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At first glance, even though he had a knife up to my throat, I knew he would be useful. He was from the Sardan Kingdom, so he would be more familiar with the lands. The map that I memorized had most of the journey through the terrain of the Sardan Kingdom, which was unknown terrain to me.

He obviously was from some sort of fishing town, so he would be able to help me get through without being seen.

I needed him.

After patting down the flames, extinguishing them to nothing, he looked up at me, confusion and fury settled on his face. He was wondering why I hadn’t left. I had the prime opportunity to run, but I didn’t. “See. I am not scared,” I said. “What do you need a Scaleborne for?” I asked, wondering why he hadn’t already tied me up yet.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” he remarked, the weight of his stare becoming heavy.

“I would actually.” I tried to shove the nerves away from my voice, but my pitch went high. His eyes assessed mine. I watched as he grabbed a bigger knife from his left black boot, the hilt massive, the blade long. He took a step toward me, and I raised my hands in defense. “Whatever you are after; riches, fame,” I paused, “whatever it is, I will double the original offer.”

This time, he had paused. His features tightened as a cruel scoff wisped from his mouth. He approached me quicker thistime. My heart lurched into my throat as he stabbed the lengthy dagger into the tree above me, leaning forward to look down.

“Tell me, do those golden eyes of yours give enough magic to raise the dead?” His voice rumbled through me. If it weren’t for the intensity in the vast void of his empty eyes, I would’ve thought he wasn’t serious.

“No,” I said quietly, an idea forming in my head, rolling on my tongue before I thought better of it. “But I know someone close to me with magic from the Old Religion. I’m sure it would be no trouble for her to raise someone from the dead.” I held his stare, willing the guilt and panic out of my own. I forced the lie to be a wall of truth. He didn’t need to know that not only was Nana getting weaker by the day, or that even she would never do such a thing.

My hands were shaking.

I was bargaining with an assassin.

I was bargaining with an assassin.

My heart started to race as sweat collected behind my neck.

“What are you trying to do?” he emphasized. I gulped, staring at him through my long eyelashes.

“I am trying to make it to an island. Outside of Evler.”

“What makes you think that I would be able to help you?” He stepped back, pulling the dagger from the rough wood. His arms were covered over his chest, my eyes catching the muscles beneath his tight leathers.

Oh, my scales, what was I doing?

I couldn’t just force an assassin on this journey with me.

“You’re from the Sardan Kingdom. You obviously have experience with the water and the land. I need to ensure that no one sees me as we pass through. I don’t think I can do it alone.”

Oh, my scales. I was forcing an assassin on this journey with me.

I needed him because of my fear of the water. I had never been anywhere near a large body of water, and I didn’t know how to get across or even make it to the island. I had no idea how to swim if I were to have to cross the water itself.

How did I know that he wouldn’t just kill me in the middle of the night? Or kidnap me?

I didn’t.

“So you’re saying that if I go with you, then you will give me all of the riches and gold I desire as well as bring back Seb- a friend of mine from the dead?”

“Yes.”

“What else is in it for me? How do you not know that I won’t just kill you or kidnap you, anyway?”

“I don’t,” I said. “But I like to put at least some trust in humanity and Scalekind. There’s not a lot of it anymore.” He pondered what I said, nodding his head up and down.

I knew he would reject my offer and kidnap me, anyway, but he didn’t. After thinking about it, he paused and said, “Okay.” He bent over, picking up the dagger I made him drop earlier, sheathing both, returning them to the proper places in his boots.

“Okay, what?” The words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them.

“Okay, I will go with you.”