Rell tilted his head, an almost amused look crossing his face. “A capable alchemist,” he said, then gestured lazily at the vials. “Not ascrap dabblerthat doesn’t know their elixirs from their poisons. And these remaining shards will only get me so far.”
“Shards?” she asked, the unfamiliar term catching her off guard.
“What us ‘unrefined street folk’ call potions,” he said, waving a hand dismissively.
She didn’t respond, her suspicion growing with every word he spoke. He was a mercenary, someone who clearly only played by his own rules. She didn’t trust him. How could she? But she couldn’t ignore what he’d done back in the alley. He’d outsmarted Fane, and he hadn’t turned her in when he easily could have.
Rell leaned forward slightly, his smirk softening just a touch. “So, what do you say, Elora? A little alchemy for me, and I keep you alive. Seems like a fair trade, doesn’t it?”
He needed her. That much was clear. And if he needed her, she could use this arrangement to her advantage. She didn’t want to rely on this man but getting to Kilfaire alive and on time had justbecome ten times harder with a bounty hunter like Fane on her heels.
“You want my alchemy.” she said evenly, forcing her voice to steady despite the knot tightening in her stomach. “Fine. But here’s the deal: I’ll make you whatever potions you need, but you get me to Kilfaire. Safely.”
Rell cocked his head, his dark gray eyes narrowing as he studied her. “Kilfaire?” he repeated, the word rolling off his tongue slowly. He was clearly intrigued. “That’s a hell of a journey for someone with a bounty on their head. Why Kilfaire?”
“That’s not your concern,” Elora snapped, her voice sharpening. “That’s the deal. Take it or leave it.”
A low chuckle escaped Rell as he shook his head, his expression caught somewhere between amusement and disbelief. “Aren’t you just a ray of sunshine,” he muttered, taking a step closer. “Keeping you alive in Ravenpoint is one thing, but trudging across the kingdom with the most famous bounty hunter breathing down your neck? That’s a big ask.”
Elora didn’t flinch, lifting her chin defiantly. “And what I’m offering is more than enough to compensate for it. Or do you want to explain to your ‘organization’ why their jobs are failing because you ran out of shards?”
Rell’s smirk faltered, just for a moment, and Elora knew she’d struck a nerve. He masked it quickly, but the brief silence that followed was telling. His expression turned thoughtful, his gaze calculating as he weighed her proposal.
“Alright,” he said finally, his tone laced with reluctant agreement. “Fine. You’ve got a deal. But I’ve got one condition.”
Elora’s eyes narrowed. “What condition?”
“I’ve got a job to finish here in Ravenpoint,” Rell remarked with crossed arms. “It’s time-sensitive, and I’m going to need your skills to pull it off. You help me get that done, and once it’s handled, I’ll get you to Kilfaire. No questions asked.”
The idea of sticking around Ravenpoint any longer than necessary horrified her. Every second she stayed here increased the chance of someone recognizing her or Fane snatching her.
“Fine,” she said, her frustration barely contained. “I’ll help you with your job. But if you back out of our deal, I swear—”
“I won’t,” Rell interrupted smoothly, as he raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. “You have my word.”
He extended his hand, waiting for her to seal the deal.
Elora stared at it, the knot in her stomach tightening further. She didn’t trust his word any further than she could throw him, and she was painfully aware that this man, with his smug smile and sharp eyes, was a dangerous gamble. But she didn’t have much of a choice.
Reluctantly, she reached out and clasped his hand, giving it one solid shake.
Elora let go quickly, stepping back as if to reclaim some space. She folded her arms tightly, refusing to let him see how unnerved she truly felt.
This alliance was shaky at best, but for now, it was all she had. She just hoped it wouldn’t be the mistake that got her killed.
Chapter 6
Elora
Elora folded her arms across her chest, and stood by the wall as her eyes tracked Rell’s every move. “I don’t know how you think this is going to work,” she said flatly. “I don’t have a lab, and I’m running low on supplies. I can’t just whip up a stockpile of potions with scraps and hope for the best.”
Rell scratched the back of his neck, his gaze flicking briefly to the floor. His hand dropped to his side, and he sighed, muttering under his breath, “Vye’s not going to be happy about this.”
“Vye?” Elora asked, her brows knitting together. “Who’s that?”
Rell glanced up, realizing he’d spoken aloud, and gave her a crooked grin. “Someone who’s going to be very annoyed with me, but that’s not your problem.” He straightened, his confidence slipping back into place as he crossed the room, stopping a few feet in front of her. “I’ve got a lab at the Ravenpoint lodging. It’s not meant for nonmembers, but... I’ll make an exception.”
Elora’s frown deepened, her suspicion flaring. “What kind of organization are you part of?”
