Sinister Magic: An Urban Fantasy Dragon Series (Death Before Dragons #1) - Lindsay Buroker Page 0,72
my earlier climbing feat.
“It’s Val, and humans don’t clamber around on rooftops.” Never mind that I’d done so a half hour ago. “If you want to talk to me, change into something small enough to fit through my door, and come visit me like a civilized person.”
I dropped back down to the balcony, less to be contrary and more because my fingers were cramping up.
Remember how we discussed not irritating him? Sindari asked as I walked back inside, leaving the door open.
I’m not going to drop to my knees in front of him and kiss his slippered toes.
Not even for a vial of blood?
A strong breeze gusted through the door, knocking the curtains about, and Zav strode inside, once again in human form. He wore his usual black robe and slippers. Apparently, shapeshifters didn’t need to change clothes. I supposed I should be relieved he didn’t appear naked, like those werewolves.
“Thank you,” I forced myself to say, and smiled politely. It was possible I bared a lot of teeth during my polite smile. “What are you doing here?”
Nose in the air, Zav looked at the snoring Dimitri and the disarray of my apartment. Maybe inviting him in hadn’t been a great idea.
“Wondering why you brought me into this disheveled kobold hovel.”
“Sorry my apartment isn’t up to your standards. Some goons broke in and tore it apart.”
“Did you slay them?”
“No, I’m saving that until after breakfast.”
He gazed impassively at me, but I had a feeling he couldn’t tell if I was joking or not. Maybe dragons didn’t have sarcasm. Or maybe mongrels weren’t usually sarcastic with them.
“I am progressing through my list of criminals that I must capture and return to the Dragon Justice Court. It is a tediously long list. This world has been neglected for centuries.”
“You know what they say. The reward for a job well done is another job.”
“Do not interrupt me, mongrel.”
“You paused. I thought it was my turn to talk.”
“I paused to gather my thoughts.”
“That is important. Carry on.”
Val… Sindari’s gaze was less impassive as he looked at me. Don’t goad the dragon.
He won’t kill me. He wants something from me or he wouldn’t be here gathering his thoughts.
A dragon can easily lose his temper and inadvertently kill someone he’s talking to. He would have no regrets. He would find someone else to gather thoughts with.
The arrogant prick rubs my fur the wrong way.
Have you composed a will? If you die, will my figurine go to Dimitri?
Is that what you want? He won you over with ten seconds of petting?
He rubbed my fur the right way.
I’ll keep your request in mind. Right now, my fourteen-year-old daughter is the heir to my estate. I flicked a finger to indicate the trashed apartment and all its vast wealth. Maybe she would get some use from the coin jug.
“There are two dark elves on my list,” Zav said.
“So?” I focused on him and ignored Sindari’s mental sputtering about being lumped in as part of an estate—and going to a teenager.
“I have learned that you will soon hunt dark elves.”
“Just one.”
“You will enter into their lair.”
“I have to find it first.”
His violet eyes narrowed, and he stepped closer to me. “Do you never stop interrupting when greater beings speak to you?”
“I don’t think you know how conversations work.” I rested my hand on Fezzik, though I hadn’t forgotten that he could incinerate bullets. Would he do so as easily with magical ammo?
He flicked a finger, and Fezzik flew out of its holster and across the room. I jumped as it smacked into the wall, almost hitting my change jug, and clunked to the floor.
“Do not threaten me, mongrel,” Zav growled, his eyes slits as they bored into me. “In my realm, you would be slain for presuming to carry a weapon in a dragon’s presence.”
“No wonder everybody there flees to Earth.” I folded my arms over my chest, refusing to admit that I was shaken by his presence—by him. Even though I’d encountered plenty of enemies who could knock my weapons aside if I wasn’t fast enough, I could feel his aura crackling in the air like electricity on a high-voltage line. I knew Sindari was right, that he could kill me by accident, and that I wasn’t strong enough to fight him.
“Only criminals flee,” he said softly, dangerously. “As the two dark elves I seek did. They recently joined the horde of them living under your city like ants under a rotten log. When you enter the dark-elf lair,