Chapter 13 · Untitled Chapter

"You're late."

Cyrus hit the stone beneath the bridge as the seller stepped away from the center piling. Four rifles could've been hidden under that heavy canvas coat. Maybe more.

"Road trouble," Cyrus said. "You have the supplies or not?"

The seller's scar pulled one corner of his mouth higher. "No greeting? No apology? The market says you're getting rude, Vale."

"The market can kiss my ass."

"There he is." The seller tapped two fingers against his coat. "The deserter with the bleeding-heart war-bound. Kael Thorne, right? Chain tattoos. Blood ink. Memory falling out of her head every time she fights."

Cyrus kept his hands where the man could see them. "You tracking me?"

"Don't need to. Half the market watched you drag her through the east gate. The other half heard what she did to the road beast."

"Phosphor oil. Dreamroot extract. Crystallized ink stabilizer."

"You sent a list. You didn't send payment."

Cyrus pulled a roll of marked scrip from inside his coat and held it up. "Clean marks. No trace."

The seller barked a laugh. "Marks don't spend under this bridge. They get you robbed, arrested, or both."

"Then name your price."

The seller moved closer.