Page 35 of Death of a Mortal

“Do you think it’s safe to cross the rooftops during the day?”

Nella had grown used to our silent communication, so I always filled her in afterward.

“If you stay low and I keep an eye out from above, I think you can make it.”

I told Nella the plan and she agreed, her determination making me smile.

We headed up our ladder and onto the roof. From there, Noxie helped us navigate, gave directions, and, if the coast was clear, confirmed we could move to the next connected roof. Fortunately, we had yet to run into anyone up here.

We got to the roof connected to the clothing line Noxie had found and, after a look around and below, pulled the line to inch the uniforms our way.

Once we secured two tunics and two pairs of pants, we headed back the way we came, feeling triumphant. It wasn’t until we got back to our alley corner that my stomach sank on the realization that we didn’t have chains or collars…

Those weren’t likely to be sitting around, hanging on clotheslines.

“I saw a blacksmith shop two streets over, maybe we can find them there,”said Noxie when I voiced the issue.

After a short loop around to the blacksmith and back, Noxie confirmed that what we needed was there. Would it be smarter to ask the smith for them or try to steal them?

Definitely steal. Not smarter, but more my style.

“You up for more chaos, Noxie?”

“Always,” he replied with a caw.

We removed our cloaks and boots, stored them in a broken crate, and put on our uniforms, immediately feeling shame for pretending to be something that many mortals in this town actually were—servants.

We crept across the roofs until we were right above the blacksmith’s shop. Noxie’s diversion would need to not only draw out and distract the blacksmith but also distract the fae around us from noticing our missing collars and chains.

Down another ladder we went at the back of the building, andjust as we rounded the corner to where the front of the shop was, chaos ensued.

Noxie dive-bombed a female fae’s head, and she shrieked and stumbled back in shock, knocking over a trash can. Noxie cawed and flapped around the fae male companion’s head, causing him to yell and swat at Noxie.

He really was the master of chaos.

The blacksmith came out of the shop to investigate all the ruckus. I smiled as I led Nella into the shop and looked around for what we needed. The shop was small, dark, and swelteringly hot. She spotted several chains hanging on a wall near the back, and I found a basket of collars on a small table to the side.

“Put them on in here so we can blend into the crowd when we leave. Hurry!”

“Hurry, Naci, I can’t do much more without getting a hot poker to my feathers.”

We each hooked a chain around our waists the way we’d seen the mortals wearing them, then she secured a collar around my neck as I did the same for her. If we’d had time, I would have stopped and thought about how horrible it felt, the metal cold and wrong against my skin.

But we had to move.

We started toward the open front door, and I knocked into a table that was in my blind spot on the left, sending metal and scraps flying everywhere with loud, ringing clangs.

“Hey! What are you doing in there!”

The smith. We were trapped. He was already at the front door, and he’d seen us.

He was massive. About two heads taller than me, and I wasn’t short for a mortal girl. This was the closest I’d ever been to a full-blooded fae, and I could see the subtle differences now. Not just the ears, but his eyes had purple irises and silver pupils that contrasted with his black hair. They were mesmerizing. I could see the long, sharp canines in his snarl too.

But most importantly, and concerning at the moment, was the fire in both of his palms. Blacksmith. Of course, he had fire magic. There was no escaping him. We’d have totalkour way out of this, which was not my strong suit.

“What are you mortal scum doing in my shop?” The smith spat at our feet. Actually spat.

I stared at the disgusting wad of disrespect a few inches from my bare foot, and a visceral, fiery anger sparked to life in my chest.