Page 33 of The Silent
“I see two women watching us from the noodle stand,” Sura said, waving. “Can I assume they are bothIrina?”
“What?” Kyra blinked. She thought she had good instincts, but she hadn’t spotted either woman. One appeared Thai and the other European. They disappeared by the time she’d lookedtwice.
Leo shook his head. “You’ve got good eyes. Yes, they’re Irina. One from Bangkok and onelocal.”
“I thought I recognized the taller girl,” Sura said. “She’s come up to the village before. She trains in one of the gyms here inChiangMai.”
“Trains for what?” Kyraasked.
“Muay thai,” a cheerful voice called in an American accent. “I’m Ginny. What’s your name?” She stuck outherhand.
“Kyra.” She took the woman’s hand, somewhat cowed by her energy. “I’mKyra.”
“Nice to meet you.” Ginny sat down next to Kyra and raised her hand to get the waiter’s attention. She held up two fingers and motioned to thetable.
“And I’m Alyah,” the other woman said, sitting next to Leo. “FromBangkok.”
“From the scribe house,”Surasaid.
“Yes, but don’t hold that against her,” Ginny said. “She’sstillokay.”
Superficially, the two women couldn’t have looked more different. Ginny looked more human than any Irina Kyra had met. She didn’t have the reserve or formality and reminded Kyra more of Ava’s easy manner. Maybe it was an American thing. Her skin was suntanned, and she had gold streaks in her long brown hair. Her smile was easy and bright. The Thai woman was shorter, her body compact and strong. Kyra could see defined muscles in her arms and shoulders. Her hair was cut in short layers around her face, and she didn’t smileeasily.
But both women moved with the innate confidence Kyra associated with the Irina. They were warriors. Survivors. Women with centuries of history and an extensive command of magic. Kyra could feel it surrounding them. Feel the warmth and energy they projected. Without even trying, Irina always made Kyra feelsmall.
Sura nodded at Ginny. “Iknowyou.”
Ginny smiled. “And I know you. Nicetattoos.”
“Thank you. I did most of themmyself.”
“Ithoughtso.”
Leo clapped his hands together once. “That’s what it is. The tattoos. I’ve been trying to figure out what Kostas and Sirius want. It’s the tattoos. They’re human, but you’ve found a way for them to help you with your natural magic. That’s why Kyraishere.”
Sura nodded. “You arecorrect.”
Ginny said, “Oh, that iswaycool.”
“Itisway cool,” Sura said cautiously, eyeing Alyah. “And what does the Bangkok scribe house think of Grigori usingSakYant?”
“The Bangkok scribe house doesn’t have an opinion about it,” Alyah said. “My task—with Leo’s help—is to start a dialogue with you. I’m not here to talk about tattooing. Sounds like scribe businesstome.”
Sura still looked skeptical. “A dialogueaboutwhat?”
“You have options,” Leo said. “The Bangkok house considers Chiang Mai part of itsterritory.”
“There is no scribe house here,”Surasaid.
“But there are humans,” Leo said. “And protecting humans from Grigori is the mandate of every scribe house and every individual scribe, warriorornot.”
Kyra sat up straighter. “The Grigori here don’t hunthumans.”
“So they say,” Leo said. “Kyra, I cannot simply take their word for it. We have to askquestions.”
Before Kyra could respond, Ginny spoke up. “So ask questions,” she said. “I live here. I train here. I keep an eye on things. I don’t answer to any overbearing scribe house, but I’m Irina. Ask me if you wanttoknow.”
Leo said, “Fair enough. Have you witnessed or heard reports of any attack on humans by Grigori in Chiang Mai in the past twoyears?”
