Page 17 of By the Horns
“I promise you, it’s Raptor. I’m from the Southwind Plains, but I’ve been here for fifteen years. What’syourname?”
“Gwenna. From Honori Hold.” She thumbs a gesture at her companion. “This is Kipp.”
Kipp lifts his chin at me, the only acknowledgment I get.
“And why are you repeating, myfineTaurian?” Gwenna says the word like it’s an insult, but the bristly part of me still laps it up like wine. “If you’re such a catch?”
“My Five disbanded after they got caught stealing,” I say, decidingthat most of the truth is probably a good idea. “Since I’msuch a catch, they just demoted me instead of getting rid of me entirely.”
The answer surprises her. “Thieving?”
“Nothing big or I’d be in the tower waiting to be hanged.” My grin is cocky and full of reassurance. I wouldn’t normally volunteer that I’ve been caught thieving, but since I’m trying to find a thief, maybe this’ll help build camaraderie. “It happens, even in the best-run Fives. But I’ve apologized properly and they’ve accepted it, and so here I am.”
Gwenna blinks at me, as if quietly digesting this. Then she nods. “If you’ve been forgiven, all is well.”
My senses sound a warning. She thinks thieving is all right, then? Perhaps she’s the one I’m looking for after all. That’s disappointing. Then again, why am I judging? We all do what we can to get ahead. I nod at her and Kipp both, and Kipp seems less convinced than her. He’s still scowling at me. “Shall we work together, then? See if we can find a master who will take on three unexpected students?”
Gwenna moves closer to me, and her expression is full of doubt as she glances around the crowded room, eyeing the potential students around us. “No one’s going to take us on, are they? A woman, a slitherskin, and a thief?”
It’s an odd collection, and I don’t point out that even as a thief, I’m still far more desirable than either of them. I want to reach out and put an arm around her shoulders again, tuck her against my side where she’d fit perfectly, but the slitherskin is eyeing me as if I’m dung beneath his tiny boots. I give them both my most reassuring smile. “Of course someone will take us on. We just look for the most obvious candidate.”
She casts another glance around the room. “Most obvious candidate? What do you mean? You make it sound like we’re the ones picking.”
“We are, in a way.” I put a hand on the small of her back, testing the waters. For some reason, I’m dying to touch her. Put my hand on her in some small way to claim her. She doesn’t move away from my touch this time, and I gently steer her toward the far end of the room. “It’s all about finding the right master for the job.”
“And who might that be?” Gwenna asks.
I lean in to whisper to her, even though Kipp is nearby and deserves attention, too. “We hunt for the master who looks the most pained at thisgathering. He’s going to want to get out of here quickly. Three good students in one fell swoop is a dream come true.”
Kipp flips his hand over and moves it back and forth in a dismissive gesture. There’s a look of doubt on his triangular face, as if he doesn’t believe what I’m saying.
“Wearegood students,” I point out. “Three repeaters means we know exactly what we’re doing. They can skip all the basics and go straight to the training. We’re a safe bet.”
“But we failed.”
“A lot of good people fail. You didn’t give up, which is all that matters.” I point to the back of the room, where a few men in guild uniforms and the bright red sashes of masters are clustered together. “Come on. I know just the person.”
“You do?”
“Aye, I’m thinking we head for Master Jay.”
Gwenna stops in her tracks and gazes up at me. Her eyes are big and soulful…and full of skepticism. “Why him? Are you friends?”
That makes me snort. “By all the tunnels underground, no. We’re not friends in the slightest. He’s a pain in the arse and makes all his students crazy.”
“Then why would we want to be on his team?” She looks at me as if I’m mad.
Because once you’re done for the day, he doesn’t give an arse hair about what his students do, which helps my plans. Because he was on the list of masters that Hawk suggested I’d be able to work around. “Because he’ll just be glad to get his team filled. He’s got a reputation for being fussy, hence the name Jay.”
“Sounds delightful,” she says dryly. “And he’s going to want a slitherskin and a woman?”
“No, but he’s going to assume that I’ll carry you both through the tests.”
Kipp makes a huffy sound. Gwenna doesn’t seem offended at this. She gives me a thoughtful stare. “And will you? If we need help?”
“I can be persuaded.”
Her face flames bright red again, and she marches forward, avoiding my hand, and I wonder what it is I said.
