“Oh. All right.” Rulli hurried after me. “Have you discovered anything?”
I stopped and turned to face him. This was personal for him. He needed something. Anything. “I can't conclude anything yet, but I suspect your customer was a Brujai who commissioned a weapon.”
“A weapon? No, we wouldn't—”
“You wouldn't have known its purpose. Or maybe you knew, but the enchantment made you forget. Whatever the case, this is not your fault, Rulli. Don't blame yourself.”
“Oh,” Rulli murmured, his stare on the packet. “A weapon.”
“Yes. I can't tell you more than that. Information about this weapon cannot be released to the public. It's too dangerous. So, I'm sorry, but I'll be destroying this design after I conclude the investigation.”
“Do it.” Rulli's expression went hard. “I don't want anything to do with a weapon connected to Lansho's death.”
I nodded and laid my free hand on his shoulder. “Good man. Please, keep what I've told you to yourself. Tell Lansho's widow that I found evidence but wouldn't share it with you.”
“I understand. And thank you. I didn't expect such thorough claw work.”
“You can thank me when I catch the killer.”
Rulli nodded. “I'm going to close up for the day.”
“I think that's best. In fact, don't come here alone again. Not even during the day. Have your Ricarri employee meet you somewhere nearby and enter the shop together.”
Rulli swallowed visibly but nodded.
We left the shop together, and I waited beside him as he locked up. Then I watched him walk away until he was out of sight. Because of this, I noticed the man. TheBrujaiman.
The Dragon King stepped up beside me and opened his mouth to speak. I slapped the design packet against his chest, forcing him to grab it, and then ran across the street, veering between carriages. Carriage drivers shouted at me, but I was focused on the Brujai. Too focused.
The Brujai saw me coming. He turned and fled down an alley.
Skirting pedestrians, I wove and spun, slamming into a wall before I skidded around the corner. The alley was empty. It ended in a T-intersection. I paused at the crossroads, scanned left and right, and found what I needed.
“Tekhan!” the Dragon King called.
I ran down the left lane. My mind sped up as well, processing little details. An overturned bottle. A footprint. The scent of smoke. Wait. Smoke? I came to a stop just before I reached another intersection.
Fire whooshed into the space I should have occupied had I not halted. The heat forced me back. The King shouted. So much was happening, but I focused on the flames. Long, thin flames that burned white at the tips. A horizontal column of fire. It was all the proof I needed. The Brujai I was chasing was the murderer.
I had already set his image in my mind, but I hoped I wouldn't need to remember his face. Because I intended to end this right now. He was close. So close.
Diving low, I angled around the corner and hit my target. The Brujai grunted. The fire went out. Something clattered. Skittered across stone. I punched the man in the gut. He backhanded me. Breath gone, I hit the alley wall. Before I couldstraighten, a fist crunched into my face. I slid down the wall like a doll to stare forward in a daze. At a metal tube. It was just lying there. A lot like me. I wanted to grab it, but I couldn't move.
A roar came. The Brujai snatched the tube from the ground and ran. The King could have caught him. When he crouched before me, I tried to tell him to go after the murderer, but I couldn't catch my breath enough to speak. The murderer had hit me right in the solar plexus.
I pushed at King Tor'rien. His face swam in my vision. His eyes so blue. So beautiful. Full of fear. Why? I looked down. Oh. So, the murderer had his claws extended when he shoved me. He left five wounds in my chest. That explained the pain. I took a full breath at last and those wounds bled faster.
“Tek!” The Dragon King's words registered. “I've got you. You're going to be all right.” He put his hand on my chest.
I pushed him away and stood up, replacing his hand with mine. “Of course, I'll be all right. I just need to find a donor. If you'll excuse me, Your Majesty. I can no longer entertain you.”
I stumbled away.
Strong arms wrapped around me, one going behind my knees to lift me off my feet.
I gaped at the King, but as he walked down the alley with me, I recovered my reasoning. “Put me down!”
“No,” he said. “You need blood. I will provide it.”
