Page 11 of Leviathan's Song
Levi’s mouth gaped, but then his teeth clicked shut and his jaw clenched. I guess that wasn’t the reassurance he was looking for. He looked back and forth between us a few times, and I wondered briefly what he thought of the stark contrast he would undoubtedly find between us.
I felt wholly inadequate under his gaze, a miniature, dark-haired nobody being weighed by a dark-blond titan who could seemingly direct the world with his voice. Whatever he found didn’t seem to please him as his lips pursed and his eyes grew guarded and shuttered.
“Right,” he said to Sidney. “Well, someone like her probably shouldn’t be down here in the first place, but you should do a better job of protecting her anyway.”
Even as he said the words, he cast his eyes around the crowd, presumably looking for trouble. I took a step back, stung by both his words and the feeling of their enchantment suddenly pushing me away. Then he glanced toward me with hardened eyes, turned, and disappeared once again into the crowd.
I stood there for a moment, stunned, before I glanced at Sidney. She was still staring after Levi, her expression strangely skeptical. His words rang in my ears.
“Someonelike her,” I gritted out. “What doesthatmean?”
Sidney pressed her lips into a duckbill and glanced over at me, her eyes considering but with a spark of mischief. I could already tell I wasn’t going to like this.
“Tiny. Puny. Human.” She said it totally deadpan.
Yep, I didn’t like it.
“I’m notthathuman.” I whirled and stomped forward toward the Gate.
She barked a laugh, easily catching up with me. “Yeah, you kind of are,” she chuckled. “I thought you’d object to the puny part, not the human part.”
I glowered.Someone like her.
Sidney was quiet for a long moment, and when I looked over at her, she was lost in thought, her eyes shrewd. She caught me looking and asked, “That was weird, right? You guys were totally having eye-sex—”
I sputtered, mortified.What was eye-sex?
“—and then all of a sudden he’s being snotty and shoving me away with whatever he was doing with his enchantments.”
My heart sank. “I don’t think that was meant for you,” I said.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“His spells don’t seem to be targeted.” For whatever reason, I was sure it had been meant for me.
* * *
“Obviously,the guy you went after had a magical discernment ability similar to mine, but I’m not the only artificer around,” I said to Sidney as we made our way home. “I could have been anybody just standing there in the market. Does the entirety of the Phantom Order have my image and orders to track me down?”
Sidney’s eyes were sharp as she scanned our surroundings. “I doubt it’s anything that complicated, or you would have had more than just one goon show up on your doorstep last night. He’s probably based with those guys in Dry Gulch, and we were spectacularly unlucky in our destination today.” She cringed visibly. “My fault.”
We climbed my front steps and I let us in the door. “Even so, tinkers aren’tthatuncommon. How would he have known it was me?”
Sidney dropped her bag with a thump on the floor and launched herself onto the couch, sprawling on the multitude of blankets and throw pillows. I had a problem with collecting things that made me feel cozy, and I would fully admit it when accused.
“Mercy, I feel like such a princess on your couch,” Sidney sighed. “There might be other tinks, but you’re pretty distinctive looking.” She opened one eye and gave me a once over. “You might be able to pass for human in the Void where nobody knows any better, but you’re too perfect looking to be human. You’ve got those delicate little elvish features and a perfect little heart-shaped face. I’m honestly surprised your dad didn’t pass on the pointed ears,” she muttered absently.
“Anyway, combine the heightened beauty with the fact that you’re tiny, have long, dark hair, and are constantly dripping jewelry, and I don’t think they’d even need to pass around a photo. A simple description would do.” She said it matter-of-factly. Beauty didn’t impress Sidney, but I still felt my cheeks heat at her compliment, even if she hadn’t meant it as one.
“Should I try to change how I look? Take off the charms?”
She frowned slightly and shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. The charms make you stronger and add some defense. Everything you wear has a purpose. I’d focus on finishing that wasp and making yourself less of an easy target. If you’re just a passing interest to them, that might be enough to make them back off. If not, we’ll involve Enforcement, or maybe even call in your dad.”
I winced at that. My father was a very busy man and bothering him while he was away on a contract was the last thing I wanted to do, even though I knew he’d want to be the first to know if I was in trouble. I sighed and bumped her legs with my thigh. She drew them up to make room for me on the couch, and I slumped into the open seat, facing her.
“Thanks for rescuing me today.” I felt the back of my eyes start to burn as everything from the day caught back up with me. “I never thought someone would attack in broad daylight with all those people watching. If you and Levi hadn’t come, they would have taken me.” My voice shook a little, but I was valiant in fighting my tears.
Sidney sat up and scooted back, her legs crossed between us. She leaned forward and took my shoulders in her hands. “Elara, you are my ride-or-die. No one else other than my brothers would put up with me, and you arenot allowedto kick-off and leave me with them. You are mybestfriend, and I will always take care of you the way I can, just like you take care of me the way you can.” She tapped the enchantment ward cuffed on her ear and the hilts of her knives, which I’d altered with various runes and gems.
