his favor. How long before some overzealous candidate decided he would be the one to take out a top assassin for the Guild was in the air.
“Take me to the comm at your workplace,” he instructed Depphi. “She stays here.”
“Of course, of course. She is welcome to my home.”
Saedra gasped but Garik kept his attention on Depphi. He stared until Depphi turned a sickening shade of green.
“If you sell me out, Depphi, it won’t end well for you,” Garik threatened in an icy tone.
“No one will know she is here.” Depphi attempted an ingratiating smile but it quivered at the corners.
“Trust me,” Depphi added at Garik’s continued silence.
The problem was Garik didn’t trust Depphi but he needed to comm a friend and get them off this rock and with an alert out on Saedra, the two of them together would draw more attention. He had a better chance going alone.
“Do you have to go out? What if someone reports seeing you to Maurin?” Saedra asked. Her brown eyes held a pleading cast as she drew closer to him and reached for his hand.
Startled, Garik didn’t answer. He considered their two hands. Hers delicate, fragile. His rough, scarred and capable of killing. Shaking his head, he rubbed his thumb over the soft skin.
She smiled up at him as if proud of how he’d reacted and Garik couldn’t deny the boost of pleasure he took from her smile.
She was digging a place deeper and deeper inside of him and he wasn’t going to stop her. This bond was forever and Saedra while unexpected would be a worthy partner to have at his side through life. Envisioning many mornings waking up to the bright expression on her face was something he very much wanted.
“I’ll be fine,” he said. “A quick trip to Depphi’s workplace to use the comm and then back.”
He faced Depphi who watched them with intense scrutiny that left Garik unsettled. If the Chamele tried anything or Saedra ended up hurt, it would be the last thing he ever did.
Depphi rubbed his hands together. “Very well. Let’s go. The market place will be bustling and less likely a chance anyone will notice you.”
Garik pressed a quick kiss to Saedra’s mouth. “I’ll be back. Don’t open any door or window. You’re safe.”
“Safe. My place is safe. No one comes here,” Depphi assured.
Garik took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He wouldn’t be gone long. Saedra would be fine.
Chapter 13
Depphi’s workspace a corner stall at the marketplace wasn’t far as he’d claimed. Garik circled it a few times, holding Depphi back before allowing him to go inside. He ignored the swatches of clothing hanging from the wall and the cheaply made wired jewelry.
“Where is the comm?”
“Right here.” Depphi scurried toward a crowded desk and shoved things aside to reveal the desktop unit.
It was an older model but good enough for what Garik needed. He jerked his head to the side for Depphi to go stand across the store and then angled his body to block Depphi’s view of the screen.
The encrypted code was as familiar as his name though he’d rarely had cause to use it. When the screen was answered on the other end, a shadowy outline appeared then a gruff voice demanded, “What do you want, Denikon?”
“Transport. Asap. And you owe me, Sulen.”
A snarl was the response he got followed by rapid curses. “Where are you?”
The tension eased in Garik’s shoulders. He knew he could count on Sulen. No matter how harsh and off-putting he came across, his fellow assassin and Gerelin was dedicated about responding to calls for help. “Quantoon.”
Sulen barked out a laugh. “That shit hole?”
Garik snorted. He agreed about Quantoon being the last place anyone wanted to be. “Yeah. That’s it.”
“One minute.”
There was a pause and Garik heard the rustling on the other side as well as the tapping of keys. Sulen muttered a curse and the gravelly sound worried Garik. The screen cleared and Sulen’s rough features and furrowed brow appeared on screen. His black hair was in disarray as usual.
“Are you aware, Lord Maurin, who owns Quantoon has an alert out for you and a female he claims you abducted from his household?”
“Yes.” Garik didn’t elaborate.
Sulen rolled his eyes. “I won’t ask. According to the system I broke into, there are orders to shut down the transport center by midnight tonight. No ships will be allowed to land or take off effective immediately once that order is in place.”
Garik’s fingers clenched. The transport Saedra