Diamond Bonds by Jeff Kish

Author:Jeff Kish [Kish, Jeff]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-06-30T23:00:00+00:00

* * *

Era stretches and rubs his full stomach as they meander down the town’s main road. “That was delicious, and I get to eat here tonight as well! This day is going to be the best one I’ve had in a while.”

Fire ignores her companion, enjoying the light buzz from her drink. It’s been a few days since she last took pleasure in the sensation. “It wasn’t a bad stew,” she admits.

“Hey,” Era says as he walks alongside her. “I feel like that’s the first positive thing I’ve heard you say.”

“I’m not a positive person,” she says, apparently not bothered by the comment.

“Still, a smile now and again wouldn’t hurt, would it?” he asks.

Fire gives him a warning look. “You’d better stop that.”

“Stop what?”

“Stop… whatever it is you’re doing. We’re business partners, nothing more. Quit making idle conversation.”

Era gives her a sideways glance. “Okay, so one last question for you.” Pausing to consider his words, he asks, “Why are you a… That is, why are you in this… profession?”

Fire averts her eyes. “Don’t ask questions about things you don’t want to know.”

Era swallows hard, but he can’t squelch his curiosity. “I want to know! You’re really young to be a master assassin.”

“You’re not much younger than me, and you want to be a master thief,” she comments, annoyed by the conversation.

“I’m not a master thief, though!” Era exclaims. “And besides that, I want to follow my lineage. You can’t possibly come from a long line of assassins. So what made you want to be one?”

Fire’s eyes glaze over as Era’s words cause unpleasant memories to resurface. “Sometimes circumstances force your hand.” Suddenly upset she let those words slip, she turns her head away from him.

Era frowns in disappointment, wanting to know more. The two walk in awkward silence to the edge of town, where they hear a whisper call out to them from the trees. Heading back into the foliage, they find Jem impatiently sitting against a tree.

“Uh oh,” Era says. “Been waiting a while?”

“We’ve been waiting a half-hour!” Jem barks, crossing her arms.

Di scoffs at Jem’s exaggeration. “Try five minutes.”

“You shut up! I’ve about had it with you ruining my fun.”

“You two not getting along?” Era needlessly asks as a staring contest ensues. “What did you find out about the rune?”

“Zero,” Jem groans. “It’s definitely rare, but I don’t know who would buy it. It should fetch a good price from the right person, at least.”

“Well, that’s a start!” Era exclaims enthusiastically. “I’m sure we’ll find someone to buy it. In the meantime, we need to get back to Pearl or I’ll be late.”

“We’re not going back yet!” Jem announces while pointing at Era. “What have you been doing this whole time? I can smell you from here. Go back into town and take a bath.”

Era’s jaw drops. “Wait, you were serious about that? But where am I going to find a place to do that?”

“Pay someone to use their house for all I care,” Jem says, shooing him away with her hand.

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