There was something exotic about this place she’d never experienced before.
Croak looked gobsmacked. He stared straight ahead, his eyes wide and glassy as the smoke overtook him.
Everywhere they looked, people danced suggestively; women with women, women with men, twos, threes or more. It reminded her of when they’d first met Melanos. The way he’d entertained himself with his Relics and the ambience he’d created in his cave was strikingly similar to the establishment they were in.
“Come on,” Rydon grunted. He clapped a hand on Croak’s shoulder, jerking him out of his stupor. “We’ll find her in the back.”
While the others followed Rydon, Terena stood rooted in place, her gaze moving slowly about the large room. Someone bumped her from behind and when she turned to look, a woman was making her way past, holding the hand of a man so beautiful, Terena wondered if he was real.
The woman smiled at her and lifted her hand to trace two fingers along Terena’s jaw. The man leaned over the woman’s shoulder, saying something that Terena could not hear over the loud music, her heartbeat synced to the drums. He kissed the woman’s bare shoulder and then leaned close to Terena, his thick lashes fluttering closed as he opened his mouth.
Terena quickly twisted away before the man could kiss her. He laughed and Terena’s stunned gaze swung to the smug woman at his side before pulling the man away.
Blinking away the fog of her bewilderment, Terena looked around, passing tables where people played cards or other games of chance. She paused at a table long enough to see a woman win the card game they played, her laughter loud as the losers grumbled and moved on to another table.
Terena turned away, realizing her friends had abandoned her. Pursing her lips, she threaded her way carefully through the bodies swaying to the music. There were tables set up along the back wall where more people sat tightly together or on someone’s lap.
Turning, Terena spotted Croak sitting next to a beautiful blonde woman whose long hair was a mix of curls, straight locks and braids. As she got closer, Terena saw Rydon standing in front of them with a large, tattooed man at his side.
Terena made her way toward them, her eyes on the blonde woman beside her brother when she saw the woman lean closer to Croak. She stroked his lips with her forefinger, tugging his mouth open then bent over to kiss him. When she pulled back, Croak’s head fell back, his eyes closed. He slumped back onto the tufted couch, head lolling and eyes still closed.
“What did you do?” Terena snapped at the blonde woman. This close, she saw the woman had faint tattoos on her face. Three runes on her chin and a black line bisecting her lips. A star and another smaller rune marked her temple above her left eyebrow. Her eyes were more grey than blue and sparkled as if she found Terena amusing.
Rydon grabbed Terena’s elbow. “Ren?—”
“I asked you a question,” Terena said louder.
The woman smiled at Terena. She flashed a look at Rydon then turned to Croak who was still slumped at her side. She whispered in his ear and he smiled lazily. He opened his eyes when another woman came close and pulled him up.
“Croak—” Terena started to go to him when Rydon’s hand grabbed her upper arm.
“Ren,” he hissed in Terena’s ear. He shook her once and said, “This is the woman I was telling you about. The seer. That’s Cassandra.”
Terena stared at Rydon’s narrowed green eyes before turning back to the blonde woman. She was watching them with a half smile as if she knew what was being said. Terena’s gaze flicked to her brother being led away by a topless woman who also pulled along another man. When he passed Terena, Croak gave her a sloppy smile, his eyes glassy.
Before she could say anything, Rydon thrust her forward, his grip tight on her arm.
“This is Terena,” Rydon shouted across the low table in front of the blonde woman. He let go of Terena’s arm and pushed her toward the seat Croak had vacated. On the other side of the woman, a pair of men were kissing. They paused long enough to look over at Terena. One of them, a handsome man with a shock of white hair and teal eyes smiled darkly at her before turning his face back to the dark haired man he’d been kissing.
Terena sat warily.
