I hear you, Zanna thought.
Verdot is going to ship out Crispen West, Kurtz voiced. Tomorrow morning.
Her brows sank. How do you know?
Fiora found out. Which means, it has to be tonight.
Then we’ll do it tonight.
You’ll need to open the tunnel door from the inside so Cole and I can get in.
How will I know when to come down?
When was your break again?
Two in the morning.
Meet us then. He hesitated, then spoke aloud. “Be careful.”
“I’m always careful,” Zanna said. “You’ll take Mistel back to Fat Vandy’s first, right?”
This woman. Nag, nag, nag. “Already said I would the first two times you asked.”
“I was just checking.”
Sure she was. “You were just meddling.”
A brief silence followed, filled with the low hum of the tavern. Rilla strode by and winked at Kurtz, leaving a gust of air in her wake that carried with it the smell of starfrost flowers.
“Can you do this?” Zanna asked. “Go into the prison?”
“Why wouldn’t I be able to?”
“That tunnel is dark,” she said. “Very dark.”
Fire filled every pore on Kurtz’s body to hear this woman speak publicly of his weakness. “Of course I can,” he snapped, though his hands squeezed into fists.
The mere thought of that cursed place clawed at him, but he’d take his lantern, and all would be well. It wasn’t like they were staying. In and out, quickly. They’d be done in no time.
Cole walked out from the back hallway and approached Nash’s table.
At least the lad would be with him tonight. Because if Kurtz were going alone…even with his lantern…he wasn’t sure he could do it.
Chapter 35
Cole
How did you tell someone you were sorry for their loss yet warn them that most people wouldn’t be?
Cole’s boots scuffed against the wooden floor as he approached Nash’s table. The noise of the tavern buzzed in his ears, but all he could focus on was the weight of the conversation he was about to have. He stopped a pace short of the table and looked down on Nash.
“We’ve worked it out,” he said. “We’ll play at the funeral.”
“Thank you.” Nash’s shoulders sagged under invisible weight. “It’s…overwhelming that he’s gone. Drustan has been a big help. Verdot Amal too.”
Exactly what Cole was afraid of. He panned his gaze around the room, but didn’t see Drustan anywhere. The absence of the brute made his heart beat faster. This was his chance.
He took a deep breath. “Listen. I know this is none of my business, but you should take care. A lot of people are going to suddenly want to be your closest friend.”
