Robideaux. Oh, good. He’s been needing a beating for a long time.
We got walking again and, since Kas was in a talkative mood, I started to record on my phone.
“You going for the bounty?” he asked.
“The bounty?” I was so focused on getting the girls out so that I could get back to searching for Gemma that I didn’t have to act confused. “What bounty?”
“Where have you been?” He chuckled. “Everyone has been talking about it. Ateuflischprince is offering an indulgence for a miracle worker.”
“Oh, that. Come on, Kas. You know there aren’t any miracle workers anymore.”
Not for the first time, the thought crossed my mind that I knewtwomiracle workers. At any time, I could betray one of them and get Gemma back. And while I had no problems with that,shewould never forgive me if I traded someone’s life for hers. I’d lose her—if I hadn’t already.
You could keep it a secret. She’d never have to know.
That voice was like sludge, dark and thick, and it oozed through my whole being. I fought against it because I didn’t want to be that monster anymore, but it was harder to ignore now that I walked the brink of panic every day.
The others will never accept that. Besides, it’d be impossible to keep it a secret when so many other people are involved. I’ll try the honorable way first.
“Wrong.There are.” Kas pulled my attention back to where it belonged. “And the prince wants one.”
“I don’t have time to chase a myth.”
“Harker! Think of it! An indulgence!” His eyes widened. “You could haveanything! You could be free—”
“Quiet! Don’t wake what’s inside me! You’re so interested,youfind a miracle worker to hand over, if you can stomach throwing an innocent neph to the worst of the wolves.” Like I had room to talk. I’d thought about doing just that less than a minute ago. “I got more important things to take care of.”
“What? What could be more important to you?”
“Samuel Castle, for one.”
“Gott im Himmel.” He stopped and faced me. “Don’t tangle with that one. How he has escaped the wrath of the Council all these years, I do not know.”
“Who would know the most about him?” I asked, narrowing my eyes. “That witch Bennie in the Bronx? Zick Black? Tony Twenty-Two?”
“Isaac Black, of course,” he said.
“There’s someone else I wanna know about, too. About a year ago, a female neph at the Sanctuary’s college was turned into a zombie by a black magician and his apprentice—”
“Khaydari and his experiments!” he interrupted me. “Necromancer. Bad stuff.”
He spelled the name for me.
I’ve heard that name in relation to something else, too. What is it? Ah, I’ll figure it out later.
“You hear about everything.” I didn’t have to fake my admiration.
“Most of theteuflischworld comes through the market at one time or another. And it wassehr interessant. Most would not waste Divine blood like that.” He fidgeted with the end of his long beard. “Go see Pepper Crane. He may be able to help you.”
I’d never heard of Crane and asked for the contact information. After he gave it to me, I hesitated for a heartbeat, then put it out there as simple as I could.
“One more thing. I mixed it up with a group of humans and they took something from me. I want it back.”
“Ah, Harker, humans will screw you front and back and sideways, and all with innocent faces.” He shook his head and frowned. “Who are they?”
“This could get you into trouble.” It surprised me that I cared. “You know, there was a time I wouldn’t have given two craps if you got caught helping me. But my new boss gave me something I never thought possible and now I kinda do.”
“Junge, you worry about the wrong things. I’m an old man who tends the pens. You are the only one from outside the market who talks to me as if I’m more than a mindless animal. To everyone else, I am the wall,ja? But I’m curious, Harker. What did this new boss give you?”
