“If you hired her to serve you,” Zilek said, “you could more easily keep an eye on her than if she’s out here in the streets, skulking about the city.”
“My usual hobby,” Rylana muttered.
“I’m not hiring her,” Jildarin said. “I don’t need help.”
“You don’t need help?” Zilek pushed the carriage doors fully open.
Light flooded into the storeroom, revealing an even more crowded space than Rylana had imagined while listening to their conversation. Crates, kegs, and sacks of oats, flour, and other bulk ingredients were stacked along the walls from cement floor to beamed ceiling. Piles also bulged outward, encroaching upon an empty area in the center and an aisle stretching from the carriage doors to the hallway leading to the dining room.
Zilek pointed at ovens lined up along one wall. “You need alotof help. Let her count your money and order your supplies. That is the work of a servant, regardless, not a dragon.”
“It’s the work of a bookkeeper,” Rylana said, “and it’s clearfrom the numerous signs you’ve put out that you’re in dire need of one.”
“There aretwosigns.” Jildarin snatched the one in her hand, then pushed the doors closed and glared at his brother again.
“By serving you and assisting you with this enterprise, perhaps she can make amends, and you will forgive her for shooting you,” Zilek said.
“She is myenemy.She’ll try to shoot me again!”
“That’s not allowed in Tranquility. She would have to stab you with a kitchen knife, and surely you’re capable enough, even in this diminished form—” Zilek plucked at his brother’s shirt fabric, “—to keep her from succeeding at that.”
“I am capable. You wouldn’t be here with Mother’s request otherwise.” Jildarin opened his mouth, as if to say more, but then he squinted suspiciously at Rylana again.
Was he wondering if she’d heard the portion of the conversation about his mother wanting him to share hisessencewith a female dragon?
Having no interest in bringing thattopic up, Rylana pointed at the sign. “This doesn’t mention what the starting wage is.”
“And yet you wish to work for me, regardless. That is a sure indication that you plan duplicity.”
“No, I smelled the bacon cooking and was hoping meals would be included.”
“Bacon?” Zilek’s nostrils twitched. “I thought I caught the lingering scent of that even in the back. Are you making more of the seasoned bacon? Or the kind rubbed in alcohol? Bourbon, was it? I wouldn’t mind some. It was delicious.”
Jildarin was still squinting suspiciously at Rylana, but did his scowl lighten ever so slightly when his brother showed interest in his food?
“Itisdelicious,” Jildarin stated. “And I do feed my staff mealsthat occur during their work hours. But how would you trust that I wouldn’t poison yours?”
“Because you need me. I can find buyers for your surplus—verysurplus—ovens to bring in some coins so you can pay your rent.”
“That sounds like a more reliable way to obtain gold than from Mother,” Zilek pointed out.
“Having an assassin pretend to work for me while scheming my death sounds reliable?” Jildarin asked.
“I’m an archer, not an assassin.” Rylana kept herself from mentioning that she was traveling with a comrade who held that occupation. That wouldn’t be a point in her favor. “Aneducatedarcher,” she said.
The way Zilek nodded with certainty at his brother, as if he actually knew Rylana, made her wonder why he cared about this. He was even pushing for Jildarin to hire her. He couldn’twanthis brother assassinated, surely.
“Maybe,” Zilek said, “she’ll have such skill with the piddling affairs of running a business that you can leave for a few days to fly south and…” He glanced at Rylana, then finished by whispering, “put your wings to resolving affairs.”
Ah, was that the reason for the brother’s interest? Setting Jildarin up to end their mother’s nagging?
“I’m not putting my wings on the Sunclaw females,” Jildarin said.
“Mother will reward you.” Zilek winked, fished in a pocket, and withdrew and rubbed together two gold coins.
Jildarin shook his head and turned his sour expression on Rylana again. “Come in and assess the numbers, if you wish. Should you try to slay me, I’ll end you, the peacekeepers be damned.”
Without waiting for her response, he stalked inside.
