Chapter 8

ChapterEight

Escaping Greed had been a little too easy, but she wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Varya had stayed buried underneath the sands for a full hour before she crawled back out.

For a man who had lived a thousand years in a desert kingdom, he sure did forget that sand wasn’t stone. She’d tunneled underneath it until there wouldn’t be a person shaped mound and then had herself a little cat nap. Just an hour or so, preparing herself for the long journey ahead.

And when the coast was clear, and it was definitely clear, she’d emerged out of the sands in a burst of energy and raced away from his home. Her legs carried her long and far before she stopped running.

She never quite got over the feeling of being watched, though. Maybe that was just her old habits dying real hard. Varya always felt a bit like she was being watched. The life of a thief had certainly dug its claws deep into her psyche.

Three days of lonely travel passed quickly enough. She’d long ago perfected the best way to keep herself alive. And being lonely wasn’t all that bad. At least she was alive and no one was hunting her this time.

The Horde had no idea she’d left with their bounty. Greed likely knew that she’d stolen his map back, but really, did he think he could nick something like that from a thief? She’d felt him take it out of her pants. The man wasn’t sneaky in the slightest.

He probably thought he’d pulled the wool over her eyes. That she was so captivated by his seduction she wouldn’t notice he’d slipped his fingers against her skin. But she knew everywhere that he touched her, and she damn well knew where that map was at all times.

She wasn’t an idiot. And she wasn’t some swooning fool who would let a demon get the better of her.

She even enjoyed being alone a bit. No one was prattling on at her or trying to ease her. No demon was whispering in her ear about all the naughty, seductive things he wanted to do her. Even better? The only sound around her was silence. Complete, utter, boring silence.

So it was no surprise that her heart skipped in her chest the moment she saw the Shambles.

It was one of the few cities in the sands that was actually built out of stone. Though it had long ago been a thriving city, the Shambles was more buildings battling back the sands than anything else now. Rumor had it that there were at least four levels underneath where they lived. If someone dug into their sand floor, they’d eventually find more entrances into even greater buildings. But now, there were only about four sand filled levels where people could live.

And most people who lived there were a little hard around the edges. Being a stationary city had its flaws. The Shambles were real easy to rob. Anyone who had put down roots in this place was bound to have a few family heirlooms, but those were all lost a long time ago. Now it was just a city of thieves, pilfering and stealing from each other whenever they got the chance.

Such was the reason she didn’t stay long. Still, she did think it was filled with good folks. Just the kind who couldn’t keep their sticky fingers to themselves.

They all had their vices, after all. She couldn’t say much, Varya made her living stealing.

She walked down the family center street, her gaze up on the colorful red flags above her head that fluttered in the wind. Red, that meant it was... what? The dry season already?

Twenty people milled about, their heads covered with brightly colored scarves and their clothing the same color as the sands below their feet. There were four venders set up already, a little early for the rest of them to be so prepared. Of course, that meant she got a good look at what they were selling.

They knew the risk. If they showed off their wares too early, then they were likely to get thieves’ attention. But if they were lucky enough, and most of them were, then they’d find someone who actually had a bit of coin to spare.

Varya sidled up to the nearest one, eyeing the fresh slice of watermelon with hungry eyes. "How much?"

"Three coins.”

She didn’t have any coin on her, but that didn’t matter. If she stared hard enough, she swore she could taste the sweet juice on her tongue. "You know I don’t have anything to pay you with. Just came back from a job."

"Then finish the job and come back." The man behind the stall was weathered and leathery from the sun. His dark hair and dark eyes were oily as they looked her up and down, and then he smiled a grin that was missing at least three teeth. "Or you can find another way to pay."

"You like losing teeth? Is that what this is?"

Varya readied herself to punch the man straight in the throat when another voice interrupted her. "Always resorting to violence, this one. Or you could ask to borrow a few coins from a friend."

A gasp echoing in her throat, Varya spun around to see the man standing behind her. In three months she swore he’d gotten more handsome. It wasn’t possible, every woman in the Shambles would agree with her. But Altan was the blinding sun on a warm summer’s day. So handsome that it was sometimes hard to look at him.

His dark skin always seemed well oiled and shining in the light. His broad form, wide shoulders, and trim waist had many women wondering how it was possible he looked like that. But Varya had always noticed the kind wrinkles around his eyes, the wide smile that easily broke out whenever someone mentioned his name, and the kindness that radiated through his very being.

She launched herself into his waiting arms. The big man wrapped her up in his grip, chuckling as he spun her around, legs dangling in the open air.

"Varya! Look at you, our lucky gold coin. I didn’t think you’d be back for another month at least!"

"I found them faster than I’d thought." She ripped her mask off so her dearest and oldest friend could see her grin. "I got it, Altan. I got it."

He stilled, his arms spasming around her as he slowly set her back down on her feet. "You did?"

"I did. I didn’t think it was possible, but... They had it. It took me three months to find the right group, and the bastards didn’t make it easy. They wanted no one to see where they ended up but they made a mistake and I... I..." She shouldn’t be talking about this out in the open. Anyone this excited made themselves a target for unwanted attention.

Still. She grinned up at him, relief and hope blossoming in her chest for the first time in ages.

And she saw that same expression in Altan’s features as well.

He wrapped a hand around her wrist and tugged her away from the vender. "I’ll get you food back at the house. Then you’re going to tell me everything that happened."

"Absolutely."

She let him drag her through the streets, giving half hearted waves to the people who knew her as they both raced across the sandy dunes. All the houses were covered in the sand, sinking deeper and deeper into it. Even his house, the one at the very far end of the Shambles, had a sand dune making its way through his front window. At least his doorway was clear as he shoved it open and then pushed her through.

His eyes narrowed as he searched the streets behind them, clearly looking for anyone who might have dared to follow them before he ducked inside the cool darkness beyond with her.

There were four other people in the house. His home was usually a revolving door of some type. There were people who were friends, though, and those who were merely passing through and needed help.

These were all friends.

"Varya!" A cheer went up and she was rushed. Four people throwing arms around her, kissing her cheeks, pressing ale into her hands and shoving her toward the table where there were comfortable seats waiting for her.

"It’s been too long," she said with a laugh. They all looked healthier than the last time she’d seen them. No more shadows underneath their exhausted eyes or clothing hanging from knobby bones.

Altan had made good on his promise. She’d said she would leave on this foolish adventure only if he promised to take care of everyone else. Usually she was the one on supply runs, making sure that everyone had something to eat and that they weren’t starving.

Apparently, Altan was just as capable as she was. Even better, if the looks on their faces were any proof of it.

And there was the normal sting she felt at someone doing her job and doing it better. She hated knowing that she wasn’t necessary anymore to these people. All she did was seek out impossible treasure. Sometimes she brought it back, other times, she failed. But still, her work was meaningful. If she brought back the magical artifacts, then that meant they all had a better life.

Even if it was a little more far-fetched than just bringing back food to those who needed it.

"She said she found the map," Altan declared, slapping his hand on her shoulder firmly. "Our lucky gold coin has found yet another way to help us all."

Another cheer went up, although a little quieter than the last so they didn’t raise any suspicion outside of these walls.

She looked around the comfortable room and sighed with happiness. All the furniture had been carved out of the same stone as the house years ago, worn down by hundreds of hands that had passed comfortably over the surfaces. She had sat on this stone bench next to the stone table a hundred times. The windows were covered with stretched leathers, beautiful tapestries woven on the walls, and a room filled with all the people she loved.

Two of them sat on the floor nearby, brightly colored cushions protecting them from the sands beneath them. Four lanterns hung over her head, the metal guards forged to look like stars that sparkled all across the room.

Altan’s hookah was in the corner, suspiciously quiet and unlit. Usually he’d be well into smoking by this time of the morning, but she didn’t have any time to wonder if he’d finally quit.

Instead, she pulled the map out of her pants and laid it out on the stone table. Unfurling it, she pointed to all the markers that mentioned different artifacts.

"This one denotes the last known place where the Spear of Water was found. Three dots here mention that the Staff of Meadows was last seen in all of these locations. But this one..." She tapped the paper hard over a single marker deep in the desert. "The Eternity Goblet."

Even Altan hissed out a breath while the rest of the people in the room hummed out impressed sounds. "So the rumors are true?"

"One of the last sultans before Greed hid it away in a cave system. Apparently there are countless objects there, so many of them are marked on this map. I can’t be sure that the Horde hasn’t already taken what they wanted from the loot." Varya met his gaze with a wild grin. "But there still might be something left."

Altan sat heavily on the opposite side of the table, his big body splayed out in shock. "And you think we can find all of it?"

"I do."

"That’s impossible."

"Only if we don’t try." She ripped off her coat, letting it fall to the floor behind her. The leather was too warm and too sticky. She refused to let it ruin her excitement over this moment. "I just need a week to prepare. All it will take is a few days to rest up, then I need to get everything ready for the journey. It’s a long way to go, and unsurprising that I’ll need a mount. I don’t think there’s any venders with horses at the ready, but I might be able to barter one of our previous treasures with someone in a nearby town. Otherwise it’ll take me at least three weeks to get there..."

She let her words trail off as she noticed Altan wasn’t really looking at her anymore. No. He was staring at her shoulders.

"What?" she asked, looking down at her shoulder.

And son of a bitch.

That bastard.

That thieving, lying, moron had left his fucking handprints on her shoulders.

At some point while making out with him two nights ago, he must have squeezed hard enough to leave his fucking handprints on her skin. Varya bruised easily, but she could count his fingers. When had he done that? She didn’t remember him grabbing onto her that hard but maybe he had.

"Where did you get those?" Altan asked, his voice quiet and dangerously low. "I thought you said you didn’t get caught by the Horde?"

"I didn’t." She snatched her jacket up from the floor, already angry at herself. "I ran into a little trouble along the way, but this has nothing to do with the Horde."

"Then what happened?"

She shouldn’t tell them. She shouldn’t tell anyone. It was a risk and she was stupid and...

Varya sighed. Rounding her shoulders in on herself like she was expecting a blow, she muttered, "Greed."

"Yeah we’re all greedy, I get that’s the problem. We live in this kingdom for a reason. Now how did you get those bruises?"

"Greed," she repeated. For good measure, Varya tilted her head and widened her eyes. "As in the Greed."

He blew out a long breath, eyes widening. "How’d you meet the king?"

"It’s a long story."

"And I assume he knows you have the map."

Varya sat down, her jacket abandoned in her lap as she braced her elbows on the table. "Oh yeah. He knows."

"So we all need to run then." He shook his head, ankles crossing as he stared at her with disappointment. "You’re always so careful! How did the king himself catch you?"

"He didn’t. I sort of caught him." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and launched into the story. Conveniently forgetting that she’d kissed him, or shown any kind of interest in the demon, of course. And she didn’t mention a word about how he was ridiculously tempting or that he’d made it very clear that he wanted her.

By the end of her rambles, Altan was looking at her with a very suspicious expression but also a resigned one. "All right. So you don’t think he’ll find you here."

"He doesn’t know my name, had no idea the Horde existed, and I’d guess he doesn’t even know the Shambles exist." She shrugged. "He’s not exactly very aware of his own kingdom. Not in the slightest."

She omitted that the Horde might know who had stolen from them, though. They were more wily than any of them gave them credit for and... Well. She wasn’t all that certain they weren’t going to hunt her down for the rest of her days.

Better to leave town sooner rather than later.

Altan finally gave her a shrug. "Then if you think it’s safe..."

"I do," she interrupted. "I’m ready for the next adventure."

But he still seemed a little hesitant. Not ready to risk her life. If that meant she had to play all her cards, then so be it. Varya was not going to stay here. She couldn’t. Not when the warmth of a soft bed and friendship was already so tempting.

Sighing, she reached down and pulled out the knife that she’d strapped to her thigh. Laying it on the table between them, she pointed at it. “This is the blade they used to harm him. It cut through his flesh, and he couldn’t heal.”

“What is it?” Altan leaned slightly closer, his nose wrinkled as he stared at the green blade.

“They called it Bonescraper.”

“Hm.” He shook his head. “I don’t know it.”

“Niether did I, but now we have it.” Varya took a swig of ale and then lifted her brow over the edge of the mug. “Well? What do you think? I have the only weapon that can harm him. I have a map to all our dreams. What reason do I have to stay here?”

Though he hesitated for another brief moment, he leaned forward and grabbed a free mug of ale, then lifted it up to her. Though his eyes were still filled with shadows and worry. "To treasure hunting."

She clinked her mug to his and then turned to the rest of them. "To treasure hunting!"