Isle. All thoughts of getsa ball and getting Oz some action faded in the wake of those words. I scooted closer to her. “Any reports of beasts on the island?”
She tilted her head, gaze dropping from my face to the bestiary dangling around my neck. Charmers were rare, but easy to identify. The bestiaries were a permanent part of our attire, removable only by our own hands. “He hasn’t mentioned anything.”
There was a question lingering on the end of her sentence, but she pursed her lips. The Myad had to be here. Right before Kost tracked me down, a patron had visited Midnight Jester raving about a black-winged beast in the south.
“What about any of the passengers? Have they had any run-ins?”
Corinne tilted her head to the ceiling. “I usually just run the booth, so I only talk to them when they’re purchasing tickets for travel, not after. But I could ask around.”
She was my in. My way to the Myad. A burst of sharp laughter erupted from Calem’s table across the tavern, and I caught his haughty grin in the corner of my eye. Shame settled low in my stomach. Beside me, Oz had deflated entirely, brown eyes searching for answers swirling in the contents of his drink. I was about to do exactly what Calem had done—ditch him for something I wanted.
Corinne took a sip from her drink. The bartender appeared then, and she pressed her chest flush with the bar. “Can I get an order of fried mushrooms, please?”
Mushrooms. My ears perked up, and I leaned back to lay my hand on Oz’s forearm. “Oz makes some mean mushrooms. We traveled here by Zeelah, and he found some along the way. They were the best thing I’d ever eaten.”
Corinne’s dimples returned. “Really? I love to cook.”
I tightened my grip on Oz, and he smiled. “Me too. Back home, I experiment with stuff all the time.”
“I’ve got to visit the bathroom. Be back in a bit.” I slid off my stool. His eyes widened, but I winked and darted away, lingering along the back wall to watch the pair. If he wouldn’t talk while I was there, he’d be forced to with me gone.
It was only a matter of minutes before Corinne switched seats, abandoning hers to claim mine and lean closer to Oz. My forgotten drink pushed to the side, they bonded over the platter of deep-fried shrooms and alcohol. While I couldn’t make out their conversation, at the very least, I’d done better than Calem.
“Seems you have a knack for making people happy.”
The hackles on the back of my neck stood on end, and I spun to find Noc leaning against the wall. Faint tremors of darkness clouded the space around him. He could have been hiding in plain sight for hours, and I never would have known.
I strong-armed my racing heart back down to an acceptable speed. “Must you always do that?”
A wry smile teased the corners of his lips. “Do what?”
“Scare the living shit out of me.”
He shrugged. “It’s not my fault you’re…excitable.” Glittering eyes sparked with mischief. Shoulders and hands relaxed. Posture open. He’d set aside his usual frosty demeanor for the moment. He really was no easier to understand than a cat. One minute slinking away without an ounce of interest, and the next looking at me as if I were the only thing in the room.
Heat gathered along my neck, and I swept my hair over my shoulders to hide the trail of red. “You’re dangerous.”
His smile deepened. “You’re finally starting to understand. Care to join me for a stroll? I’m not sure Ozias needs your help anymore. Unless you prefer to follow Calem’s lead, in which case I’ll leave you to pick from the many winners at this fine establishment.” As he gestured widely, his frame went unexpectedly tense at his own suggestion.
I shook my head. “Walk sounds good to me.”
“Good.” Placing one hand on the small of my back, he guided me out to the gravel road. Our feet crunched over loose rocks, and his fingers warmed the skin beneath my blouse. Butterflies took flight in my belly. He’d never touched me like this before. It’d always been with an air of reluctance. Even when he’d cupped my hand in the tent, it’d only been to inspect the poison. But this was different. Deliberate. I didn’t want it to end.
After a beat, he removed his hand.
A low hollowness skated around the space where his touch had been. “I’ll start