One Fell Sweep (Innkeeper Chronicles #3)(48)

“Look, shoes!”

I sped up to the stall. The merchant, a Took, sensed me coming and stretched his wrinkly neck all the way out of his snail shell. Cookie rubbed his hands together.

“I just need a pair of shoes,” I told him.

“Of course,” the little fox answered. “As long as we get them at the right price.”

The inside of the shop contained a single massive pile of shoes made from all sorts of materials for all sorts of feet. It smelled like all sorts of feet too, but I didn’t care. I dug through it, trying to find something made for humans. Sean parked himself at the front of the store, watching the street. Cookie’s shaggy bodyguard stopped next to him.

I rummaged through the shoes. Too big, too small, too slimy, made for someone who only tiptoed like the elephants, too sharp, too… This pair wasn’t too bad. I lifted the two sandals up, little more than soles with a string of cheap beads.

“How much?”

The Took’s tentacles wavered. “Two credits.”

“Two credits!” Cookie staggered back and slumped over, as if punched. “It’s an outrage! Are you trying to murder us?”

Crap. I forgot he was with us. I had to cut this off now, before it devolved into bargaining. “Two credits is f—”

“Financially criminal!” Cookie announced.

The Took’s squid-like eyes flared, changing color from deep red to bright green. “This is genuine okarian leather!”

Cookie plucked the sandals from my fingers and waved them around. “Yes, from the genuine ass of an okarian nifrook. Have you smelled these shoes?”

“The odor adds character!”

“Character?” Cookie bared his teeth. “My friend isn’t interested in character. Do you not see that she is a young attractive female of her species? If she wears these shoes, we’ll have to charge you compensation for all of the potential mates this odious footwear will repulse.”

The Took’s eyes narrowed. “One and three-quarters credits.”

“As a matter of fact, if we were to buy these shoes, the rest of your pile would smell better. You should pay us for the service of removing these so-called sandals from your shop.”

“What?”

“You heard me. Now this!” Cookie raised my right sneaker in the air. “This is a shoe.”

I sighed and went to stand next to Sean.

“I should’ve just gone barefoot. Now he’ll be haggling until the cows come home out of principle.”

Sean didn’t answer. He was looking down the street, back the way we came. I looked into his eyes and saw Turan Adin there. The hair rose on the back of my neck.

“What is it?”

“We’re being hunted.”

“Is it Draziri?”

“I don’t know.”

When a wolf told you that he was being hunted, only a fool ignored it. I shut up. Sean’s senses were a lot sharper than mine, and distracting him right now was a dumb idea. I slipped on my glove and pulled the energy whip out of the inside pocket of my robe.

The street on both sides of us lay empty. The faint breeze that usually moved the air through the canyon-like streets of Baha-char died. The air turned hot and oppressive. I shivered. It felt wrong.

“And stay out!” the Took thundered behind me.

Cookie emerged with the sandals and deposited the shoes and a credit chip into my hand. “Here are the sandals and half a credit. I have given him your right shoe in trade.”

“Thank you.” I slipped the sandals on my feet.

“I had to redeem myself.” Cookie smiled.

“Let’s go,” Sean said quietly.

We hurried down the street. Cookie started out skipping, but two turns later the fun went out of him. He slunk now, fast and silent on velvet paws.

I glanced over my shoulder. The street was still empty. The darkness seemed to pool behind us. My heart rate sped up. Maybe it was my imagination, maybe not, but I wasn’t willing to take chances. We were almost running now.

We took one last turn and emerged into one of the main streets. The noise of the crowd washed over me. I exhaled. We wove through traffic, with Cookie’s monster bringing up the rear.

I glanced behind me again. Nothing but the crowd.

Deep breath. Deeep breath. Almost home.

Sean’s face seemed to relax slightly. Good.

Two more blocks and we would turn into the alley leading to the inn’s door.

Magic crept up my spine, icy and slimy. I recoiled. It was revolting, but it felt almost… familiar? How…

The crowd in front of us thinned at an alarming speed. Creatures fled, escaping into the shops and side alleys. The street emptied, leaving a lone creature standing in front of our alley.

Eight feet tall, it wore a tattered robe with the hood pulled up. It looked like a mirror of my own, except larger, with a deeper hood, and wider sleeves. It had to be a coincidence. The galaxy had a million robes. It was highly possible that two of them would be cut and sewn together in a very similar way.

I squeezed the energy whip, releasing the thin filament. It dripped to the ground, sparking off the stone.

Next to me Cookie pulled a knife out of the jeweled sheath on his apron.

Sean looked at Cookie’s shaggy bodyguard. “He’s in danger.”

The creature bared its fangs. A massive hand landed on Cookie’s shoulder. The beast yanked the small fox up, spun, and ran down the street, carrying Cookie and the tank back the way we came, each stomp of its mammoth feet like the blow of a sledgehammer. Cookie’s outraged screeches faded.