Page 41 of Sharpest Court

“And I have paid my debt to you. This is too far.” Raff nodded at a man in overalls. “Get them out of here.”

The man stalked toward the space Lye had abandoned beside me. Keil shifted, about to step between us. But before the man’s fingers could even brush my sleeve, my specter smacked into him, thick and solid.

Far more solid than I’d intended.

The man staggered, and as he landed with a thud on the hard floor, my shock transformed into satisfaction.

The workroom bustled up again, bodies shifting closer. Keil unsheathed his dagger, and Lye returned to my side, one of his throwing knives now glinting in his grip.

But as my specter returned to me, pulsing with unspent strength, I met the man’s incredulous stare and said in dark warning, “I wouldn’t recommend touching me.”

The man’s eyes narrowed.

“Rule three,” Lye muttered, now clearly concerned.

No fighting with the locals.

But from my periphery, I saw a wicked smile stretching across Keil’s face.

“I thought highborns were meant to be polite,” Raff said, unmoved.

“Then you’ve clearly never visited court,” I replied.

He crossed his arms. “You came to fight? Look around. You think you’re the only Wielder here?”

Before my confidence could waver, Keil spoke, his voice laced with challenge. “She may not be the only Wielder. But she certainly is the strongest.”

The atmosphere shifted again, the tension now undercut with amusement.

“Is that so?” Raff jutted his chin to a far corner, where the workers slowly parted.

A broad, bearded man trudged forward, the light gleaming off his shaved head. This was the man who’d wielded the eurium pickaxe. Who’d used it to shatter that dayglass a few moments ago, breaking the unbreakable.

“In that case,” Raff said, now truly smiling, “he shouldn’t be a problem.”

12

My pulse raced with new alarm. The bearded man grinned—a toothless slash of pink gums—and I stopped myself from stumbling back.

“Raff, what are you doing?” Lye asked, more grave than I’d ever heard him.

“I’m calling their bluff.” Raff cocked his head at me. “You want me to believe you’re not a liar like everyone else who comes sniffing after Caly? Then prove your claim. Prove you’re the strongest Wielder here. And then, maybe, I’ll pass on your request.”

“You expect me to fight him?” I asked haughtily, keeping the panic from my voice. “As though I’m a common street brawler?”

A wave of profanities spewed from the workers. Apparently, I’d offended quite a few of them with that comment.

“Actually,” Raff drawled, “I expect you to scurry back up those stairs, highborn.”

Cruel laughter rippled through the room, and my breathing shallowed. Despite my posturing to Goren, I hadn’t yet learned how to manage my newly rampant specter. I therefore didn’t know if I could fight this man without making a spectacular fool of myself.

But this was my best chance to learn about the compass before I reached Banarrat. It might be my only chance.

So I said, “No maybes. I win, and you guarantee a meeting.”

“I won’t guarantee anything,” said Raff.

“Then I won’t fight.”