“And what would we need to do? How long to set everything up?” asked James.
“You’d have to meet them outside the city and smuggle the goods past the city gates. After that, it’s up to you. You could have a run set up in three weeks.”
“Sounds like a lot of work,” said Rand. He trailed off and gave Thalia a sideways glance.
Thalia gathered her skirts. “I can leave, if you’d like to talk things over.”
“Come back tomorrow,” said James. With the girl’s knack for picking up information, kicking her out now probably wouldn’t accomplish much. But they might as well keep the illusion of secrecy.
He waited until she stepped out to the street below before he turned back to Bacchus and Rand. “What do you think?”
“We’d need buyers,” said Rand.
“For spices, it’d be rich merchants or noblemen. But they’d definitely buy,” said James.
Rand bobbed his head in acknowledgment of James’s reasoning. “Three weeks to get the goods, another few days after that to wrap things up. Gerred’ll be suspicious if he sees us doing anything unusual. ”
“We keep it from Gerred,” said James. “He’d just assume the worst. Better if he doesn’t know our plans until we’re gone. If we play nice, I don’t think he’ll do anything rash in the meantime. He’s too careful for that.”
Bacchus straightened with a slap of his thigh. “Let’s do it. But we keep our options open. Maybe we’ll decide the privy’s worth going for after all.”
James gave a tight smile. “It’s always good to have options.”
*
He handed her a stiletto the length of her hand and molded her fingers around the handle. Her hands were slender and her nails were delicately rounded, though her palms were calloused. The two of them stood in the cramped space between his bed and the window, holding the blade between them.
“You can wear this dagger under your sleeves. Then, when you get your chance . . .” James guided the knife toward his own throat. “Go for the neck—the blood vessels and the windpipe. You’ll have to be close for that. Quick.”
He lowered the stiletto until its tip grazed his neck just above his collarbone. Her eyes widened, and she looked to his face.
He smiled and tightened his hands around her wrist. “Never let your guard down. Never trust anyone, and never leave yourself vulnerable.”
“What if I’d surprised you just now? I could have been sent by someone to kill you.”
“You wouldn’t have.”
She arched her eyebrow. “I wouldn’t have killed you?”
“You wouldn’t have surprised me.” He continued. “You have to be aware. If someone is this close to you, holding a weapon, you need to be on your guard. I’m watching your eyes, your shoulders. I’m aware of how you’re standing, where your balance is. If you tighten your muscles to strike, I’ll feel it in your arm. You should be doing the same with me.”
Her eyes were cautious as she took in what he said. And he watched her look down, taking in his arms, the angle of his chest. Her gaze went inward and her lips fell slightly open as she tried to get a feel for his balance. Standing as close as they were, he could smell a light perfume on her skin.
Thalia seemed to remember herself. She disengaged her wrist and backed away.
“What makes a lass like you into a killer?” he asked.
She shot him an annoyed look, and the tension left the room. “I didn’t hire you to delve into my past.”
“Are you sure you want to do this? It changes you, you know, your first kill.”
A smile touched her lips, a hint of a challenge. “You’re quite determined to have me think this over. Do you regret your first kill?”
It was an interesting question, and he gave it some thought. “No,” he finally said. “I regret not having done it sooner.”
“Who was it?” She tilted her head in anticipation of a tale. “Some Red Shield?”
“My father.” He smiled when her eyes widened. “I’ll make you a deal. You can keep your secrets, and I’ll keep mine.”
“Fair enough.” In another moment, she was all business again. “So if I want to cut his throat, I have to get in close to him.”
“It’s the only way. You can’t beat him in a fair fight.”
She turned away. “I know I’m not as strong as a man.”
He shrugged. “And you never will be. But I killed grown men before I came of age. If you can’t rely on strength, you rely on stealth. Surprise is your strongest asset, so make sure the first time kills.” He paused. “If you kill him while he’s alone, you might be able to escape. If there are others with him, you won’t. Either way, you’re just as likely to die from this venture as your mark. You know that, right?”
“I do.”
Her voice was level, but he thought he caught a flash of despair in her eyes. What secrets was she holding that would drive her to do this? But that was her business.
Thalia sheathed the blade and laid it across the palm of her hand, feeling its weight. “What about poison?” she asked.