Page 90 of The Fury She Holds
“What, you mean for one of us to bed him?” Carrick laughed.
“He’ll think that, yes. Which will make it the perfect opportunity to tie him up and strip him, skin and all.” Sybil stared at Tal when she said the last part. Her eyes did not blink, did not waver. She’d had a vision.
“And who are we going to send in there? You?” Rain asked his sister.
“Me,” Tal answered.
“No,” Faron snapped at the same time Carrick said, “Absolutely not.”
“He’s my kill. The easiest way to get to him is inside that room.”
“After what he tried to do to you, you’re going to simply walk in there, knowing what he’s expecting?” Faron shook his head. “You will not be posing as some whore and locking yourself in a room with that filth,” he growled, the first sign of possessiveness he’d ever shown. Something heated in the pit of Tal’s stomach, but the more stubborn part of her spoke louder.
“You have no power here, your highness.” She sneered at him. “I am perfectly capable of defending myself. You think I can’t handle one street thug?”
“Rain would be the ideal person to go in. He could coerce the man to give up information and then to keep silent,” Egan pondered.
“Except we know for a fact that he prefers women,” Rainier added grudgingly. Apparently, he too thought himself the better option over Tal.
“We could always ambush him before he goes inside once the apparition disappears,” Carrick threw out, always more suited to action over espionage.
“No. The commotion would draw attention. I get in there, kill him, and get out before anyone realizes the new girl escaped.”
“New girl, huh?” Sybil smiled. At leastshesupported Tal’s plan.
Tal smirked. To Egan, she asked, “Can you and Oona get me in?”
“There’s got to be another way. Can’t Rain coerce everyone to forget they saw him?” Faron gripped his waterskin a little too tightly.
Tal gritted her teeth. He had always been supportive of her choices before, but now he wanted to shut her down. She would have none of it.
Rain shook his head. “Memory coercion takes a lot of energy with only one person. I couldn’t coerce a whole brothel. Believe me, I’ve tried large groups in other situations. Besides, there’s ways around a silencing coercion that would allow one of them to say they saw me. I’m better with actions. I could tell someone to look away, but there’s the chance someone else comes down the hall and sees me before I can stop them. I’m better one-on-one.”
Sybil’s head whipped in Faron’s direction. “Oh no, loverboy. Don’t bring me into this. Tal’s made up her mind.”
“She’s not going,” Tal ground out, knowing that Faron wanted to suggest Sybil go instead. “Syb, what do you see?”
“Not much. It’s too dark to really tell. But you get in there alone with him.”
“I can get you in tomorrow,” Egan added.
Tal nodded and walked to the outer tunnel.
Faron followed after her. He reached for her arm, but she pulled away. “Tal, this is too dangerous. Don’t do this.” After a pause, he released a pained whisper. “Please.”
His tortured expression threatened to break Tal’s resolve, but she gritted her teeth. “Did you forget? I’m a bounty hunter. I hunt criminals for a living. I’ve killed them if I’ve been hired to. I’m not one of your princesses who needs someone to save them.”
He ignored the jab. “You’re deliberately offering yourself to someone who attacked you. Someone with a mage actively watching them. Don’t you see how mad that is? I’ll dig deeper. Hells, I’ll kidnap him if I have to.” He threw his arms wide in frustration.
“You can’t just flaunt your authority or throw your precious gold around and expect it to solve our problems. If you want to be the hero, go back to your palace and find homes for the poor. Hire a sheriff who will actually stop the violence. Tell your damned council which pawn will be your bride so you can save this kingdom from itself. Who knows, maybe one of them comes from a country that can bring in the resources to stop the mages if more of them come.”
At the mention of a bride, Faron flinched like she had hit him. If she had been a better person, she would have apologized for being so harsh. Instead, she stormed off toward her room. Faron didn’t follow her, and she didn’t turn back to see the hurt on his face.
24
“I’m Oona.” A slight blonde woman grabbed Tal’s hand and shooed the guard out of the room. She stood a few inches taller, perhaps five years older than Tal. Egan trusted this woman most within the brothels, the one who arranged for Tal to be captured by the Netters early that morning.
She pulled Tal through the room past women of all ages in various stages of undress. They wore silk robes with sheer chemises underneath and sat on chaise lounges with plush cushions while they applied makeup, ate fruit, and sipped wine. Her gaze caught on a frightened figure huddled in the corner and her blood boiled. The girl couldn’t have been more than fifteen. It took every effort not to burn the place down right then and there.
