“I trust your tip is already calculated into the prices and that little has changed in the last week in the effort that is required to obtain eels.”
Rylana, watching the exchange with some bemusement, decided the diner’s messy financial situation probably had more to do with Jildarin's inexperience in running a business, and possiblya disinterest in anything that didn’t deal with the cooking itself, than a lack of intelligence.
The goblin sighed dramatically as he placed the eels in a portion of netting, rolled them up, and lifted them like a bundle of kindling. Jildarin dropped three silver coins into his hand and accepted the offering.
“Enjoy your female,” the goblin said as he used an oar to push the rowboat away from the boardwalk. “Or,” he added with another cackle, “is she an enemy you brought out to this particular location intentionally?”
“Sheisan enemy,” Jildarin stated. “One who attempted to price gouge me.”
Jildarin touched his temple. He and Rylana both knew a different type ofgouginghad been involved. She shifted her weight, uneasy that he was still classifying her as an enemy. Even if he was joking with the goblin—or were the words intended more as a warning?—there was likely some truth to how he felt about her.
“Then I will depart before I accidentally witness something the peacekeepers will ask me about later.” With the rowboat turned, the goblin put his oars into the water and stroked away.
The rain was picking up again, and Rylana wanted to return to the city and somewhere dry, but she couldn’t help asking, “What’s significant about this location?”
Since she’d grown up in the area, she would have assumed she knew more about Tranquility and the lake than a newcomer dragon, but she couldn’t guess.
“It is between the last of the pillars at the edge of the city and the sole pillar on that island.” Jildarin pointed. “Both are sufficiently distant from each other that approximately one-hundred feet of the boardwalk is not monitored for the use of weapons, magic, or dragons changing form.”
“Interesting.” Rylana still couldn’t see much of his face andtried to determine if he was contemplatingactingon that information. Would he be telling her about it if he intended to kill her? “Did you bring me out here to slay me and toss my body in so that the eels would eat it before the peacekeepers found it?”
“Freshwater eels, even interestingly glowing ones, consume insect larvae, snails, worms, and small fish.”
“So, you don’t think my body would appeal?” As rain pattered on the surface of the lake, Rylana pulled her cloak more tightly about her, feeling a chill for more than one reason.
“The carrion birds in the area might enjoy it.”
“I don’t know if we’re engaging in delightful if grim banter or if you’re going to attack me any moment.”
“When I invited you to join me, I contemplated bringing you to this spot so that I could physically overpower you and question you under duress about your motives in coming to my diner. Were my hands about your throat, I judged that you would answer honestly.”
“Have you changed your mind about interrogating me, or should I be figuring out how best to wrap an eel around the neck of an opponent who’s stronger than I am?”
“You’ve been a less belligerent companion than I expected on the walk out here.”
“I’m starting to like you too.”
Jildarin cocked his head as he regarded her. “That was sarcasm, I believe.”
“Yeah, but not belligerence.”
He snorted and walked toward her. She eased to the side, lifting a hand in case he decided to attack. But he strode past without touching her, save for the eels that brushed her sleeve. The boardwalk wasn’t that wide.
Rylana watched him, not sure if it would be safe to follow him or not. After walking about ten steps, he paused and stabbed a finger toward the dock at his feet.
“Beyond this point, the pillars can sense magic being used or weapons drawn.”
“Or a dragon shifting into his native form?”
“Indeed.” Jildarin took two steps forward. “Since I desire to keep my diner and must already payonefine, you are safe from me at this point.”
“I guess that’s something,” she murmured and followed him back into the city.
8
Even late at night,the streets of Tranquility were safe, but as Rylana walked back along the waterfront with Jildarin, she kept her ears perked and her eyes open, peeking into alleys and behind wagons and carriages parked in front of warehouses and taverns. She’d spent most of her adult life in much more dangerous parts of the world, so it was habit to be wary, and Jildarin pointing out that he had chosennotto interrogate her on the boardwalk didn’t leave her certain that he would help out if someone attacked her.
Thatshouldhave been unlikely here, if only because of the late hour and the drizzle that had driven pedestrians inside, but her instincts itched. A few times, she thought she saw movement in the shadows of an alley or deep doorway. Vernest Vormalt’s face floated through her mind, but, unless he’d changed a lot over the years, she doubted he had the inclination—or skill—to tail a target through a dark city without being noticed.
