Part Seventeen
There’s a bright flash of light, and the dragon is no longer there, but a man stands in its place, dark-skinned, red eyes, bald head, wearing a black suit, appearing to be in his early twenties. And I think he’s on the verge of tears.
“My apologies, I did not know I was sent after one of the High Ones.”
Again, I’m trying not to laugh, because I’m holding his nose, so that came out a little cartoonish, but then again, it’d be in line with everything else today.
“I’m guessing High Ones are sorcerers?” He nods, and slowly lowers, but I stop him. “No. Nope. No. You were going to kneel, weren’t you? Please don’t. I can’t handle anyone else being deferent today. And uh… are you human, or a dragon? Or maybe a xenomorph since you were spitting acid?”
He steps back, and takes a breath, but Val steps forward, “He’s a dragon. They can become human if they want to and-“
Both the dragon and I turn our gaze on the Fae. “She was not asking you. And take your hand off your sword hilt. I doubt you would even know what to do with it anyway.” He looks to me. “Is this your protector?”
“I’m just helping her-“
A stronger glare at Val, and his red eyes glow. “Clearly not a full Sidhe, such an abuse of your vaunted protocol would result in physical damage.” He smiles, showing his teeth, which even in human form puts the point across. “I will not warn you again.” His attention returns to me, and he points to my hand. “May I?”
I look at my hand, then him. “May you… what?”
“Nothing so trite as a kiss on the knuckles. I merely want to learn your scent so this won’t happen again.” He stands up straight, shoulders back. “You may call me Shan.”
“Shawn?” I tilt my head slightly, it seems a bit… common for a dragon.
“Shan. Rhymes with on.” Said with a pre-loaded sigh, in the manner that implies he’s had to do this quite a few times.
“First, answer this. You were sent after me?” I wouldn’t forget something like that. And that it happened after I learned that another necromancer was (likely) responsible for the murder doesn’t take much of a sleuth to figure out the motive.
“I was commanded to find a woman resembling you, dressed like you, and in this general area. Considering the barrenness of St. Benedict, it wasn’t difficult to find you. I was not told I was being sent to kill a High… a sorcerer.”
“And if I wasn’t a sorcerer, you would’ve just killed me anyway?”
“Yes.”
“Just like that? Someone tells you to kill someone and only gives a vague description and you’re already on board?” I fold my arms for added effect. “What, you’ll do anything a sorcerer tells you to do?”
What follows is an uncomfortable silence that gives me all the answer I need. I’m starting to hate this promotion from neighborhood necromancer to deference-demanding sorcerer. “Okay, Shan, could you tell me where to find this sorcerer that told you to kill me?”
More silence.
“What, did he tell you not to tell me?”
More silence.
“Jesus…” Okay, there’s a way around that. “You can nod or shake your head. That’s technically not telling, it’s gesturing.”
Shan grits his teeth. “I’m not a fool. I know that.”
“Fuck, and the other sorcerer did too, didn’t he?”
More silence.
“Fine.” I look to the currently quiet half-Fae. “Val, would you kindly repeat my questions to Shan, please? Thank you.”
Val blinks a few times, but he shrugs. “Okay, Shan, can you tell Lady A.J. where to find the other necromancer?”
Shan turns to him. “I cannot. He insisted that I not tell anyone. And yes, he insisted that I not tell her anything specifically. He was not specific about anyone else.”
“Great. I get to stand here and listen to two men talk about what another guy thinks of me.” I manage what’s probably an excellent eye roll. “No, it’s fine. Go ahead. I don’t mind. Not at all.”
“What information can you give us about him, Shan?”
The dragon glares at Val in a way that implies that they are definitely not on a first name basis, yet. “He wants her dead. Quickly. He has a ritual underway and she’s disrupting it, so he elected to command me to end it. Malfeasance is an abhorrent action, and I am not pleased to be used as a simple cutthroat for kleptocrats who blundered into power.”
Val looks to me. “He says-“
“I heard him, Val.”
“Oh, well, he’s not too happy about a sorcerer abusing his authority over dragons to put out a hit on his competition.”
I stare at him, mouth slightly agape.
“What?”
Shan mimics my expression. “Did she, even once, ask you for an explanation of what I said?” The dragon looks to me. “May I please get your scent, and what you would like for me to refer to you as, so I can… leave?”
“I was yanking down on your nose, Shan, you didn’t get it then?”
“You didn’t give me leave to.”
Grumbling, I hold out my hand. He takes it, and lifts it toward his face, drawing in a long breath through his nose, mouth open. I’m being sniffed by a dragon, because today can always get weirder. Val doesn’t look pleased, but I’m willing to bet no one’s ever told his pretty ass to quit mansplaining.
“You can call me A.J.”
Shan smiles, only slightly, and lets go of my hand. “Thank you. Would that I could tell you where to find him, I would, gladly.”
“How good is your sense of smell, if I may ask?”
Val steps forward, “Why does that matter?”
“Compared to other dragons? I would wager a mote above average. Compared to humans and…” He snorts, after glancing at Val. “Others. It is exquisitely keen. Why do you ask?”
“Shan, I find myself in an increasingly complicating situation that now involves attempts on my life. If I were to ask you to assist me, would you offer aid?”
Val grits his teeth. “You already have assistance.”
“Val, you are forced to aid me because of a debt, a debt I would rather forgive if I could.”
“Why not release him from his debt, then?”
With a sigh, I respond to Shan, “Because I don’t know how to say it in Sigil.”
“You know his name?”
I nod.
“Speak his name, and follow with…” Shan furrows a brow. “Apologies for the close proximity, but…” He steps toward me, and leans in, whispering syllables in my ear. His tonality is curt, to the point, but Val appears that he’s about to explode. “Repeat that, and he’ll be free of you.”
I look to Val, and attempt the words. “Parsival, I forgive your debt and release you from your service.” My throat hurts, and my tongue feels like it just finished three hours of yoga, but, my forearm feels cool, like threads of silk that were wrapped about it are being pulled away.
“You… You’re just dismissing me?” Val’s hands are clenching. “And what of the Sidhe you attacked on the train? What about when he comes after me?”
That I attacked?
“He was threatening both of us. And you have that sword. If he wants it back, just give it to him and blame it all on me. You were in debt to me and had to do what I said. Easy.”
“And you’d rather go with him than me?”
“I haven’t offered my help, yet.” Shan’s now folding his arms.
“One, I haven’t dismissed you, I released you from the obligation. Two, Shan, if he does offer his assistance, brings a valuable skill set. Three, I never implied that this is a binary choice of you or him. Four… Are you jealous?”
Val’s face takes an expression of someone just punched in the gut, but after a few seconds, he sets his jaw, and leans toward me a few degrees.
“Fuck. You.”
And then he walks away. Just like that.
I watch him for a few steps, expecting him to turn around, get one last shot in, or give me an indignant look for not chasing after him. But we don’t really know each other, we were forced to work together, and it wasn’t going to turn out with us becoming the best of friends or possible lovers. All he wanted in the beginning was to be free from the debt, and he wasn’t too happy about having to serve me. I thought he’d be glad to be let out of it to do whatever he wanted with a free sword. No more danger, no more dead bodies, no possibility of zombies. That sounds like something that most people would want. Even I didn’t have to solve a murder, then I would go for it too.
I kind of wish I could, in fact.
“Shan?”
“Yes, A.J.?”
“The man who sent you after me likely murdered a woman. I promised her spirit I’d help her, find the man who killed her. I know you can’t tell me where he is, but your assistance in all other matters would be enormously helpful.”
He nods. “It would be, I agree.”
I take a breath, stand up straight, even curtsey. “Shan, I am in need of assistance in my investigation. I humbly and respectfully request your aid, as your skills, knowledge, and companionship will be a welcome addition.”
“Companionship?” He takes a step back. “Apologies, but nothing good comes of dragons… coupling with-“
“Oh, God, no! No. No, I did not mean like that. Companionship, so I don’t have to do this alone.”
He folds his arms again tone indulgent. “And you promise you will make no advances? I have been found quite attractive in this form.”
I fold my arms as well. Great. Another “They. Will. Think. We’re. Fucking.” attitude. ‘There is zero chance of that.”
He tilts his head. “Lesbian?”
I roll my eyes. “Asexual.”
He claps his hands together with a genuine smile. “Perfect. Then, I offer my assistance and companionship. We will discuss recompense later.”
I smirk, “What, you didn’t already have a price in mind?”
“No. This is a first.”
“Not already knowing what your help is worth?”
“Yes. I do not believe sorcerers ever ask a dragon for anything, much less humbly and respectfully.”
I blink a few times. “This is why I prefer to be called a necromancer.”