Mercy Burns (Myth and Magic 2)

Which is why he’d made such a point of saying when we’d met in the bar that these men weren’t going to be scared of one lone draman. If I’d answered any other way, if I’d mentioned there wasn’t anyone else, then I might now be a dead and lost soul, just like Rainey.

“But how could you be so sure that I’d come out of the drug quickly enough to escape?” I asked. “I’m draman. A drug meant for dragons could do anything to us.”

“It was a human drug, and most of them don’t affect dragons. Draman are, of course, half human, so it does affect you, though to a lesser degree. But I still only gave you half a dose to be sure.”

“You couldn’t have been sure I’d escape the cell.”

“No, but I figured you’d wake the muerte, and that he’d work something out.” Angus glanced at the gun, still pointed in his direction. “They’re tricky bastards, these muerte.”

Damon’s smile was cold. “What makes you think those men are any different from me?”

“Oh, I have no illusions about the men I’m working with. It’s part of the reason I changed boats.”

“You’re still in the same general area. If they want to kill you, changing location won’t stop them.”

“No, but it’ll delay them a little. Right now, I just need time.”

“For what?” Damon asked, one eyebrow raised.

“I’ve called Coral’s family in to help, but it’ll take them a little while to get here. The sea never hurries herself, even for a message that’s urgent, and it’s a long way from here to where they’re currently vacationing.”

“Tell us about the men,” Damon said flatly.

Angus blew out a breath. “There’s not a whole lot to tell. I only got into this a few weeks ago, after I recognized one of the men from the attack on Whale Point.”

“Whale Point?” Damon raised an eyebrow. “You were in that town when it was destroyed?”

Angus’s smile was grim. “I was barely fifteen, but yes. I think it was one of the first.”

“So why did you lie about not recognizing the people behind it?” I asked.

“I’m hardly likely to admit to something that might get Coral killed, am I?” He scrubbed a hand across his face, and there was an edge of frustration in the sharp movement. “As it turned out, my memory played me for a fool. The man I attacked wasn’t one of the ones who destroyed Whale Point. He sounded just like him, but he’s far too young. But he was involved in the more recent cleansings.”

If he heard the voice of the Jamieson king, would he recognize it? Somehow, I suspected he might. And Seth did sound a whole lot like our king.

He also hated draman—and he’d take great pleasure in erasing us. But there had to be more behind it than just that.

There had to be.

“Why didn’t you just call the sea once you got into trouble?” Damon asked. “It’s not like we’re far from water in San Francisco.”

“You’re not the only one who knows holding a gun to someone’s head is a good way to prevent trouble,” Angus said wryly. “And they were holding it to Coral’s. If it had been just me, I might have tried anyway. Any form of revenge would have been worth the price, even if these bastards weren’t involved in the Whale Point massacre.”

“So who was involved?” I asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Name the people you do know, Angus,” Damon said softly. “Stop avoiding it.”

He sighed. “I only know some. You met Evan—he owned and ran the bar you were both caught in. They killed him last night.”

“Do you know why?” Damon asked. “Seems a strange move, seeing as the place was proving useful.”

Angus shrugged. “Maybe he wanted more money. He was greedy like that.”

Damon didn’t look convinced, but all he said was “Keep going.”

“Albert and Jay were the men