“Son of a bastard!” I spun back to the gaping talon. “Show me the body.”
“Yes, sir!” The talon headed into Newfangled. “Move aside! I've got the King with me! Move for the King!”
Again, the King, who wouldn't be any kind of help at a crime scene, overshadowed me. The talon should have been calling for people to move aside for me, not King Tor'rien. Of course, it didn't matter, and I was petty to be thinking about such things when one of my brothers was lying dead. In a spot I frequented.
Dread ran down my body from skull to foot. Could this be Hallaxgral again? So soon? I had slept the day away, believing the game was over. Won. But that didn't mean he wouldn't start a new game.
Newfangled was brightly lit, its patrons scowling in the stark light. It was the first time I'd seen it that way, and it was a bit startling. The mystery was gone from both the setting and the people within it. Sexiness couldn't survive under that kind of light. It needed shadows to exist.
All the doors hung open, people standing in groups, watching me and the King as we passed. I glanced at a circle of men and saw the angle of their stares—followed it to my chest. Shit. I buttoned my shirt as I strode after the talon. Bless his professionalism for not commenting on my attire. But then, I was off duty. I could wear whatever I wanted.
Only a few talons secured the scene. I assumed they had been on patrol in the area. But I could hear more arriving behind me. Someone must have discovered the body mere moments after I left the building. That timing didn't sit well with me.
Then the talon entered the stairwell.
Shit.
Up we went to the third floor. By the time we reached the men-only section of Newfangled, I was over my surprise. I expected more connections to myself or the King. So, when the talon took me to the very booth I had occupied less than twenty minutes prior, I didn't react. The King, however, made a sound of shock.
There, sitting in the same place I had, in the same fucking pose, was a body. Light spheres hovered around it, illuminating every detail of the Argaiv's face. His broken wings cushioned his back, forcing the corpse upright. His eyes were open, staring into his lap. At a leather satchel.
I'd get to the satchel soon. First, I had to deal with the identity of the claw. Because I knew him. He'd been a claw for over seventy years longer than me. I knew this because we had clashed heads often when I was just a talon.
“Claw Greishen,” I said.
“You know him, sir?” the talon asked.
“Yes. His name is Claw Yi Greishen. He's been with the Talons for over two centuries.”
“Great Gods.” The talon bent his head in respect. “And to meet such an end. It's not right.”
“No, there's nothing right about this.” I went closer and bent to inspect the body. Then I reached for my notepad. Which, of course, wasn't there. I wasn't wearing my work coat. “Damn.” I looked at the talon. “Talon . . . ?”
“Talon Heen, sir.”
“Talon Heen. I apologize if we've spoken before and I don't remember.”
“No, sir, we haven't. But I've seen you in the halls. That's how I recognized you.”
“Good. Do you have a notebook I could use?”
“Oh. Uh.”
“Shinkai,” a low voice drawled. “What a surprise to find you here.”
I grimaced but suppressed the curse that rose to my lips.
I didn't have a problem with most people on the Talon Force, not even Claw Greishen. But there were those who tried my patience. This man, in particular, loved to make problems for me. I believe it was fun for him to annoy me. He and the King would get along famously.
“Jupeng,” I said as I turned toward him.
But Claw Jupeng's usual smirk quickly transformed. Not because of me or what I was wearing. He was staring at the King. I rolled my eyes as he hurried to bow.
“Your Majesty!” Claw Jupeng said. “I'm so sorry. I didn't see you there.” He glanced at the King's Guard—all four of them, who had joined us without me noticing. “You weren't here when the body was discovered, were you?”
“No,” I hurried to say, possibly a little harshly.
Jupeng flinched and lifted his brows at me.
