🐲 Dragon and Phoenix (Path of Light and Fire Book #2) (Completed) 🐲

Chapter 9

Turrent didn't need to see the inside of Zannick's home to know that something was off.

For a man that claimed to be a Serien - and a member of a royal court - Zannick's home was quite modest. There were no manservants to heed their whims or a vast estate. It was a two-level home that left him wondering if he would end his day drawing room assignments.

Not that he was too good for such things.

Zannick fiddled with his key in the lock, spitting a few words in Hruh-ya that Turrent couldn't understand. From the tone, he could guess it was profanity of some sort.

Turrent kept his distance and watched the group's back as they took turns trying to help Zannick with the door.

Turrent looked around at the cylinder-shaped homes. Between his upbringing in Durai's port of Birming and his time in Acadia, he'd seen several types of home construction. This hardened clay build, however, was new to him. He ran his hand along the nearby building, feeling the grit between his fingers.

He caught a quick movement in his periphery and pulled his short sword. When he turned to strike, he locked eyes with a purple-haired Hruh-yite girl. She was roughly Alaina's height and dressed in a dull gray jumpsuit.

Despite Turrent's blade being inches from her face, the girl didn't flinch from his gaze. "The Collective sends its regards."

The Collective? She's a Runner.

"What in Gaia's tits are you doing?"

Leena's voice was incredulous. Even Turrent had to admit that drawing a sword on a little child couldn't look good. He slid the weapon into his back sheath and smiled. "One can never be too careful."

"Of a little girl?"

That's the type of thinking that gets people killed.

Turrent had killed several men by his first adult-year. Now, well into his second and nearing his third, he hadn't forgotten the lessons he'd learned at the Blackhall.

He folded his arms. "I'm not dead, am I?"

The little girl smiled and batted her eyelashes at Leena. Her voice filled with sweetness. "It was my fault for startling him. I'll be fine."

Turrent heard more curses from Zannick. Then the old man begged. "Leena, would you help me? I seem to have ruined the lock."

Leena gave Turrent a sidelong look.

"I promise I'll try not to kill the little one," Turrent said.

Leena rolled her eyes and shouted to Zannick. "Is this really your home, or am I breaking into someone else's?"

"You wound me," Zannick shouted back. "I wouldn't dream of housing you in someone else's home. It's just this door is fickle and..."

Leena ignored the rest and spoke to Turrent. "Are you coming?"

"I'll catch up."

Leena shrugged and left to help Zannick.

Turrent looked the Hruh-yite girl up and down. While he trained with the Tsuchina, Acadia's assassin guild, there were several others. This girl had to be from one of the Hruh guilds. Maybe Los Lobos. It was the only one that came to mind.

The girl handed him a white scroll and he nodded. Turrent had been hoping for a response letter from Resu, another Tsuchinan. His excursion to Acadia with Sakima had left a poor taste in his mouth. Killing Sakima's grandfather, Lord Eruis, had seemed to right things in the castle. However, Turrent was unsure if he was the ringleader. Resu was an expert on the illusory arts and could investigate for him.