The God Catcher by Erin M. Evans

Author:Erin M. Evans
Language: eng
Format: epub

TEN

You have the advantage of me, I'm afraid," Tennora said calmly, as if the man were a guest at one of her aunt and uncle's even-feasts. Her nerves had been stretched taut too many times in the last two days, but if she imagined him sitting in a comer, if that velvet jerkin were a doublet and half-cloak, she might manage. "And I do believe my door was locked. Did someone let you in?"

"A well-bred girl," the man said with a smile that twisted the comer of his mouth. He raised the cane off his lap, and Tennora felt the spell he cast slam the door behind her. "I approve of your manners," he said, laying the cane across his knees once again. "You may call me Dareun."

He remained sitting, his hands resting on the cane. The crystal in the handle glittered with an iridescence that was not wholly natural. Tennora peered at it and saw the telltale signs of traces of magic organizing themselves around the crystal.

Not just a cane. As Tennora's staff had let her focus her energy and will, so did Dareun's cane improve its holder's grasp of magic. She held her expression as steady as she could, but she let her eyes dart to her staff resting in the corner beside the door.

"Very well, Dareun," she said. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

He made no move to stand. "That isn't how this is going to work, my dear girl."

"Oh?" she said lightly. He wasn't one of Master Halnian's students, to be sure, nor had she seen him before at the House of Wonder. "You are quite demanding, saer, for someone who has broken into my home."

He smiled. His teeth were very white. "It is only fair," he said.

Oh Hells, she thought—the antiquary must have sent him. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"Then you will likely also be surprised to hear that I'd like you to hand over my mask."

"I beg your pardon?" Tennora said, though her heart was racing. It is not his to sell, Aundra had said. The mask in the drawer seemed to be sending out signals like a lighthouse. I'm here! I'm here! She fought not to look at it. "Your mask? Perhaps you're looking for someone else."

"I know you took it." He stood and leaned on the walking stick rather heavily as he stepped closer to Tennora. His smell tickled its way through her nose and down her throat—brisk, bitter, and medicinal. "You and your ... friend," he said. "It's a fortunate thing that my friend Ferremo remembered your name and knew the right person to ask about you. You might have evaded me otherwise."

"I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about," Tennora said—what was that smell? Some sort of ointment? "I do not associate with criminals. I'm very sorry you're missing property"—A cheap scent?—"but I'm going to have to ask you to ... leave." With a sinking sensation, she realized what it was.

Chlorine.

That was the smell. Blurred by some other scent he wore, but that sharp, unpleasant odor was unavoidably chlorine.

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