“I said,shut it,” Daichi stood so fast he knocked the table in front of him, spilling a half empty cup of tea.
Naveed jumped up to catch it, mopping up the spill before it reached the floor.
“Daichi, why don’t you go get some air,” Kadin said lightly.
Glaring around the circle, Daichi stomped out the door and it slammed shut behind him.
Instead of being ashamed, Bosh chuckled, and Ryo and Illium joined him.
Kadin’s lips quirked, but he resumed his explanation as if nothing had happened, leaning back against the bench. “That’s all we know. Your turn.” His sharp gaze met mine, deceptively casual but I knew from his thoughts that he was convinced I was about to reveal how little I knew.
I shouldn’t have been offended. He was wise to be skeptical, right even. But if he hadn’t thought I had true information then this whole meal had been charity. It made me bristle. “It’s not just any artifacts they want,” I told Kadin with a tone of authority, shaking my head at him. “They need to betimepieces.”
I paused, waiting for a reaction.
Kadin only frowned, studying me.
“You know, items that mark time in some form or fashion,” I prompted, keeping my features still, trying not to be nervous. I didn’t have any other information to share. If he’d already discovered this, I was in trouble.
“Like a sand glass?” Bosh’s voice was hopeful.
“Or a pocket watch,” Ryo added. “Or a sundial...”
I hid my relief with a laugh. “Exactly like that.”
“Timepieces,” Kadin mused. He was watching me too closely. His expression hadn’t changed. “That narrows it down, but there will no doubt be a variety of options. How would we know when a Jinni might bid?”
“I’ll know,” I declared. In truth, I had no idea, but I needed them to take me with, or all of this would be for nothing. “Up until now, you’ve been guessing. But if you take me with you, I guarantee I’ll find you a Jinni.”
I met each of their gazes, letting confidence ooze out of me, and heard each of them begin to believe it.
I only hoped I was right.
Kadin studied me. His men watched both of us. “Alright,” he said, even as he thought it. “You’re in.”
I grinned. I couldn’t help it.
For a long second, Kadin didn’t look away.You’re going to break my heart, aren’t you?He stood to pour himself another cup of tea, not showing even a hint of the thought on his face, making me feel like I’d imagined it.
Worried my face was turning red, I glanced around the room and said the first thing that came to mind, “Let’s find a Jinni!”
They cheered, raising glasses in agreement.
Kadin sat back down as they settled. I half-expected him to address the thought he’d had, since he’d been so direct up til now, but he turned the conversation to planning so fast it felt like being twirled one too many times. “The next auction is tomorrow,” he began. “Which means we’ll need to finalize the details tonight.”
He described what they knew of the next day’s auction.
Naveed caught me staring at the teapot and poured me another cup.
I smiled my thanks, only half-listening to Kadin until he said, “We’ll use Arie as bait.”
I almost choked.
“Because she’s so pretty?” Bosh asked. Normally men kept those thoughts private. But he was utterly serious.
“Because she’s a so-called Jinni-hunter,” Kadin smirked as he gave me the title.
I guess, in a way, that’s exactly what I was.
