He carefully considers my completely made-up reasoning, the serious dip in his brow clearing into something a little more hopeful. “Maybe… just one bar?”
“Absolutely.” My throat tightens. “Maybe even a few, to even it up.”
I set off at a clipped pace, Leo darting ahead. The quick, light sound of footsteps makes me glare ahead, but I don’t bother looking back. “I don’t need to be monitored.”
Esme snorts as she falls into step beside me. Her hand reaches up, checking as if her familiar twin swords might be anywhere else than strapped to her back. “You might come back with another ten crates. Besides, I didn’t like the way those inritus looked at us last night. Two – or three – swords are better than one.”
I don’t argue. She’s right on that point at least. “It seems as if we’ve worn out our welcome.”
We duck around a group of glaring males, their arms crossed as they watch us go by. One makes the sign of Endymion, his hand fluttering at his side as if trying to ward off whatever maegis we might inflict on him.
“Are you surprised?” Esme mutters. Her face loses any trace of amusement, hands twitching, and the male shrinks back. “This is the longest we’ve lingered. We make them uncomfortable.”
My fingers flex at my sides. Ahead of me, Leo is almost dancing in his excitement, and I call out for him to keep close before turning back to Esme. “People always fear what they can’t be bothered to understand.”
A small smile curves up her lips. “They understand whatyoucan do, well enough. You think word doesn’t spread whenVolatuspulls into the harbor? We’re not people to them, Cal. We’re the monsters that linger under their beds, and they don’t like us walking around in the daylight as if we have no limitations.”
“If only they knew.” My words are wry, even as my eyes linger on a pair of guardia. The distinctive twelve-spoked emblem of the Guild is emblazoned on the chest of their black tunic, the two of them having an intense discussion as they point down toward the market. They’re joined by several more, the group expanding with serious, focused expressions. My gut clenches as they spread out. “Something’s going on.”
As we reach the tall, arched stone entrance to the market, I spot more black-clad men, moving from stall to stall. They stand out amongst the hundreds of brightly-lit awnings, the owners already hawking an array of food, drink, spices, clothing, and weapons—amongst other things.
There is nothing that can’t be bought in the Terrosan market. Legal or otherwise.
“A raid?” Esme pauses beside me, her lips pursing as her gaze follows mine. “Perhaps it’s not us that has everyone so unsettled.”
“Maybe not.” But where trouble exists, so does blame. And we’ve faced more than our fair share of it in Terrosa over the years. “I thought this trip had been too quiet. Stay close to Leo.”
He turns at the sound of his name, bounding back to us. I force a smile. “Let’s find this stall. We need to get back to set off.”
Nodding, he grabs at my hand and tugs me along with determination. “This way!”
There’s no hesitation as he leads me through the winding paths. The owner of the cocoa stall, an umber-skinned female, presses her lips together at the sight of us but says nothing as Leo takes a deep sniff of the scented air. An expression of what could only be called bliss fills his face, and her face softens.
Leaving Esme to watch my back, I crouch beside him. “What are we having, then?”
He studies each stack of shiny cocoa bars with a serious look, and I take the opportunity to cast a glance around us.
“Cal.” There’s a warning in Esme’s tone. “There’s a lot of guardia here.”
Another pair sweeps past us, and I straighten. My back stiffens when they pause, but they only look around us, even shifting to move around the back of the cocoa stall. The keeper shifts her ire from us to them in a single moment. “Can I help you?”
The guardia straightens. “We’re looking for a girl.”
Arms folded, the keeper looks around. “Throw a stone and you’ll hit one.”
A slight exaggeration. It’s early enough that the market is still fairly quiet, only just waking up for the day after running long into the night, but I see her point. And respect her moxie.
The guardia glances in our direction. His eyes flick over Esme, then Leo, before he dismisses them and turns to me. His attention sharpens. “You’re the Caelumnai.”
Not a question. Tugging coins from my pocket, I toss them at the stall keeper. “Give the boy as much as you can with this, with my thanks.”
Leo’s small sound of excitement dies quickly as I glance at Esme. She nods, before I return my attention to the portly male frowning at my lack of response. “Possibly. Why do you ask?”
He shifts in place, chest puffing in self-importance. “Haveyouseen the girl we’re looking for?”
Caelum save me from idiots with too much power and too little brain. My words are slow. “Perhaps if you gave a description?”
He sniffs. “She’s one ofyourlot.”
