Raven Girl

Chapter 17

Sven showed Nadine to a spare room, and she smiled her thanks. She liked Gylfi's quieter, sensible brother, but she was so tired – sleep beckoned, making her tongue heavy and snatching words away. She sat on the bed and looked around. The room was sparsely decorated and shabby, with creaking floorboards, but it would do. It reminded her of home. The way Sven looked at Gylfi had been making her think of Gavriil ever since they arrived, and a pang of homesickness struck her. They rested for a few hours, until Gylfi began rapping on their doors.

"Hey. I'm going to a kro – a tavern. You can either come or stay here, I don't mind."

Nadine opened her door, stretching her spine like a cat. "Isn't that dangerous, considering you're wanted in this city?"

Amused eyes alighted on her. "Danger is my middle name."

"Stupid, more like it," Regina said, barging out of her room. Gylfi had already started towards the stairs, and he pushed roughly past her without looking. She glared at his retreating back.

Nadine folded her arms. "You started the argument, Regina. He has a right to be mad."

"So do I!"

Elias opened his door and frowned at them.

But eventually all three got ready to go with Gylfi. Dressed in plain clothes – they didn't want to invite the attention of any thieves – they sauntered along the damp street together. Nadine gazed around at the shimmering golden windows and the dark sky, feeling more settled as dusk blanketed the country. This was her time of day.

"Remind me why we're going to a tavern, again?" Elias had kept a clenched jaw throughout their walk, and Nadine could practically feel aggression rolling from him.

"Because someone might know where my ship is being kept," Gylfi replied.

"He just wants to find and snog that redhead," Regina said at the same time. They glared at one another.

"Can we stop this petty argument, please?" Nadine said. "Regina, if you don't like the redhead, just claw her eyes out or something."

A snort of laughter made Nadine jump, because she hadn't seen it come from Gylfi. She turned and blinked up at Elias.

"Laughter? From the greatest assassin in Easfall?" she mocked, nudging his side. He felt like a wall of rock.

He gazed down at her, hair falling over his eyes, more boyish and human than she'd ever seen him look. Heat sparked in her belly. "Trust you to come up with a violent solution, Sadovsky," was all he said, before quickening his pace.

Nadine grinned. She felt like her comment had earned his approval.

Gylfi took them to the Vakende Fisk – the Jumping Fish. Inside it was rowdy with sailors and citizens. A group of musicians in the corner played a bawdy tune, and the heat and stink of alcohol hit Nadine in a wave.

A group of sailors, some as young as Nadine, others unshaven and with rumpled tunics, rose to their feet and started clamouring for Gylfi's attention. He flew at them, grinning, clapping them on their shoulders.

"We thought you'd be dead, Skarsgård!" one said.

"You know how hard I am to kill, Leif," Gylfi replied with a wink.

One of the sailors – Gylfi's crew – whistled at Regina. "Where'd you pick that one up, Gylf?"

Gylfi glanced back at Regina, saw her expression, and turned back with a horrified look in his eyes. "Uh... nowhere. Best not try anything with her, she's a wild one."