Wraith(24)

‘This has never happened to me before, Saiya.’

I refrained from pointing out that it hadn’t happened to him; it had happened to his servant. I drew my eyes away from the gruesome head and looked at him. ‘I’m sorry,’ I whispered.

Marrock folded his arms; only the twitch above his eyebrow showed how brutally angry he was. ‘Did you ask me to look into this Ange because you knew this would happen?’

I shook my head vehemently. ‘No. I don’t know why she’s been arrested. She’s a nobody. She lives upstairs from me, that’s all. She keeps her nose clean and stays out of trouble.’

Marrock snorted. ‘Clearly, you are mistaken.’

The woman next to us shifted her weight and almost lost her hold on the box. She stared at Marrock with frightened eyes and he jerked his head irritably at her. She scuttled off, clutching her horrifying cargo.

Marrock’s eyes flickered; he was far more afraid than he was letting on. ‘I will have nothing more to do with this. You are on your own, Saiya.’ His voice hardened. ‘But if I find out that this was a deliberate act on your part to bring me down…’

I held up my palms. ‘It wasn’t. I promise.’

He watched me for a long moment. ‘I hope for your sake you are telling the truth. I suggest that you forget Ange ever existed and walk away as fast you can.’

That was all very well but I had Becky to think about. The grief of a nine-year-old kid was far more terrifying than anything Marrock could conjure up. ‘Your advice is noted.’

Marrock turned on his heel and returned to his chair. ‘Is there anything else you would like to barter for?’

Unfortunately, yes. ‘I need a weapon. A gun preferably, though a sharp knife will do. The one I have is next to useless.’

‘You ask a lot.’

I shrugged but we both knew that the gesture was anything but nonchalant. ‘I have some of the information you requested. As you changed the terms of our bargain when previously you were prepared to get Ange released…’

‘Careful, Saiya,’ he growled.

I continued anyway. ‘Then I think supplying a weapon is the least you can do.’ I hesitated. ‘I know the identity of the Dark Elf. He’s only here for another day or two but he wants to get into town to have a look around. The goblins have taken down the gallows, no doubt because of that.’

Marrock rubbed his chin. He obviously knew about the gallows being removed but, like me, hadn’t been foolish enough to think it was permanent. He absorbed this information before speaking. ‘Given recent events,’ he said finally, ‘I think it would be wiser for me to stay out of any investigations for the time being. If the Elf is only here for another day or two then it no longer concerns me.’ I opened my mouth to argue but he forestalled me. ‘However,’ he continued, ‘there are other parties who would be interested in this information.’

I knew something of the ‘other parties’ he was referring to. There was a reason I usually dealt with Marrock instead of them, though, so I was hardly in a position to protest. The Dark Elf was not someone whose well being I had any interest in – not now he held my life in his hands. Literally. I tilted my head to one side. ‘So?’

‘I cannot give you a gun.’

I waited.

‘A knife I can manage.’

‘I’m not looking for a bread knife here, Marrock.’

‘Don’t worry, it will be lethal enough for you. It’s certainly valuable enough to me. What is the Dark Elf’s name?’

It only took me a split second to decide. ‘Gabriel de Florinville.’

Marrock blinked. ‘Are you sure?’

‘Positive.’

‘That is news indeed,’ he murmured.

‘The goblins don’t want him here but they don’t want him hurt either.’

‘I’m hardly surprised at that.’ He scratched himself. ‘Why come here now, I wonder? And why him of all people?’

I didn’t bother speculating. Whatever I guessed would doubtless be wrong. ‘The knife, Marrock.’

He pursed his lips then snapped his fingers. The same woman appeared, this time with a far more slender box. She walked up the long alley and held it out to me. I opened it up. A gleaming curved blade nestled against a bed of purple velvet. It was small enough to conceal against my body and dangerous enough to kill just about anyone. Maybe even a Dark Elf.

‘Thank you.’

Marrock inclined his head. ‘You should go now. It would be wise for you to stay away for a while, Saiya.’

I nodded and turned to go. I knew when I wasn’t welcome.

‘One more thing,’ he called out after me. ‘Friend to friend.’

I paused.

‘Stay away from anything to do with Ange Horrocks.’

I raised my hand to acknowledge I’d heard him then I strode out, sliding the dagger underneath my dress and snagging the hilt against my bra to hold it in place against my ribs, before adjusting the material so it was wholly concealed. Who knew? It might work.





Chapter Seven


The decapitated head made zero sense. I didn’t like all of Marrock’s minions but I knew they weren’t stupid. They ingratiated themselves with the Filits on a full-time basis. There had been nothing in Marrock’s behaviour to suggest that his man had been a hothead who might have said the wrong thing and pissed off the wrong goblin. Everything pointed to Ange having done something very, very wrong. So wrong that even asking questions about her would result in immediate death.