A heavy silence followed.
Gods, Renwell would devour this information. But how would he act on it?
“Focus on your daughter’s birthday celebration,” Melaena said in a soothing voice. “The gift you ordered should be here in a few days’ time.”
Garyth heaved a weary laugh. “Why my little girl wants a lizard, I’ll never know. But I can hardly wait to see her smile.”
I couldn’t help a smile of my own at the thought of my innocent accomplice getting the scaly pet she yearned for. Strange that he’d asked Melaena to get it for him. But my smile drooped at the thought of the danger Isabel’s father was putting her and her mother in.
“You’d best get back to her,” Melaena said softly. “We shouldn’t be seen together too much.”
Garyth grunted in agreement.
Just then, something stirred in the shadows, creeping toward me. A spider, dark and furred.
I clenched my teeth to keep from screaming. Every muscle in my body locked. Except my eyes, which followed the little beast as it tiptoed closer. Was it the same one from the tunnel last night? It must’ve slipped through. Probably hunting my scent. Could spiders do that?
Gods, if it really was one of the poisonous black moss spiders...
Melaena and Garyth were taking their gods-damned time rising from their couches and saying goodbye.
Fuzzy legs nestled in the top of my hair. And climbed. Inching its way to my forehead. I squeezed my eyes shut, fear pounding in my throat.
“One moment, Garyth.” Footsteps padded over and stopped right next to my boot heels. “How did this get knocked astray?” Melaena muttered under her breath, adjusting something—probably the tapestry I’d let fall.
A cold, furry body scraped over my forehead. Searching legs tapped near my eyelids.
A shudder tore down my spine, but by some miracle, my body didn’t utter a sound.
Melaena’s footsteps faded away with Garyth’s. The moment the door locked behind them, I slowly slid out from under the couch. Too much movement and the spider might sink its fangs into me.
It crept over my eye and down my cheek.
I whipped my head to the side while slashing at the spider with my hand. I felt it sail away from me.
I finally opened my eyes. Where in the deep, dark, wandering hell did it go? A discordant shadow scurried back toward the couch. I stomped it with my boot. The sickening crunch made me wince.
But then regret hummed through me at the gory mess on my boot heel and the rug.
Leave no trace.
Gods damn it. Renwell would be disappointed. He’d trained me to keep calm in any situation, yet a spider had rattled me enough to leave a mess.
Fingers shaking, I used a hairpin to scrape the spider’s remains from the rug. It wasn’t perfect, but I was running out of time. Maz was probably waiting for me by now. He might even come looking for me.
I wiped the hairpin on the underside of the couch, then shoved it in my pocket. That would have to do. Hopefully, a maid would clean the rugs before Melaena noticed and questioned two oddities in this room occurring in a short span of time.
I hurried out of the room and back into the dressing room, which was blessedly empty. Walking more slowly, I passed through the showroom, down the hall, and into the lobby.
Melaena and Garyth were nowhere to be seen, but neither was Maz.
Shifting away from the curious glances of Melaena’s patrons, I left the club. Heat simmered from the streets in the mid-afternoon light. I skirted the bronze dancer statue and dubiously approached the gate.
Where was Maz? Could I find my way back on my own? Or could this be my chance to leave my mark for Renwell?
A low three-note whistle caught my attention.
A lone figure leaned against the city wall, out of sight of the guards. Familiar green eyes flashed at me from beneath his low hood.
