Nightfire | The Whispering Wall #1

Nine: Demon's Brew

"For the small one?" Vek nodded when Yddris did, and offered a fanged smile for Jordan. "You don't want people in it, eh?"

Jordan blinked. "People?"

Vek just cackled and turned away. Jordan turned to Yddris, who shook his head at him and mimed quiet. The image of the man's sharpened teeth flashed in Jordan's head and he suddenly didn't feel quite as hungry.

"Nika dropped in yesterday," the giant said in a conversational tone, but the way Yddris stiffened suggested it was more than small talk. When the Unspoken replied, his voice was strained.

"Oh. He's in town again, is he?"

"Ay. For the dark season, he said."

"He never stays for the dark season."

"This one he said he is staying for," Vek said, turning around with what looked like an overloaded sandwich clasped in his hands. He continued as he wrapped it in wax paper. "He said this one feels different and he'd prefer to stay in the city for it. He asked after you."

"What did you tell him?"

"I said I hadn't seen you for a long while and couldn't say. Here you go, small man."

Jordan inched forward, waiting until Vek had put the knives down before taking the food with a tiny 'thanks'. It was warm and heavy in his hands, grease already soaking through the paper. His stomach growled loudly enough for all three of them to hear it.

"Maybe you weren't exaggerating," Yddris muttered, as Vek chuckled. Jordan offered a timid smile and began peeling back the paper. He glanced at Vek.

"No people?"

The giant laughed, "I promise no people."

He took a bite. The bread was dark and tasted smoky, the meat salty. It was only the company that stopped Jordan groaning, and with a pang he wondered if Grace was getting food half as good as this. Then again, he didn't count on it lasting for him, either.

Yddris flicked a coin across the counter. "Thanks, Vek."

The giant nodded, stuffing the money into the pocket of his apron. "Good to see you, Yddris. You come and have drinks again sometime. I'll drag you from the castle myself if I have to."

"You could try."

The cold air outside was a harsh slap compared to the mugginess of the shop. Jordan clutched the sandwich close, trying to make its warmth spread further than his fingers, and ate faster than was probably advisable. He glanced at the Unspoken walking beside him. For once, he wasn't smoking.

"He's not a cannibal, is he? That was a weird joke, right?"

"He wouldn't be allowed in the city if he was." Yddris's voice was distant, but he seemed to shake himself out when he realised Jordan was staring. "He's a former Varthian tribesman, though, and the Varthian tribes are pretty well-known for eating their enemies after they kill them."

Jordan's mouthful jammed in his throat. "Oh." He coughed. "I thought he was joking."

"He was." Yddris shrugged. "If you'd been from here you would've got it."

"So you're friends?"

"We are."

"And you and that other bloke..."

"Arlen is a contemptible shithead," Yddris interrupted, "Who no one in their right mind gets involved with. He won't bother you again if he knows you're with me."

Jordan nodded slowly, trying to conceal his relief with a bite of his sandwich. "So.... Is Nika an Unspoken, too?"

Yddris stiffened. It took him a long moment to respond. "He is."