Bookshops & Bonedust (Legends & Lattes, #0)(29)

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“You have a visitor.” Iridia’s husky voice startled Viv from a fitful doze. Adrenaline washed through her in a nauseating wave, the low tide of bad sleep. Weak light still filtered through the slit windows at the back of the cell, but the hurricane lamps in the hall had been lit.

The tapenti appeared annoyed. Viv wondered if that was just her resting expression. The fine scale patterns on her face didn’t exactly seem conducive of a welcoming smile.

A rattkin stepped into view, one paw clutching the clasp of her red cloak and the other carrying a paper sack with a familiar aroma.

“Fern?” Viv was astounded that the Gatewarden had allowed her in. Iridia had made a show of grudgingly admitting Highlark, but Viv had assumed that had more to do with the mess she’d have to clean up otherwise. She couldn’t help glancing quizzically at Iridia, but her face remained unreadable.

Fern glanced worriedly at the tapenti and approached the cell, thrusting the sack through. “I wanted to make sure you were all right. And I may have suggested she wouldn’t have to feed you if she let me pass these along.”

Viv hauled herself off the cot, pressing a steadying hand against the wall, and hopped toward the bars. “Highlark patched me up. I’m fine.”

“From Maylee,” said Fern. “And you might want this as well.” She removed Sea of Passion from under her arm.

“I don’t recall agreeing to that,” said Iridia, moving as though to intervene.

“It’s a gods-damned book,” snapped Fern, with surprising heat.

The tapenti’s lips thinned, but after a moment, she stepped back.

Taking both, Viv wrinkled her brow. “Maylee?”

“Yeah, she seemed awfully concerned. She saw the whole thing.”

“Enough in there for two?” piped Gallina.

Viv waved a hand to quiet her. “How’s Potroast?”

“He’s pretending he ran off an intruder. Very proud of himself right now. He’s fine.” Fern glanced at Iridia and then at the man in gray, who hadn’t acknowledged her entrance in the slightest. “No thanks to that bastard.”

“I’ll bear that in mind,” said Iridia, looming behind Fern. “As you can see, she’ll survive the night just fine.”

“That’s the one you need to keep an eye on,” replied Fern, stabbing a finger at the silent man.

“He’s cooling his heels, isn’t he? If there’s more to be said, we won’t say it here.”

Fern shot Viv one last searching look and let herself be ushered out.

Viv settled back on the cot with the book and examined the contents of the sack. Huge, flaky biscuits and lassy buns—still warm and smelling of molasses and ginger and butter.

There was a beat of silence.

“So, did I ever tell you about my metabolism?” asked Gallina.





* * *



The biscuits and buns didn’t last long. Viv split the sackful evenly between them.

Gallina licked her fingers for the last crumbs. “Eight hells, how’d you rate delivery of those?”

“Be damned if I know,” said Viv.

“Lemme see that book.”

Viv hesitated but then handed it over.

The gnome’s eyes widened as she scanned the cover. “Wow. Pretty lucky with that wave, weren’t they?”

“Give me that.”

“I will!” She lifted it away from Viv’s reaching hand. “So, you’ve been readin’ this? Any good?”

“Why, you planning to pick up a copy?”

Gallina grinned at her. “Nah, I get antsy when I read. You could read it to me though. What else we got to do?”

Viv thought about the chapter she’d left off on. “Uh, yeah, I don’t think I’d be any good at that.”

“I’ll make a deal with you.”

“Again with the deals,” muttered Viv.

“You read me some of this, and I won’t mention this whole thing again. Ever.”

She gave Gallina a speculative look. “This whole thing? As in … ?”

“As in me savin’ your ass from a bony little guy in gray.”

Said bony guy didn’t twitch at the mention. By now, Viv had almost forgotten he was there. Almost.

After careful consideration, and a quick mental review of when things got really spicy, she said, “One chapter.”

“Three.”

“Two.”

“Deal.” Gallina tossed the book back, and Viv snatched it out of the air.

“I’m warning you, I’m not much of a storyteller,” said Viv.

“You gotta actually try though. I’ll know if you don’t.”

Viv waved the book airily. “Deal’s already made. Can’t add terms now.”

Gallina blew another raspberry at her, and Viv couldn’t help cracking a smile.

She settled back against the wall and arranged her wounded leg as best she could.

Clearing her throat, she began, haltingly at first.

“Raleigh spent most of her life at sea until she was tall enough to grip the wheel. Even then, she was so willowy that—”

“Willowy?”

Viv made an exasperated sound. “It means thin. Are you going to let me read this?”