Chapter 212: A Song Of The Past [5] (1/2)

Cerest watched Ristlara and Shenan work their magic. Arcane radiance lit up the ship's cabin.

Ristlara had Saragui's hands pinned to his desk with two gold-hilted daggers. Magic pulsed down the blades into the man's skin. The pale blue light ran sickly up his arms, creating new veins while pushing others out of the way.

The man's face twisted in agony. A steady stream of blood and spittle ran down his chin. His eyes were fixed on some unknown distance. He would not look at either of the females while the magic sapped his life energies.

”I don't understand,” Shenan said. She sounded like a parent disappointed in the performance of a beloved child. ”We never have this trouble with the daggers.”

”He's strong-willed,” Cerest said, but Ristlara shook her gold tresses impatiently.

”He's human. He should have broken by now.”

At her words, Saragui spat blood and a piece of what looked like his own tongue. He collapsed facedown on the desktop, his head between the glowing blades. Ristlara moved hastily out of the way.

”Pull the blades out,” Shenan told her. When the magic faded from his skin, she rolled the man over and laid her head against his heart. ”Dead,” she said.

”Your daggers aren't as effective as you thought, Shenan.” Cerest slammed his fist against the ship's hull. A waste of time, all of it. He was no closer to finding Chang Chang than he was a day ago.

”She's obviously here. Half the crowd saw her, but strangely, none of them know where she went,” Ristlara said sardonically.

”They fear Saragui,” Shenan said. She ran her fingers through the dead man's thin hair. ”He's not so terrifying. Perhaps Mistshore has its own sense of loyalty. Incredible thought, isn't it?”

”Search the ships,” Cerest said. ”The ones circling the Cradle must belong to Saragui. If she's still here, we'll find her.”

The Locks exchanged glances. Ristlara nodded at her sister and went above. Cerest could hear her gathering her men.

Saragui's domain had been shockingly easy to penetrate, despite the guards stationed on deck. Cerest supposed Saragui had put the majority of his resources behind maintaining the Cradle instead of seeing to his own protection. A fatal mistake.

Shenan stayed perched on Saragui's desk. She folded her arms across her chest and gazed at him with that parental expression he loathed.

”Well?” Cerest demanded. ”Say whatever is on your tongue. I don't have time to waste.”

”Cerest, why not give this up? Shenan said. ”We're all exhausted near to dropping, and we've come closer to the Watch patrols than any of us are comfortable.”

”I never took the Locks for cowards,” Cerest said.

The elf woman smiled faintly. ”Oh, Cerest, sometimes I forget how young you are, how like a spoiled child who never gets his way. Do you believe those sorts of taunts will move either Ristlara or I to action?”

”You've been compliant so far.”

”We have, because the chase amused us, in the beginning. Also, we recognized the profit to be made by aligning ourselves with you and the girl. But you're ruled by your impulses, Cerest. That's why you will never make a proper merchant, because your emotion gives you away. People can always tell when you want something so badly it threatens to break you. Isn't that why your father let you live but denied you your birthright, because he knew you valued it more than your own life?”

She knew it would provoke him. Cerest could see it in her eyes. He obliged her. He strode to the desk and backhanded her across the face. She fell over Saragui's body, her hair spreading wildly over the dead man's face.

Sitting up, Shenan put a finger to her split lip. Blood welled against her hand. Her face would swell and bruise, but she smiled as if he'd kissed her mouth instead of punching it.

”In the end, that's why we love you, Cerest,” she said. ”Allow me to be equally blunt: if you continue to pursue Chang Chang, you will likely be killed, by the Watch or by the allies Chang Chang has gathered. Perhaps Chang Chang herself will be your undoing.” She raised a hand to stop his argument. ”You may continue to hunt her as long as you like. I don't mind how many of the human dogs we lose—keep them and use them with my blessing—but I will protect my sister and our business interests.”