Page 60 of The Thief's Mark

sixteen

Cal

Calcouldn’thelpsneakingwondering glances at Griff’s back as he followed him across the city. Just an hour earlier, he’d been ready to give up. After Kelsith’s betrayal and his loss of the void orb, he’d convinced himself that he had no business continuing the investigation. He’d resigned himself to carrying on alone as he always had.

Then, Griff had shown up on that rooftop.

He snuck another glance toward Griff through the curtain of rain. The shadowy profile he caught of the inspector’s chiseled jaw and stern face set his heart racing.

He could still scarcely believe that Griff had cared enough to come after him. Not to arrest him or to berate him for his failures, but to lift him up. To encourage him.

Eternal Dark, he might actually care about me…

That was a hard truth to wrap his head around, especially when the one other person he’d thought he could trust had proven how wrong he was. No matter what Griff claimed now inthe heat of the moment, the truth was that neither of them knew what would happen once this case was over. Likely, whatever infatuation Griff had for him would fade.

But the least Cal could do for being so careless with the void orb was reward Griff’s faith in him by helping however he could in the meantime. He only hoped that Griff was right and there really was something the sage could do to jog his memory.

His nerves spiked as Nathaniel’s cozy estate came into view. It looked the same as it had when Cal had come here disguised to retrieve Griff’s medicine, save for the nearby streetlights that turned the yard silver thanks to the glistening moisture from the rain. Though the gate remained open, the front door was shut.

Griff tried the door anyway, grunting when it wouldn’t budge. “Locked. He must have retired for the night.”

Cal’s fingers strayed to his right thief’s mark, where he kept his thief’s tools stored. “Give me a couple seconds, and I can have it open, no sweat.”

Griff raised a brow. “Did you just offer to break into a Sunkeeper sage’s home in front of an inspector?”

Cal’s cheeks flushed, his fingers dropping. “On second thought, maybe you should try knocking first.”

The corners of Griff’s lips quirked as he did just that, giving the door several hard raps with his knuckles. The nerves in Cal’s belly intensified as they waited. At least a peaked overhang kept them out of the rain.

When there was still no answer, Griff repeated the gesture. He was about to knock a third time when a muffled voice sounded from the other side of the door.

“I’m coming, I’m coming. By the Light, quit your racket!”

The door was yanked open a second later to reveal Nathanial’s disgruntled face. He wore the same golden robes he had the last time Cal had been here, though they appeared far moredisheveled. He’d probably yanked them on over his nightclothes before answering the door.

Griff cleared his throat. “Hello, Nathaniel,” he said, his voice stiff.

Nathaniel’s gaze widened a fraction when he took in Griff standing there. “Griffin. Can’t say I expected to see you so soon.” He scowled, glancing past them at the stormy night sky. “Especially not at this time of night in the middle of a downpour. Couldn’t whatever case you’re working now have waited until morning?”

“I’m afraid time is of the essence. May we come in?”

Only then did Nathaniel’s eyes drift to Cal standing a bit behind Griff. His eyes narrowed on Cal’s face. “Have we met before?”

Cal cursed under his breath. Eternal Dark, he was off his game. Had he thought about it, he should’ve probably swapped back to the same disguise he’d used the last time he was here to make things simple. Not that he recalled exactly what that had been. He’d worn so many faces the past week, it was impossible to keep them all straight.

“I, uh…”

He was still struggling to come up with an answer that wouldn’t give too much away when Griff said impatiently, “He’s helping me with the case. Now, will you help us, or not?”

“Always in such a hurry to put yourself in danger.” Grumbling under his breath, Nathaniel stepped back from the door and turned, vanishing back down the hall.

Though he didn’t make any motion for them to follow, Griff seemed to take the open door as invitation enough. Cal trailed after him as they shut the door and followed the hall to the same open room where Cal had found Nathaniel working last time. The sage was already bustling about his workstation in the back, though Cal couldn’t tell why.

He looked up at them as they entered, squinting once again at Cal. Cal tried not to shift beneath the scrutiny. He wasn’t used to being the center of attention like that—not after all the effort he usually went through to blend in.

A moment later, Nathaniel gave a satisfied grunt. “Of course. Griffin’s new partner. I knew I recognized you.” He frowned. “Though you’ve changed your appearance. Duskflame, is it?” He grunted to himself before Cal had a chance to answer, nodding. “Aye, must be for such a seamless transition. Runeflame would leave more of a trace.”

Cal’s discomfort intensified.So much for keeping my talent a secret.He briefly considered denying it, but that seemed a poor choice when they needed Nathaniel’s help. Besides, the Sunkeeper already seemed to have decided the matter was closed, dismissing Cal to turn toward Griff. He eyed Griff critically.