Shani concluded her sale, wished her customer a good day, then cocked her head at me. “You're not here for my jewelry.”
“No, not today.” I stepped up to the counter. “I need you to contact a dead Satyr.”
Shani paled. “Not a Demos Satyr?”
“Yes, actually. Petra. She has some information I need.”
“That's one bitch I never want to speak to,” Shani declared. “Not even dead.”
“This is life or death, Shani,” I said gravely. “As in; for an entire race.”
“What?” She blinked, her eyes going distant, then blinked again, refocusing on me. “I can't help you, Elaria.”
“Why not?” I growled.
“Shani, is it?” Prince Saif stepped forward. “I will pay any price for your assistance. Name it.”
“You misunderstand me.” Shani straightened. “It's not that I won't help you. I can't help. I'm not strong enough. You want information that Petra—a woman who was known for her fortitude when she was alive—is unwilling to give. Death hasn't diminished her will. I can feel it; feel her. She's close and she's laughing at you, Elaria. Petra will not give you what you want. You need to find someone strong enough to take it from her. You need a necromancer.”
“What's the difference between a medium and a necromancer?” Gage asked.
“Mediums speak to the dead. Necromancers command them,” Shani said gravely; no pun intended.
“Do you know of one?” Torin asked.
“Not personally. But you may be able to find a Naga necromancer; they tend to be closer to the dead than us Felinae,” Shani suggested.
I grimaced. Go figure.
“Or, better yet, a Dragon,” she went on. “Reptilian-Shifters make the best mediums and often produce necromancers.”
I went still.
Shani continued, ignoring my shock, “A Water Dragon would be even better; water is a spiritual conductor and their affiliation with it makes them experts at contacting the dead. But finding a Dragon necromancer will be difficult, much less one who'll be willing to help you.”
I swallowed roughly and looked at my men. They all wore matching expressions of resigned resolve.
“You know one!” Shani exclaimed in shock. “Oh, Petra's not happy about that.”
“The Ryū owe us a favor,” I reminded my guys. “We could go to them.”
“I would go with that option if it weren't for the letter, little bird,” Torin said gently. “It's obvious now why Daha instructed you to contact King Verin. I don't think we should risk going to someone else at this point.”
“Daha of the Nagas?” Shani asked in an awed tone. “You know him?”
“I did,” I said grimly. Pointedly.
“He's dead?” Shani asked, her face and voice soaked in sadness. “He was a great seer. One of the greatest to ever live. I'm sorry to hear of his passing.”
“He was a great man as well,” I added. “He helped to save my consort and his zone.” I looked over at Saif. “And possibly the Jinn Race.”
“The murdered seer you spoke of earlier?” Saif asked. “He helped us?”
“He allowed himself to be murdered so he could deliver a message to me,” I said softly; with all the respect that statement deserved.
“A message that could save my people?” Saif countered.
“That remains to be seen,” I admitted
“Whatever advice Daha gave you, Elaria, heed it,” Shani said urgently. “Tragedy befalls those who disregard Daha of the Nagas.”
“Great,” I huffed. “As if I don't have enough of that coming my way.”
“Do not worry, my lady; we will follow his advice,” Saif declared determinedly.
“Looks like we're going swimming,” Gage announced.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
While Kasteo haggled over the price of a pendant, the rest of us withdrew to a corner to speak privately. King Verin—I would endeavor to think of him as such and not in more familiar terms—had given me a piece of blue coral to use to contact him, but I had also given him a contact charm. And I didn't have his coral on me. It was kinda the reason I gave him the charm; so I wouldn't have to carry his around in case of a Dragon emergency.
I slipped my contact charm in my ear and called out, “King Verin of the Lóng.”
A few seconds passed. Then a few minutes. Verin obviously didn't keep the charm I'd given him on his person either. I grimaced at that but what had I expected? He's a king; he had stuff to do. He wasn't going to keep a rock in his pocket on the off chance that some woman he barely knew needed—
“Elaria,” Verin's—I mean King Verin's—deep voice slid into my ear like warm velvet. It was not sexy. I was not affected by it. But I am a big fat liar.
I had buried the memories of the way Verin made me feel. Memories of a strange and powerful attraction between us. I have lovers who I'm just as powerfully attracted to, I didn't need another. Or rather, I didn't want to need another. I might end up needing one in the most dire sense of the word.
“Your Majesty,” I said breathlessly then cleared my throat. “How are you?”
Verin was silent a moment. “I'm well enough but you are not, are you?”
“No,” I admitted. “I could use your help if you have some time to spare.”
“If I can grant my assistance, I will.”
“I'm told that the Lóng have some of the most powerful mediums in the Beneath.”
Verin grunted, and I nearly laughed. He was a man who didn't waste words, not when a mere sound would do. Verin had a whole language of such sounds at his disposal. He'd made grunting into an art form.
“I need a necromancer; someone who can contact a spirit and force them to give up information that they won't want to give.”
Verin grunted again but this time it was thoughtful.
I waited; there wasn't anything else to say. The ball was in his watery court.
“I think I have someone who will help you,” he finally replied. “But you will have to come to me. Is that something you're willing to do?”
“Of course,” I said softly.
Damn it
