Page 82 of Night's Reckoning
Storage jar after storage jar of intricate glass objects. Lamps and bottles. Bowls and platters. All in brilliant colors with gold trim and painted filigree. Silver plates and goblets. They hadn’t found any gold yet, nor any jewels, but they’d barely started.
Ben was making notes about the artifacts already brought up when Kadek climbed over the rail, following another basket of storage jars.
He took a towel from one of the crew, wiped off his face, and walked over to Ben. “Johari is invaluable.”
“Good.” Ben tucked his notebook under his arm. “So things are moving quickly?”
“If we had an earth vampire like her who could move that comfortably in water, we’d work every job twice as fast. Maybe three times. She can move the sediment without disturbing the visibility too. I don’t know how she does that.”
“She’s the daughter of Saba,” Ben muttered, watching Johari climb onto the deck. “I imagine Saba’s daughters are taught very strict control over their element.”
“She’s powerful too.”
“Her mother is an ancient.”
“I suppose you’re right.” Kadek shook his head. “Nothing that looks like a chest so far. Nothing with dimensions like a sword. No glass ingots. I don’t know why Tenzin was so fixed on them.”
“We’ll keep looking. You’re still working on the first layer.”
“True.”
Ben said, “Any ideas how we’re going to explain to the human crew how all this has been taken out without disturbance?”
Kadek laughed as he walked back toward Johari and the crew. “That’s your job, Vecchio. I’ll be resting by then.”
“Thanks.” Ben heard something flutter overhead and looked up.
Tenzin was perched on the top railing of the ship’s measurement tower. He saw her hair moving in the breeze, but otherwise she was motionless.
Fabia looked up. “How’s all that?”
He could be generous now that he’d come to a decision. “It’s fine.”
“Sure it is.”
Ben had told Fabia he’d decided to return to Rome with her after the job finished and that he was seriously considering the job Ronan had offered working for Emil Conti. Fabia hadn’t said much, but she’d nodded a lot and had looked skeptical.
Just like she was looking now.
Ben started taking notes again. “I know you think I’m not going to follow through, but I am. I’m done. I need to move forward.”
“You say that,” she said, “and yet I don’t think either of you looks any happier or more relieved. Do you know Tenzin came and sat with me at dinner the other night?”
“What?” Ben looked up. “What did she say?”
“Nothing. Literally nothing. She just sat next to me and ate.” Fabia shook her head. “It was strange.”
Ben frowned and lowered his voice. “Was Johari around?”
“She and Kadek were talking about artifact removal at the next table.”
He shrugged. “She was spying. It’s what she does. She’s suspicious of everyone.”
“Then why didn’t she sit with them? It wasn’t exactly a secret conversation.”
“How am I supposed to know what she’s thinking, Fabi? I’m not her minder.”
“Just don’t expect the rest of the vampire world to understand that. You’ve been her partner for like ten years or something.”
