Stealing the Dragon’s Heart by Kiersten Fay
21
“There’s no way,” Vin said.
“None,” Aidan agreed.
“Would you two be quiet? I’m concentrating.” Onnika stood off to the side of the market, watching the three prospective sellers who were at the top of Vin’s list. They all offered compatible shield generators, as well as an array of wares and jewelry. Now Onnika just needed to figure out if they were crooked.
Vin reiterated his disbelief. “There is no way you can just look at someone and know they’re slimy.”
“You can if you’re observant,” she hedged, adding to herself, and if you have a special ability to read people. “Were you asleep when I pointed out that pickpocket? Now, shush up.”
She was waiting for one of the vendors to interact with a customer. Until she could glean their intentions in the moment of a potential sale, she was essentially blind. Yet they’d been here for several minutes and no one seemed interested in doing business. Aidan and Vin were growing impatient.
Aidan theorized to Vin, “How much you want to bet that pickpocket was an old acquaintance of hers? An old boyfriend, maybe. That’s how she knew what he would do.”
“I wouldn’t take that bet for a million chips,” Vin replied.
“Pah-leez,” she balked indignantly. “First, I’d never date such an obviously inept thief. If he’d been on my level, the two of you would have never spotted that grab, even when I pointed it out. Second, if he’d been an old boyfriend, he would have fallen all over himself to woo me back. Any man of mine would chase me to the ends of the universe. But, hey, you two just gave me an idea. See how they all sell jewelry.” She hooked her arm around Vin’s. “I need a boyfriend.”
While she dragged Vin toward the closest seller, he helplessly glanced back at Aidan. “Uh, Captain?”
Aidan stood stunned, and maybe even slightly offended.
“Just shut up and follow my lead,” she told Vin.
Aidan made a frustrated sound, but he didn’t object as she and Vin approached the first seller, a hairless man with large yellow eyes and thick, gray scaly skin, possibly from Nazzu.
“Oh, darling,” she simpered, pulling Vin closer into the line of her body. “Buy me something pretty.”
“Uh…” Stiff as a board, he appeared lost.
Onnika faced the vendor. “I just adore pretty things and my husband will buy me anything I want, so show me your best jewelry, please. I want something impressive to show off to the ladies at the club.”
The scaly man’s grin was all teeth and gums, and she discovered he was crooked even before he retrieved a tray of phony glass pendants from behind the counter. She might have called him out on it, but she had spoken loud enough for other vendors to overhear. She needed to look like a mark. Easier to ferret out immoral intentions that way.
“Just lovely,” she said, “but I think I’ll keep browsing.”
As she dragged Vin away, the man called, “Wait, wait, I have more pretty baubles for the pretty lady.”
The next vendor they approached was already smiling brightly. His skin was layered in a light taupe fuzz, and he had two sets of eyes that seemed to move independently of one another. “This way, this way,” he said, leading her toward a sparkling array of jewels that on display next to oil-stained gears and other ship parts.”
She wasn’t sensing deception from him yet, so she asked, “Are these real gems?”
“Factory made,” he replied earnestly, “but they look just as real as any gem from a mine. No one could tell the difference.”
As she browsed the selection, the third vendor received his first customer, claiming her attention. The only deception she gleaned from the nearby interaction was that the seller priced his wares high so that he could pretend to bargain.
She clung to Vin’s arm once more, nestling his bicep between her cleavage. He went uncomfortably tense. “Darling, when we’re finished with our couples massage, we simply must return and purchase a lovely item from this nice fellow.”
“Uh, okay.” Happy to be done with the farce, he allowed her to lead her back to where Aidan waited, arms crossed and ire pinching his expression.
It was probably out of spite, but she decided to hold onto Vin’s arm a little longer as she spoke. “In my expert opinion, you’ll want to buy from the four-eyed fuzzy one.”
Aidan held her gaze as he addressed Vin with a black tone. “Vin, I’ll be sure not to tell Priya where your arm has been today.”
Vin ripped away from her, taking several steps away. “No one speaks of this. Ever. Got it?”
Affecting an air of innocence, Onnika threw her hands up. “Speak about what?”
Aidan shook his head at her. “Obviously, I’ll procure our shield generator, since everyone now thinks you’re a couple of rich idiots. You two get into the arena and get those vouchers.”
She called after him as she walked off. “Darling, do buy me something pretty.”
“Not on your life.”