Page 11 of Silver & Gold
“Don’t move,” Seth warned as he plucked Julian’s knife from his belt and slid it into his own.
When Julian quivered, Raider shoved aside all his own anxiety and came down the steps. He couldn’t hang back. He needed to deal with this.
“Stop terrorizing him, Seth.”
With a huff, Seth let go of the shackles and stepped back. Julian collapsed onto the stone platform beside one of its many cavities, each of which held a large clay jug of ageing wine. One hole was empty, presumably the one from which the ifrit had lifted its loot. The gods knew where the little creature had gone.
On the floor between the raised platforms, a thin bedroll had been kicked aside during the “arrest,” and a lumpy, scuffed leather pack lay beside it. Seth snatched up the pack, flipped it open, and rummaged inside.
Julian’s eyes jumped from Seth to Raider and back to Seth as he extracted the leather-bound book before setting down the pack.
Julian swallowed visibly. “I … I need that.”
“What the hell for?” Seth demanded. Julian cringed.
Raider frowned, surprised by Seth’s manner. “Seth, it looks pretty obvious that this is no killer.”
“That’s fucking irrelevant. He’s going to answer my question.”
“Killer?” Julian squeaked. “I didn’t kill anyone! Who do you think I … Great Kasha! You don’t think I killed Varelli, do you? Oh, but of course you do. Catalus pinned it on me, didn’t he? Whatever he said, it’s a lie!”
Raider glanced at Seth, who was scowling at the book. If Seth had heard Julian, he was ignoring him.
“Seth, maybe you should listen to him.”
“It doesn’t matter what happened in Masir.”
Raider frowned, confused. “What are you talking about?”
Seth’s green eyes lifted to his, fierce determination blazing from them. “We need to disappear. You and me. And this thing definitely needs to disappear.”
Raider’s eyes stung abruptly. Was Seth saying what it sounded like? Did he really mean he would give up his mission? That he would give up his life as a Curator? For … him?
“No!” Julian cried. “Please! I need that book!”
Seth moved so fast that Julian and Raider both jumped in surprise when Seth grabbed the front of the young arcanist’s robes and hauled him to his feet.
“What the hell do you need this evil fucking thing for?” Seth demanded, but Julian, staring at him in terror, was clearly incapable of answering.
“Seth! Let him go!”
At Raider’s shout, Seth shoved Julian away. Julian scrambled over the wine jugs to the back of the platform and huddled against the wall.
Seth tossed the book aside then went stalking off down the narrow aisle. He stopped at the wall and bowed his head. Raider approached slowly, aware that Seth was working through one of his breathing exercises, struggling for control.
Raider stopped behind him. “This isn’t you, Seth. You’re not cruel. Stop pretending to be.”
“I have to choose, Raider. I choose you.”
Raider sucked in a breath. His heart swelled at that—but he couldn’t allow it. He couldn’t let Seth do something that would haunt him.
Raider said, “I know you won’t kill him”—Seth stilled at that, like he’d actually been considering it—“but if you abandon him here, you might as well have. He’s obviously in trouble. We need to listen to him and figure out what the hell is going on.”
Seth’s fists clenched at his sides. “How can you be so calm?”
“Because you need me to be.”
Seth turned to face him, his expression tormented. “You shouldn’t have to be. Not for me. Especially right now. It’s not right.”