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

Chapter 23

"He's dead."

The Spotter pressed his circle-rimmed glasses onto his face with one hand and held Yulan's wrist in the other.

Turrent watched him with his arms folded. The purple-haired Runner from before, Marcela, stood right next to him mimicking his stance down to the way he held his right leg slightly in front of the other. Gone was her insolence from before when she'd called him a puto (he had learned since which particular slur it was and applauded her gall in hindsight). She'd been with the Spotter when he'd killed Yulan and Alaina and he imagined that might have something to do with the change.

"Your reputation, they did not exaggerate," she said. There was a reverence in which she spoke.

He grunted. The last thing he wanted was her following him around like a puppy.

The Spotter waved Yulan's arm back and forth and chatted in Hruh-ya. Words tumbled from his mouth like a short poem.

"I'm just sure what the word is in Standard, but he says the body has -" She thrust her arm straight out and slapped it with her other hand, keep the first arm stiff.

"Riga mortis," Turrent said.

"Rigamortis," she repeated, rolling her r's as she spoke. "You have another confirmed kill, my friend."

The Spotter rose to his feet and wave his hand towards Alaina's body and spoke again, this time his words were short and choppy.

"He asks who she is," Marcela said.

"No one important. She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

When the Spotter reached down to touch Alaina, Turrent pulled a throwing knife and threw it into the meat of the Spotter's palm.

He screamed, then glared at Turrent.

Turrent placed his hand on the hilt of his remaining sword. "Don't touch that one."

The Spotter spat and when he spoke again Marcela snickered, but she did not translate.

"What did he say?" Turrent asked.

"If I translate that, you're likely to try to put one of those blades in me."

"I don't try, pup. I do."

Marcela nodded. "I see that now. He says you must like to...engage with the dead."

Engage? Ah...engage.

Turrent smirked.

It is better they think it than the truth.

Marcela dropped her hands. "Should I retrieve a Fixer for the bodies?"

"I'll take care of it," Turrent said.

"Are you sure?"

Turrent glared at her and she lowered her eyes.

"I understand," she said. She reached into her leather satchel and handed Turrent another scroll. "This came with the other missives, but I was instructed not to give it to you unless you completed the kill order."

Turrent snatched it. "You can go. Both of you."

She nodded, then narrowed her eyes. It was a few more moments until Turrent heard the jingle of metal and understood.

The jingle of chain mail filled the air.

"Las Escoltas," Marcela muttered.

The Spotter did not wait for the two of them, sprinting into the nearby alley.