Assassin's Heart (Assassin's Heart, #1)(31)

The crowd gave Lefevre a wide berth. It was a warning to me that the people he was supposed to protect did their utmost to stay away from him.

Lefevre’s eyes swept over the women of Acacius and then me. He couldn’t have recognized me without a mask, but his gaze lingered. I dropped my eyes. Let him think me demure, weak. If he thought I was just a poor girl on the streets, he wouldn’t pay me any mind.

Lefevre continued on his way.

I exhaled and turned to the boy, but he had vanished.

I frowned. He’d moved surprisingly quietly for someone so tall. He’d both appeared and disappeared without my notice.

Hunger must have driven me to slip. I would need to get myself under control.

It wasn’t until I’d left the street market that I discovered the three pieces of fruit hidden in my bag with my dress. The juices had stained the fabric.

I headed to the north corner of the city where most of the bodies had been found. Not that I expected to discover anything during the day, but if I familiarized myself with this part of the city now, it would be easier to search for my uncle once the sun set.

I ate the fruit as I went. It was as sweet as I’d imagined.

To my left a woman sold flowers. “Roses for love,” she called. “Pennyblooms to keep the ghosts away!”

She had a bundle of Tullie blossoms, and their sharp fragrance caused me to gasp, fruit forgotten in my hand. My mother had worn a Tullie blossom perfume. I stood in the middle of the street and inhaled deeply until I became inured to the scent of them. My eyes burned with tears. I didn’t know if I wanted to purchase the flowers and bring them back to my dusty, hidden space, or if I wanted to hack and slash at them until they were nothing but scattered petals on the cobblestones.

I walked away, finishing the last piece of fruit.

A shadow flitted across the wall of the building to my left. Then again, a moment later. Someone was following me. He wasn’t being sly about it either. I glanced over my shoulder. A tall man casually strolled behind me, hands in his pockets, face hidden in the shadows.

I chose a side street. He turned as well.

I scanned my surroundings. I could lose him on the rooftops, but it would draw attention. The wrong kind of attention.

I traveled deeper into the maze of buildings stacked on top of one another. The cramped streets were filled with cascading flowers in window boxes, as if the Yvanese couldn’t have enough flowers in their lives.

I could kill the man. It was within my skills as a clipper. But the lawmen were already searching for me for a murder I didn’t commit.

Another turn. A canal stretched before me, the road ending at its murky waters.

I needed to get out of this dead end before I was trapped.

The man turned the corner, blocking me in.

Too late.

I faced him, my back straight, chin held high. He didn’t frighten me. If he saw this, he would think twice about whatever he had planned.

I let a dagger pocketed in my sleeve slide into my palm. I tucked it behind me, waiting for the man to step from the shadows.

He paused, then continued his casual walk in my direction, whistling an unfamiliar tune.

He stepped into a shaft of light. I released my breath. It was the lawman, Lefevre.

“Lawman.” I nodded in greeting. “I seem to have lost my way.”

“It’s Captain, actually. And I suppose our ways can be rather confusing for a foreigner.”

I blinked.

He smiled, a glimpse of white against his olive skin. “Your accent and clothing give you away. Lovero, yes? Though I didn’t know they had adopted the robes of their priests as fashion.”

I flushed. I hadn’t known I had an accent.

“I lost my belongings, and the priests were kind enough to clothe me temporarily.” I raised my dress bag in front of me. “But I’m afraid I find your streets and canals most confusing.”

“Ah, I see.” He stepped closer. I clenched my hidden dagger. “You must be new to town, if you’re just now replacing your clothes.”

He hadn’t worded it as a question, so I didn’t respond. I held my eyes wide and innocent.

“I was born in Lovero, you know,” he said. “My mother was a devout follower of your death god.”

I held my tongue. Let him continue to fill the silence if he must.

“Perhaps you can help me with something, Miss . . .”

“Lea.” As soon as I said it, I cursed myself. I should’ve lied about my name, called myself Jenna or Marya or anything. He had an unsettling manner about him I didn’t understand. It tripped me up.

“Miss Lea, then. It’s been a long time since I’ve called Lovero home, and I have a few questions.”

There was nothing I wanted to help him with. “I must really be on my way. I promised I would return these robes to the priests, and the church is so far from here. I would hate to be caught on the streets when there are ghosts about.”

“I’m not afraid of the ghosts. It will only take another moment of your time, and then I will send you on your way.” He stepped closer still. My body tensed.

I didn’t know what game he was playing, only that there was some sort of game. He couldn’t know I was the clipper who’d fled from the body. I’d worn my mask.

I needed to get out of here. I could slide past him and run, but that would only indicate me as suspicious. Better to keep up with the act of a little lost girl, asking a lawman for assistance. “How can I help?”