40
Talakai
I lay on the rooftop and flicked through the images on the tiny screen for hours. Haki was doing the same for the town grouping over to the west, and Jacques the one to the east.
Doubt had crept into my mind. Was I wrong? Maybe those instincts, honed by years of brutal training, had fallen with the rest of it when Xumi had broken me. Haki wasn’t saying it, but I read it in the undercurrents of his latest text.Maybe not tonight,was his last missive. Meaning maybe not here, not ever.
I’d just flown into this town under the cover of darkness and downloaded the feeds of the tiny cameras I’d installed. But all I saw on them was the same thing I’d seen on the other two—locals enjoying a brew.
No strangers, cloaked or otherwise.
The Satyr wasn’t holding back on his doubt. Since coming back from parting with his precious horn—I’d got a spate of texts about that, too—my device continually lit up with his surveillance complaints, most of which I ignored. But then, it was easy for Haki and me to flit between towns—poor Jacques had to drive.
I was just considering whether to respond to his thirty-third text ofHow long are we going to be doing this,when the mercenary walked into the bar.
I’d scrolled through the footage of the last few hours and now had the camera on live. And there he was.
Cloaked, of course. But his broad frame, height, and prominent nose had the locals staring as he pushed through them to take a table along the back wall.
Perhaps not different enough for them to send in an alien-encounter report to the local rag, but that was what he was.
I tapped at the tiny keys—a feat of acrobatics for my big fingers.Got something here.Then I hit send.
I almost heard them holding their breath. Then Haki sent,I’m moving to your sector. Will check the other towns.
Jacques was too far away to help—it would take him hours to drive it.Do you want me to hold here?he asked.
Prepare a note for Sparkle,I texted.If this guy is one of Galeran’s, we will follow him and get the gate location.
Haki was only about an hour’s flight away. I lay and watched the merc quietly observe and drink. He stayed for about forty minutes, and then left.
I left with him. Moving silently along the rooftops, gliding where necessary, I ghosted after him as he slowly walked the back alleys and streets.
He joined two others doing the same thing.
As I huddled against a chimney, watching them, my device vibrated from where scales held it against my skin. I moved to where the light wouldn’t give me away, and read a message from Haki.
Five more patrolling streets of Nomi.
Nomi was the town just to the west of me. I had no doubt that Kuti, just to the east, also had merc patrols.
Galeran’s scouts were here. I shoved the doubt back into the box where it belonged. I’d beenright.
We now knew his next target.
I drifted in their wake for two hours as they took measure of the town. And then they headed out, walking along the main drag for a ways before cutting into the scraggly forest.
Tied to the trees, were three Trantils.
Soaring into the clouds far above, I received a message from Haki. I had to do an awkward partial change to manipulate the device—my Dragon hands were way too large.
Following group on Trantils,he’d sent.
I rose above the clouds and met him there, his scales reflecting green in the moonlight. Flying wingtip to wingtip, we observed from above as our two groups combined with a third from Kuti and moved as a unit through the trees.
If any had been the Torshin, he would be able to sense our life essences if we got too close. But although I was pretty certain he wasn’t among them, I was cautious of another that would be waiting for them, and nudged Haki higher.
He went willingly, aware of who the groups were heading for. We didn’t need to be close to watch what transpired below.
