The Curse (Belador #3)(50)

“He’s a local troll, not one of the out-of-towners.”

“How does that make it okay?”

“Because I know him. We’ve shot craps a lot.”

“Kardos!”

“Hey, I usually win, so no big deal. Back to our real problem.” Kardos bunched his shoulders in a conspiratorial move. “Jurba warned me to watch out for any guy with a scar in the shape of a runic S on his arm. Says the glamour won’t hide the scar. He drew the design for me. Here’s the kicker. Good thing I found that out or I wouldn’t have noticed a guy with that scar outside the shelter. He was handing out free food.”

“At the shelter? Is he gone?”

“No, and he’s studying everyone who goes into the shelter like he’s looking for something or someone.”

“That’s because the damn local trolls use the place like a bunkhouse sometimes.” Kell rubbed his neck, eyes filled with worry. “Then how are we going to get our money and other stuff hidden in the shelter’s back wall?”

“I don’t know, and Jurba said to avoid the trolls with the scar at all costs. He just got word that those trolls are taking local ones to some headquarters location and threatening the local trolls if they don’t do what they’re told.”

“Where’s the headquarters?”

Kardos threw his hands up in the air. “I don’t know. Jurba knows, but I was in too big a hurry to find you to care. He’s on his way to meet his buddies and grab a truck big enough for them and his girlfriend. They’re getting out of the city.”

Kell’s face lost his nice tan, turned white when he raised his eyes to his brother. “If a troll has nowhere to hide, then we’re SOL. The best thing we can do is stay right here where we’re surrounded by people until dark.”

Lanna did not know SOL, but she understood that these boys were in trouble and would lose their shelter soon. She knew what it was to hide dangerous things and the desperation of having no place safe.

That was how she ended up here.

Kell had helped her without even knowing her name.

Glancing around, Kell scowled and rubbed his neck. “We’re screwed.”

“No, we’re not,” Kardos argued. “Jurba said he’d take us with them.”

Lanna felt better because this Jurba would help them. Wait. Jurba had information that might also help her. Would VIPER want to know about strange trolls? Enough to let her stay if she traded for learning troll location?

She turned to Quinn. “Cousin?”

“Yes, Lanna?” He stopped typing and lifted weary eyes.

“Does VIPER care about trolls in city?”

Her cousin went on alert, just as he had in Canada when they faced demons. “What made you ask that?”

“I hear things.”

“You heard about trolls and you haven’t been here a full day?” He eyed her with misgiving. “You made that up, didn’t you?”

She would be offended by anyone else, but Cousin Quinn did know her well. “No. I hear about special troll with runic letter as scar on his skin.”

He grabbed her arm. “What?”

She stiffened. Her heart pounded dangerously fast in her chest. Her cousin would not harm her, but still she did not like to be grabbed. She liked it not at all on that arm where she still had phantom pain even though her skin had healed. She tried to stay calm but her voice carried a warning when she told him, “Let. Go.”

Quinn released her immediately. “I’m sorry, Lanna. Did I hurt you?”

“No, of course not.” She had reacted to ugly memory, not her cousin, who was most honorable man she knew and would never harm a woman. “I told you. Plane ride made me uneasy.”

“Okay, so what did you hear about those trolls?”

“That one is in city.” She guessed at the distance, but if twins had no transportation of their own, they would most likely stay close by.

“Do you know where this troll is?” Quinn asked, all ears now that he appeared to believe her.

“Near shelter. Not far from here.”

“I know of a shelter in this area,” he muttered, his gaze spiked with suspicion. “From whom did you learn of this?”

Lanna had been watching Kell and Kardos, who spoke in angry tones. She jerked her gaze back to Quinn. “I do not know—”

“Don’t lie to me, Lanna.”

She kicked her foot out and back, thinking. “I will tell you, but you will promise they will not get in trouble, yes? You will not jail them.”

“Why would I do that and who are they?”

Must be more careful around cousin. She had just told Quinn more than one was involved. “One who heard this about strange trolls found out because he plays crap game with local trolls.”

“Where did you meet a nonhuman?”

“See? You are angry.”

“No, I’m worried. That’s different. You could have gotten hurt by them.”

“I am not child now, Cousin.” Not after what she had gone through to survive and escape to America. “I can handle teenage boys any day.”

Quinn sat up and slowly swiveled his head until he looked directly at the twins. “Those two.”

Her mouth sometimes moved faster than her mind. Bad flaw. “No.”