Page 79 of Sanctuary of the Shadow
They were Hybrids, and this was their city. Malaikah’s sneaking skills were legendary, but she was out of her element here, and they were in theirs.
But what to do? Every night that passed without seeing Harrow tightened the knot of fear for her friend that had taken up residence where her stomach should be. And worse, something big was going down tonight. She could feel it in her bones.
After the circus finished for the night, things seemed business as usual. Mal went to the meal tent and tried to force some food down before returning to her caravan to wash and change into her all-black nightly escape-attempt outfit.
Muffled sounds outside snagged her attention. Creeping to the window, she pushed open the glass and listened with her superior cat senses. Murmured voices floated into her caravan from a distance away. She angled her ears, trying to get a sense of their location.
Salizar’s tent, she realized. Some kind of hush-hush meeting was taking place. Once she made the connection, she could hear the unmistakable tone of Salizar’s voice whispering commands to whoever was with him.
She was just about to creep over there and eavesdrop when she heard the tent flap open and bodies shuffle out. They headed toward the fairgrounds exit and slunk away into the night.
Where were they going? Had they found a new lead on Harrow and Raith’s location?
Questions aside, Malaikah realized that now was the perfect time for her to sneak out. With her speed and agility, she could beat Salizar to the tavern (if that was indeed where he was heading) and warn Harrow and Raith. Or, if it came to it, stall them until Salizar showed up with whatever he needed to recapture Raith.
As for Ouro and his little gang, she’d just have to deal with them if she saw them and hope they didn’t—
A knock sounded at her caravan door.
Malaikah spun around, scenting the air. She smelled nothing. Which didn’t make sense because everyone smelled likesomething.Well, everyone, of course, except…
Snakes.
The Goddess-damned reptiles were the only ones with the ability to disguise their scent like that. She cursed. Ouro had been content to let her keep her secrets in their last interaction. Now he was knocking on her door.
“I know you’re in there, Malaikah. I can smell you.”
Oh, great. He smelled her. Good thing she’d showered earlier, and he was smelling her clean scent and not her post-performance sweat. She looked down at herself and cursed again. She was wearing a skintight, sleeveless black bodysuit and men’s baggy trousers, which was hardly—
Why in the Goddess’s name was she worried about what she was wearing? Shaking her head, she went to the door and threw it open.
Ouro was standing outside, leaning casually against the side of the caravan. “Good evening.” One corner of his mouth curved up. “Let me in. We need to talk.”
He was bigger than she remembered, and the combination of his patterned skin and jewel-green vertical-slitted eyes was striking. His long leather jacket hung open, the hilt of a dagger poking out from a sheath on one hip, but his hands hung loosely at his sides.
He was trying not to look threatening, she realized, and almost laughed. She ought to tell him not to bother. He couldn’t pull off nonthreatening to save his life.
Ouro stepped into the confines of her tiny caravan and closed the door behind him. Turning back, he blatantly bolted it shut, giving her a look that dared her to challenge him.
That’s not creepy at all.With a resigned sigh, Malaikah gestured to the table, indicating for him to sit. No point fighting this.
Just like Salizar had the other night, the oversized Elemental male took a seat at her tiny table, practically filling her entire caravan. Long legs stretching to the side, he crossed his booted feet at the ankles, making himself right at home.
Strangely, the animosity she’d felt toward him the last time they’d met wasn’t present. Maybe his attempts at being nonthreatening were working after all. “You want something to drink?” she heard herself ask. Inwardly, she rolled her eyes. Was she trying to pick up a lay or protect Harrow?
“Whisky?”
“Sure.” She grabbed the bottle and two glasses from the shelf above the stove and then slid them across the table. He caught them and poured two, handing one to Malaikah as she sat across from him. Her caravan was way too small, and he was way too big. She downed her drink in one gulp.
He lifted a brow but topped her up without comment.
“So why are you here?” she said around the whisky’s burn.
“You know why.” He sipped his drink, eyes never leaving hers.
“Generally, I make it a rule not to ask questions I already know the answer to.”
“It’s important your Seer friend speaks to the Oracle. I’m here to make that happen.”
