Cold Fire (Spiritwalker 2)

My face burned, but I bit down the words I wanted to shout into his doubting face.

Kayleigh sighed. “Even if Cat betrayed Vai, which seems likely, I think she cares for him. People have more than one face, many parts, contradictory feelings. I don’t think she wants him dead. I have a very good idea of where she wants him.” Her mouth curled into a smirk.

Kofi lowered the spoke. “The same argument Vai made. He said ’twould take a hells good actress to behave toward a man the way she was behaving the night of the areito. But he wanted it to be true. That don’ make it true.”

“He wanted it to be true?” I asked, so choked with hope I could barely speak.

“Don’ think I shall let yee get yee claws in him, gal. Vai is like me own brother. Get out.”

“Wait.” Kayleigh took a step closer, hand raised. “We hear yee’s living with the general, Cat.”

“I live with my cousin, not with the general. She needs me. You may have heard she is soon to be married to Prince Caonabo.”

“So we have read,” said Kofi. “The radicals shall call for a boycott of the wedding areito. We don’ like it that the general had a hand in the raid at Nance’s.”

I plied my hook, hoping for a catch. “Are we trading information now? I have some for you. The marriage is the deal the general made with the cacica, in return for her support for his Europan war. He promised her that the spoils of victory in Europa would refill her empty treasury.”

Kofi took a step back and caught himself with a muttered curse. “Ma Jupiter! I don’ reckon that can be true. An empty treasury!”

“I’m just telling you what I heard. I can bring you more information.”

“In exchange for Vai?” he asked, his gaze like a machete’s cut.

I reached into the pocket sewn inside my skirt and drew out a copy of the pamphlet. “In exchange for this. Can you get this to him?”

“I think not! Likely yee have mixed yee moon’s blood into the ink to further witch Vai.”

I winced. “Do people really do that?”

Kayleigh giggled. “You should see your face, Cat.”

“I don’t think it’s funny,” I said.

“Kayleigh me gal, don’ touch that!” said Kofi.

She took the pamphlet from me and glanced through it. “I saw this for sale today. It’s just stories from Europa. If she mixed her moon’s blood into the ink then the printers shall have it all in their press, too.” She looked at me. “What do you want?”

“I want to meet him, under a flag of truce.”

“Sure yee do,” muttered Kofi. “The better to witch him. Or claim the reward for he arrest.”

“If I was what you think I am, I could have had you arrested already, Kofi, and Aunty Djeneba and all them. And your associates.”

“We’s small fry compared to the fire bane and the leadership. That gal Livvy was at the meeting. She is in prison in Warden Hall with she grandfather.” He shook his head, mouth a sarcastic line. “And yet yee wonder why I cannot trust yee.”

There was no answer to that. Voices and footfalls neared from the main compound.

“I’ll return on Jovesday. That gives you two days.”

“Jovesday next,” he countered. “Nine days is soonest I can manage. If he agree.”

“Agreed.” Nine days was too long, but it was an offer. I drew the shadows around me.

Kofi sucked in a sharp breath. “Is that common where yee come from, Kayleigh? That ordinary women shall vanish that way? She is a witch.”

“Not the kind of witch you mean,” said Kayleigh. “My grandmother helped Cat twice. She never would have done had she found Cat to have a wicked soul.” With her stare she dared Kofi to contradict her, but he wisely kept his mouth shut. “Get the message to Vai.”

“I shall, because yee ask it. But yee’s wrong about that gal.”