His expression grew uncomfortable as his eyes flitted to my two roommates.“I don’t suppose we could have this conversation in private.”
“No.” My response was flat and brooked no argument.
He jerked and looked at the two again. It was clear he wasn’t comfortable speaking in front of them. Too bad for him. I had no intention of kicking them out or going off alone with this guy. Not when we’d caught him skulking around. He could just suffer or get out.
“You have one minute to start talking before I carry on with the rest of my night,” I said, not bothering to check my watch.
The threat was enough. The guy stood, shifting from foot to foot as he took in the three of us.“I was given the honorable task of protecting an item.”
That made sense. Sphinxes were often considered guardians and protectors in many myths. From whatI’d heard, they tended to either make a name for themselves in places of learning, became excellent puzzle crafters, or took on the duty of protecting items of great worth.
“I think it was stolen yesterday,” he confessed, looking slightly ashamed.
“You think?” I asked.
“What kind of sphinx lets their treasure be stolen?” Inara scoffed.
I sent her a quelling gaze.
“It’s not like I spend all day watching it,” the sphinx defended.“I have a life, you know.”
“I bet whoever it was cracked his riddles and puzzles,” Lowen snickered.
The sphinx rolled his eyes, the pair’s mockery returning some of his confidence.“Please. That’s so ancient history. We now use vaults and state of the art technology coupled with the most advanced magic.I’ve never had anything given into my protection stolen.”
“Until now,” I observed in a dry voice.
The words seemed to have an impact and his shoulders rounded as he winced.“Yes, well,I’m hoping you can help me with that.”
I stared at him, nonplused.“And how exactly am I supposed to do that?”
He shrugged.“I don’t know. Do what you did for Natalia?”
My eyes got wider andI’m sure my expression looked as startled and discombobulated as I felt.
I couldn’t do what I did for Natalia. For her,I’d simply had a conversation with the kobold to understand what he really wanted before finding him a new, willing home owner for him to practice his household magic on. I doubted this would be so simple. It sounded way beyond anything I could ever do.
“This sounds like a matter for the police,” I observed.
He shook his head.“No normals. The item is a scroll that can’t fall into their hands or be brought to their attention.”
“Why do you think I can track it down for you?” I asked. It’s not likeI’d ever done anything like that before.
“Your reputation. They say you’ll help anyone because you don’t care what they are,” he said, his expression avid.
“Who says?” I asked. Of everything he’d said today, that seemed the closest to a lie.
“Everyone. People have been talking all summer about how you found that werewolf who’d been missing, and how you’re the reason we no longer have any trouble with the draugr.” He sounded enthusiastic as he listed off the events of the past few months.
I shifted, his words making me uncomfortable. It was trueI’d been involved in all that, but I hadn’t been the only one.
Inara chortled.“You want her to be a detective for you.”
He nodded.
I sighed. This had been a waste of my time.
“I can pay,” he blurted out as I turned toward the door.
