Page 107 of Loreblood

I blinked at the concerned expression of Garroway. His hand was wrapped around my wrist. “Yes?”

“Did you not hear, lass? Let’s go. We’re done here.”

The young man Taclo sneered. “Ithoughtthat was you. Forgot your name for a second.”

I paid him no heed and turned to join Garroway. Managing to keep my temper tamped down was a feat of unfathomable strength.

Then Koylen called out: “Dimmon sends his regards.”

I paused. My hands bunched into fists at my sides.

Garroway’s brow furrowed. His concerned look became graver, his frown deeper. He didn’t release his hold on my wrist.

Urging my feet forward, I stepped into the street, ignoring Koylen’s taunt.

Once we were halfway across, Peltos called out. “Hoy! There’s only four in here, grayskin. We agreed to five.” Peltos had the bomb bag open in front of him, chin dipping with a snarl.

“Finder’s fee,” Garro said, throwing his arms up as if there was nothing he could do about it. “My associates and I would like to see how you do with four, first. We’ll be watching.”

Peltos flared his nostrils. He muttered, “Damn half-bloods,” and disappeared into the building with Taclo and Koylen.

We hurried away from the auction house. I stayed quiet, stewing and brooding.

Once we were a few streets away, heading northeast to get out of the southern Temple District, Garroway said, “What’s going on with you, little honey badger? You’re quiet and dour. You have a history with the Diplomats, I surmise.”

My jaw bulged as I clamped my teeth together.What am I supposed to tell him? How am I supposed to tell this half-blood dhampir that Dimmon Plank was responsible for irrevocably changing my life and breaking me?

I hesitated, shaking my head. “It’s . . . it’s nothing.”

We paused in the middle of the empty street. A blanket of eerie quietness smothered us. Not even the wind whistled. In the distance, two pole-lanterns lit the road in a murky orange glow.

“Don’t lie to me, Seph.” His hand came up, fingers resting on my chin. I’d never seen Garroway’s face so serious. He was locked in an internal struggle he was clearly losing against. I wondered if this grayskin had as much control over his temper as I had originally thought.

My mouth opened to answer—

A black flash blurred by the opening of an alley out the corner of my eye.

I spun on reflex, body tensing.

“Fuck,” Garroway hissed.

My neck twisted to look at him—

As he wrapped his arms around me andshoved, tackling me to the ground.

We went down together in a heap of limbs.

I gasped as something whizzed overhead.

An arrow.

It plunked against the stone wall behind us.

Garroway leapt to his feet with preternatural speed, whipping his sword out of its scabbard in a rasp of steel. I rolled and popped up onto my knees, doing the same with my blade.

There were two of them. At first I wondered if Koylen and Taclo had been sent to follow and harass us.

No. That arrow would have struck dead in my chest had Garroway not taken me to the ground. A shot like that, in the pitch darkness of night, from dozens of yards away?