The Seer by Rowan McAllister (reading comprehension books .TXT) 📕

She glanced at the others again, and Daks was grateful for the reprieve. If they’d been alone, she’d have probably punched him in the groin by now and unleashed a string of Cigani curses on him and most of his lineage. As it was, she remained quite businesslike but for the tick by her eye and the muscle popping in her jaw.

“How long can we stay here without being discovered?” she asked, directing her question to Vic and Ravi.

“I picked it because no one ever comes here unless they have to,” Ravi answered, eyeing Shura with justifiable trepidation. “None of the workers stick around a second after dark, if they can possibly avoid it. But if I have another Vision….”

Shura waved a dismissive hand. “I think we’ll have to risk waiting at least until dark. Too many people out now, too easy to be spotted, especially if there are mercs out looking who aren’t in any kind of uniform we can avoid.” She paused a second to give Daks a glare. “If it was just the gifted, the Brotherhood might have tried to keep the search quiet, given all the troubles we’ve heard whispers of. But assault on one of their number isn’t something they need to keep under wraps. They can use such a blasphemous offense to stir the public. Everyone could be looking for you two, for all we know. I’ll check out the docks and see what I hear on the streets.”

“We can help there,” Vic chimed in eagerly.

“No,” Ravi said, but Vic waved a hand at him.

“It’s not putting us in danger to walk the streets and look and listen. Most people ignore us unless we get in their way.”

“I don’t want you to come back here,” Ravi said, though his expression said the opposite. “If we’re caught, I don’t want you anywhere near us.”

The two young men seemed to hold a silent conversation for a few beats before Vic sighed and looked away. “I can meet her somewhere else, then,” Vic huffed, pointing to Shura.

Shura raised an eyebrow at Daks, and he shrugged in answer. He didn’t exactly know what was between Vic and Ravi, but he wasn’t above making use of whatever help they could get, and Vic seemed sincere.

“We can meet at the Dog and Duck,” Shura said finally. “Faret will keep you safe until I can get to you.” She turned back to Daks. “We still have that meeting with Maran we were supposed to attend.”

Daks winced and stepped out of range, in case Shura decided not to wait to express her displeasure at the whole situation. “Oops,” he said meekly.

She let out a disgusted sound. “I’ll try to get to her for at least a quick meeting. She might have some advice or information on our current situation, if her daughter’s claims are to be believed.” She put a hand to her forehead and rubbed her temples. “Just stay here and try not to get into any more trouble until I can get back.” She held her hand out. “Give me the coin and I’ll do what I can.”

After Daks handed over the purse, Shura turned to the others. “If you want to gather what information you can, that’s up to you. I’ll return to the Dog and Duck an hour before sunset bells. If you are not there, I’ll go on without you.”

She turned to leave without another word, and Daks wisely kept his mouth shut. He didn’t like leaving all of this to her, but no one was looking for her. She should be able to move about the city with only the usual amount of attention thrown her way.

The other three in the room stood blinking at her sudden departure. Then Vic seemed to gather himself. He dragged a startled Ravi into the briefest of hugs before shoving him roughly away again. “Be safe, Ravi. Be happy.”

He scurried out of their hiding place with Sparrow on his heels. Sparrow paused in the opening just long enough to throw a sorrowful look at Ravi before she too disappeared. The silence after their departure was so thick, Daks could almost feel it squeezing the fetid air out of the space. Clearing his throat uncomfortably, he moved to the packs Shura had brought and smiled in relief at the small bundle of food she’d crammed inside.

She still loves me.

He tossed Ravi a wizened apple before grabbing one for himself, trying hard to ignore the bereft look on what he could see of Ravi’s hood-shadowed face. This wasn’t his business. His business involved getting Ravi safely out of Rassa, into Samebar, and up to the Scholomagi. That’s as far as he could or should go. He’d screwed up too much already not to remember that.

He’d finished his apple and had already begun rummaging for something else to eat by the time Ravi took his first bite. Satisfied the man had enough self-preservation to keep himself fed, Daks took up his position by the opening and tried to breathe in the slightly fresher air outside while he devoured a heel of dry, hard bread. He supposed he should be grateful the bread wasn’t moldy with the way Shura had been looking at him, but would it have killed her to put some butter on it or a bit of cheese to make it go down easier? The waterskin only held water, not ale, and he sighed morosely.

After a few minutes, Ravi joined him on the other side of the opening, but he didn’t seem interested in any more food or conversation, so they sat in tense silence as the rest of the world got on with its day.

The inaction made Daks antsy, but his body was tired after the night he’d had, so he didn’t get up to prowl the room again. Who knew when his next chance to rest would come?

Instead of pacing to relieve his boredom, he took the time to really study his companion, cutting sideways glances at him so