To Kill a Fae (The Dragon Portal, #1)

Chapter 1-3

“Very well. If you do nothing or wait longer than a fortnight, the coin will disappear. That, too, is also a choice.”

“Thank—”

She held up her hand. “There is no debt between us. Take your choice and go.”

Johnny grinned and gripped the wooden coin before sprinting down the alley. Sabine turned and caught a trace of a smile on Malek’s lips. The curiosity in his gaze made her wonder if she’d made a mistake. She hadn’t wanted Johnny to disappear without paying her debt to him, but she wished no one else had been around to witness such a thing.

Ignoring Malek, she walked over to the body of the man who had carried the ancient iron weapon. The goblin was already busy investigating one of the other bodies and she couldn’t allow him close to this one yet. She bent down to search the dead man, discreetly tracing her fingertips over his wrist tattoo to hide it with her glamour. It wouldn’t last, but it would stay hidden until the city guards disposed of the body.

Malek crouched down beside her, his gaze straying to the man’s wrist. She had the distinct impression he knew what she’d done.

He reached down and picked up the iron knife that had fallen to the ground. She tensed, her hand lingering near one of her weapons. Malek held her eyes as he unbuckled the dead man’s knife sheath before sliding the iron blade into the protective leather sleeve and offering it to her. “I believe this is yours.”

Sabine frowned and looked into his clear blue eyes. It was as though the sky itself had been captured in his irises. Unable to look away, Sabine reached out and took the weapon, attaching it to her belt by feel alone. She didn’t like the idea of having the weapon so close to her, but she didn’t have many options. It would be a while before she could discreetly dispose of it, but it was safer with her than in someone else’s hands.

She stood and assessed Malek, once again feeling a pull toward him. He was a mystery she’d need to solve sooner rather than later, but the matter of the dead men took precedence—as well as the injury at her side and her hand. Unwilling to risk sending Malek off to Dax without some form of protection, she took a step toward him.

“It would seem I also owe you a debt,” she said, not specifying whether she meant his efforts at killing one of her attackers or his silence about the dead man’s tattoo. Either way, all debts needed to be paid. The unbalance hung heavily in the air between them, demanding satisfaction.

He searched her expression for a long time. Finally, he inclined his head. “A debt is due.”

Sabine froze for a split second, surprised by the language he’d used. It was the formal exchange of an obligation, even if his words had been spoken in the common tongue. Although many people formalized a debt, few outside Faerie used the traditional wording. Tilting her head, she studied him but didn’t see any trace of the Fae in his features or a hint of glamour. There was something about him though—something dangerous and deadly.

Taking a step toward him, she allowed a small smile to curve her lips. “What do you wish of me, Captain Malek Rish’dan?”

Malek swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing as his heated gaze perused her up and down. If he asked for more than he was entitled to receive, the debt between them would be canceled. She didn’t understand why the magic worked that way, but it was one loophole she’d cheerfully exploited a time or two. She waited, curious if he would rise to her challenge or if the debt hanging between them would shatter.

A small shiver went through Sabine at the intensity in Malek’s eyes. She had the impression he saw much more than she intended. For a fleeting moment, she wondered if she’d misread him.

“Dinner.”

She blinked at him, unsure if she’d heard him correctly. “What?”

His mouth curved upward. “I have no doubt you could have easily dispatched the last man.” His blue eyes twinkled with amusement. “As Pozgil mentioned, I’m new to the city. I could easily learn my way around without your assistance, but a shared meal with exceptional company would be preferable.”

She stared at him, stunned and a little bewildered. Not only had he neatly avoided the trap she’d left open for him, but he’d also made a request impossible to refuse. He may not be Fae, but he knew enough about their ways for her to be thoroughly intrigued. It had been a long time since a stranger surprised her. She closed the distance between them, unable to deny the magnetism she felt for this captivating man. For whatever reason, her power was drawn to him. It left her oddly unsettled.

“The repayment of the debt has been negotiated. Until it is fulfilled, I leave you with a marker of my promise so that you might call upon me.” She held out her hand, both uneasy and curious about what would happen when she touched him.

He placed his much larger hand over hers, and she swallowed. It was just a touch, but she could detect a trace of the muted power within him. She turned his hand over in hers so it was facing palm upward. His fingers were calloused, indicating he was no stranger to hard labor and weapons training. She focused on the rest of his hand, tracing her fingertips over his bare wrist in a pattern. She spoke the words in barely more than a whisper and infused them with a trace of her magic.

He inhaled sharply, and Sabine felt a moment of connection as the debt between them was weighed. With a snap of electricity in the air, her mark settled on his skin. Since the debt was hers to repay, she also accepted the searing pain as though she’d applied it to her own skin. Burying her reaction, she traced the design again. “The agreement is accepted, witnessed, and sealed.”

She lifted her gaze to meet his eyes. He appeared equally as affected by her touch. Slightly disconcerted, she added, “Once the debt has been repaid, the mark will fade. If I expire before the debt is collected, the mark will fade. If you pass on before it is collected, the mark will fade.”

Malek placed his other hand over hers, trapping her hand between the warmth of his skin. It took everything she had to continue to breathe normally. Something about this man called to her on an elemental level—and for that reason alone, he was dangerous. He squeezed her hand gently. “I look forward to sharing dinner with you soon.”

Sabine pulled her hand away, uneasy about what might happen if she continued touching him. She glanced over at the goblin who stared at her open-mouthed. “You are taking them to meet with Dax now?”

Pozgil clamped his mouth shut and straightened. “I’d be honored to escort you too. I’m sure Dax will have questions about this… attack.”

She narrowed her eyes. That was putting it mildly. Dax would lose his mind when he found out what had happened on the border of his territory. Until she got answers of her own, she wasn’t willing to risk another encounter with the unscrupulous leader of Akros’s underworld. “I trust you can relay the events to the best of your knowledge. I have other matters that require my attention.”

When Pozgil’s skin flushed to that sickly green color again, Sabine relented slightly. Aside from accompanying him and handling Dax herself, there wasn’t much she could do except make it clear to Dax that she had refused to go. There would likely be consequences for her decision, but they couldn’t be helped—especially since she was bleeding.

She sighed. “Give my regards to Dax. I will see him soon enough.”

Pozgil looked pained but nodded. “I’ll give him your message.”

She darted another quick glance at Malek and pulled her hood over her head. If he managed to survive his encounter with Dax, she’d have a chance to discover more about him. In any event, she’d done what she could to protect him until then.

Heading away from the alley, Sabine gathered some of the lingering shadows around her. One thing she’d learned years ago was, if she couldn’t see the monsters in the dark, they usually couldn’t see her either. But the assassination attempt had made it clear the shadows weren’t going to be enough for much longer.