“Again, I didn’t care for that answer.”
“He didn’t answer,” Gaspar said.
Gavin glanced over his shoulder at Gaspar, who was glaring at James. “You’re right.” He turned back to the constable. “I didn’t care for that lack of answer. Now, where do I find Davel Chan?”
“He’s not the kind of person you find.”
“What does that mean?”
“He finds you,” James said.
Gavin sighed and shook his head. “How do I have him find me?”
The constable smiled at him. “If he finds you, then you’re dead. Is that what you want?”
Gavin shoved a little bit further with the dagger, and James cried out again. “Listen. I’ve told you what I want. How do I get him to find me?”
One of the other constables started to stir, and Gavin twisted quickly and kicked him in the head, knocking him out again.
James’s eyes widened, and he glanced over at his partner. “What are you going to do to them?” he asked Gavin.
“That depends on what you do for me. All I need is an answer. How do I get Davel Chan to find me?”
“You don’t want him to find you. If he does, you’ll be dead.”
“And I’ve told you that I don’t necessarily care.”
“I have a ring,” James said.
Gavin shook his head. “I don’t need money from you. You won’t be able to buy me off.”
“No. It’s a ring I use to call him.”
Gavin flicked his gaze to Gaspar. “I thought you took everything off of them.”
“I did.”
Gaspar reached into his pocket, and then he pulled out the items that he’d taken off of the constables. He held them in one hand. James blinked a few times.
Gavin reached into Gaspar’s palm and plucked a ring free. “This one?”
“That one helps me—all of us—if we need reinforcements.”
“And it reaches Davel Chan?”
“Yes.”
Gavin started to squeeze it.
Gaspar grabbed his wrist. “Are you sure you want to do that? If this man is who it sounds like he is, then you’ll be drawing the attention of the constables to you. All of them.”
“If he’s who it sounds like he is, I’ve already drawn their attention.” Gavin flipped the dagger, and he slammed the hilt into James’s forehead, knocking him out again. He straightened, sheathing the knife but holding onto the dagger and the ring. “What do you propose?”
“If you’re going to draw the head of the constables here, I don’t want to be here,” Gaspar said.
“You don’t need to be.”
“Gavin—”
Gavin shook his head. “No. This was the job I took. I’m the one who got drawn into this. I’m the reason Davel Chan is even involved in anything. Why don’t you go back to the Dragon and make sure everything’s safe. I haven’t heard back from Wrenlow, and I warned him that Alex might not be quite as innocent as we think.”
“Why would you say that?” Gaspar asked.
“Because I suspect she’s with the other enchanters. So I warned him, and seeing the way Imogen was able to hold off the Mistress of Vines, I’m not as concerned as I would’ve been otherwise,” he said. He watched Gaspar for some reaction or a sign, but he didn’t give one. “Regardless, I figure somebody needs to go back to make sure that everybody’s okay.”
“You aren’t going to be able to take on all of the constables.”
“Who said anything about taking them on?”
Gaspar’s gaze drifted down to the fallen constables before looking up at Gavin. “Don’t do anything foolish.”
“I thought you said everything I do is foolish.”
“Maybe,” Gaspar said. He nodded at Gavin, then he started off down the alley.
Gavin looked at the fallen constables and squeezed the ring, thinking it would somehow activate the enchantment. He slipped it onto James’s finger so he could activate it when he came around, and then he darted toward the back of the alley. The space between buildings shrunk as the alley stretched on, and he used it to scale the sides of the buildings.
Once he was on the roof, he hurried forward, racing to where he could see the constables. He looked down and watched.
It wouldn’t be long.
The only question was whether Davel Chan would come himself or whether he would send other constables.
All Gavin could do was wait.
Chapter Twenty-One
The constables hadn’t stirred. It had been nearly an hour, and there was still no sign of movement along the street to suggest that anyone was coming this way. So much for the enchantment being able to call Chan.
Gavin was tempted to return to the Dragon. Gaspar might need his help, though he would use the enchantment to call Gavin if he did. That he hadn’t…
He lay in place, debating what to do. An irritating thought came to him. Perhaps James hadn’t told him the entire truth. It was possible that the ring could summon Davel Chan, but it was also possible that he’d misled Gavin. If he had, Gavin still could use him.
So he waited.
It wasn’t too much longer before the constables started to regain consciousness. They moved slowly, and he could hear one of them starting to stir the other. Gavin stayed hidden on the rooftop, not wanting to reveal his presence just yet. He didn’t know who was the first one to come around, but the voice didn’t sound like James.
Finally, another one grunted. “Where is he?”
This was James. Gavin was certain of it.
“Where is who?” another asked.
“The bastard who tried to cut my balls off.”
Someone chuckled but silenced quickly. “What happened?”
“I told you,” James said. “The bastard had a knife to my throat and my balls. He threatened me.”
“What did he want?”
“He wanted to know how to find Chan.”
“What did you tell him?”
“I told him about the ring, dammit. Why would it matter? If he wants to summon Chan here, then let him.”
“I don’t see Chan.”
Gavin shifted so that he could look. In the position that he was in, he could make out the outlines of the constables, but he couldn’t see what they were doing.
“No. He didn’t come.”
“Do you
