“I’ll know it when I see it,” I mumbled, exhausted.
Ainwir had apprised me of all the Guild’s hideouts, should I need smuggling in or out of a city. Though we’d never traveled to Cynthus during our time together, I’d written down his list of contacts and locations for the border city.
The buildings here were positively ancient—their marble had browned beneath dirt and debris. Most of the tiny homes looked ready to fall apart, and some stood abandoned, their roofs caved in or walls shorn. My vision blurred every time I tried to read a sign as my body beckoned me to sleep. Faltering, my feet dragged through the rough dirt road.
“Tired?” Seth asked.
Rubbing my eyes again, I looked up at him. He cut a villainous figure, shrouded in a hood and concealed by a black mask.
“Aren’t you?” I asked.
“A little. Maybe I’ve gotten used to sleepless nights.” He paused, nudging me. “Is that it?”
Blinking, I strained to read the rickety sign he pointed at. ‘Lady Luck.’
“That’s it,” I confirmed, pulling open the door and stepping inside.
The place wasn’t the shady hole I expected. A perfectly ordinary tavern greeted us, its bar stocked with cheap liquor and tables devoid of decoration. Several people gathered inside, poor workers, judging by their dirty tunics.
We fit right in, dirt-smudged and dark-eyed.
Touching my back, Percy slipped past me, heading for the empty corner where a chair was set aside for performers.
Finding a seat at the bar, I patted the counter and hailed the bartender. A middle-aged woman with curly ginger hair wiped her hands on her apron and approached. “What can I get for you?”
“The house special,” I said. “With a shot ofoldwhiskey.”
The woman’s chin tilted up, and she nodded, “Might be a while. Grab a drink in the meantime.” Turning, she walked through the back door.
Seth shifted in his seat, leaning over. “Not the most creative code.”
“They shouldn’t be.” I studied him. “I thought you spoke with the Guild often?”
“I did. The code I was taught was much more colorful.”
Music filled the tavern as Percy began to play. A grin brightened his face, and he tapped his foot with enthusiasm. I drummed my fingers on the bar, enjoying his pleasant voice and lively tune.
Seth spun to face me, leaning an elbow on the bar. “Here we are, alone in a tavern. I think this is our first proper date.”
“You don’t strike me as the kind of man who courts.”
“Why not?”
“You said yourself romance was for fools.” I reclined on the bar, matching his pose. “I presume all the girls at the brothel knew your name.”
“You’re thinking of Percy.” He said, crossing his legs. “Here I thought I’d been romantic, but you think me a common philanderer?”
“Mhm.” I nodded.
“What about the time when I carried you to safety?”
“Any good comrade would have done that.”
“Pff,” He rolled his eyes. “She’s hard to please.”
“I don’t understand you.” I stared into the red eyes behind the mask. “You think courting is for fools, but you keep flirting with me.”
“Because it’s fun,” he said. “Surely a con woman like you enjoys a spot of banter.”
