7 Deadly Instincts (The Sinfire Chronicles Book 1)

In the end, only Gray, Rynn, and Pinch went into town for the night. Tomi said she wasn’t going to waste the night gambling when she could be sleeping, Midj was working on a letter she was sending home to her huge family, and Ames wanted some time alone. She’d been with people a lot, and she said, in her words, that she felt like a desert and needed to find water inside of herself alone. Something about a river of solitude, swimming, and how sometimes begin around people too long made her feel dusty.

Pinch didn’t care. She just wanted out. Which meant a meal at Gorgonzola’s. Gray remembered seeing her there all the time back when he’d first come to Pit City. Say what you will about the fae girl, but she had good taste.

They went there early enough to drop off a payment to Sindara’s father at the Mana-Wind Office. It was of sending money as well as letters that used the magic that connected the southern continent to the Crown. You couldn’t use it to reach the Null Breaks, though, since there was no mana there.

Pinch frowned as Gray stood with her out in the cold while Rynn made the arrangements in the office. “You send money to Sindara’s father?”

“Yes,” Gray said. “I wouldn’t have done it. Rynn insisted.”

The fae girl didn’t say anything for a long time. “She has a kind heart.”

“She does.”

“You don’t,” Pinch said simply.

“I guess not.” Gray, though, didn’t like the idea. And there was more to it than that. “I grew up in a place where kindness was used to manipulate you. It was a tool. It was a weakness. I’m learning that I don’t need to live like that. I see Rynn, and she’s strong, but she’s also kind. She gets to choose.”

“It’s a fine thing she is doing,” Pinch said in a thick voice. “Sindara was desperate. We were told we could use that against her. At first, when we were paid to bully you all.”

“Who paid you?” Gray asked. It was a question he’d asked before.

“Tillwick handled all the money,” she said quietly. “He still is being paid. Otherwise, he would’ve dropped out. He said it came from the queen herself, but I doubt that. Now we know it was money funneled through the fae court. Where it came from is a mystery.”

She turned to him. “I’ll need…I have resources. If they run out, or if I die, would you…would you send money to my mother? Not you, you aren’t kind. I would ask Rynn, but maybe she wouldn’t do it because she hates me. Maybe you could find a bit of kindness in your heart for such a thing?”

He looked into her eyes for a long time. There was hope there and maybe something else. “Yes,” he said. “We’ll take care of your mother.”

Right then, Rynn came out of the Mana-Wind office. “Next pay is all taken care of.”

“We need to keep Pinch alive,” Gray said. “She has a sick mother in the Freckle Islands.”

“I’m sorry,” Rynn said quietly. “Of course, we’ll send money if anything happens.”

Pinch frowned. “I believe you. But you can’t take care of so many. There will come a day when you’ll stop. I’ll stay alive, and I have money even beyond the stipend.”

Rynn nodded and moved on, walking quickly toward Softie’s shop.

“She’s mad,” Pinch said. “See? She hates me.”

“She’s not.” Gray was going to have to explain his bonded. “At her heart, she’s kinda of quiet and shy. I’ve learned that when she goes silent like that, it’s to stop herself from rambling. It embarrasses her to ramble so much.”

Pinch grunted. “Most people like to hear themselves talk. It’s nice to meet someone who wants to control their incessant prattling. My respect for her has only grown.”

“I’m sure she’d love to hear it.” He couldn’t leave it at that. “I know you have money, Pinch. We had to give you a thousand shekels, plus interest, for a bribe.”

“It’s already gone,” the fae girl said. “I sent it to Mother. It should keep her steady for the time being. Father has already cut me off and wants nothing more to do with me. I would imagine he’s already talking to the queen about removing me from all the crypts. I won’t get any more money from him. That’s just fine with me. I’d rather live free than be royalty.”

She really had given up everything to join them. She would be a duchess no more.

He did have to wonder about her story, but he didn’t feel like he could ask.

They moved off, walking slowly.

Pinch broke the silence again. “I did feel bad about Sindara. You have to know, I didn’t know a thing about her death. Tillwick tossed off some cruel comments, but I didn’t laugh, not like the others. They truly didn’t care. Did you care?”

“She talked to me before she died,” Gray said. “She wanted to join us. She was afraid. I think about how I might’ve helped her, but then, she’d betrayed us. Settie spent all that money to bring her down to the belly, her and Blythe, and they formed their own squad. It was hard to forgive that. And how she treated us.”

“You didn’t care then,” Pinch said.

Gray found a way out. “Rynn cared enough for the both of us. Her and Ames and the rest of the squad. I felt bad, but I don’t like to stay in that shit.”

“Not that is something we can agree on.”

Softie was out front of his store, smoking a pipe. He’d added two metal braziers on either side of his door. Lust rock was burning happily there along with some pine boughs and come colorful red ribbons.

Rynn was already there, talking with the dwarf, and warming his hands.

Softie frowned. “My sister is still cleaning up after you. Have you come to cause more mischief?”

“I come as a paying customer.” Gray fished out the ruby necklace and held it up. “I’d like you and your sister tell me what kind of sad magic is in this thing.”

Softie frowned and sighed. “Anyone else, I wouldn’t do it. But my sister will want to help you. Anything for Grayson Fade. You owe us.”

“I do,” Gray said.

Softie shook his head. “And she won’t take money from you. From your sponsor? That wretched captain woman? Yes, we’ll take her money. But not yours. It’s maddening when I’m trying to run a business.”

Rynn laughed a little. “That Grayson Fade is trouble. You don’t have tell me twice, and I’m bonded to him.”

Softie gave her a warm smile. “Being bonded is sometimes not easy, but it’s worth it in the end. To have a partner, to have someone to talk to, someone who’s seen the good in you and the bad. It’s a powerful thing, missy. Real powerful.”

Pinch moved off without saying a word to them. From her footsptes, it was clear—she was upset about something.

Softie took out a piece of velvet and took the necklace from Gray. “We’ll take a look. Maybe even tonight. Stop back by. We’re working late, since it’s the first night of the Yullolly Market. Emerilia hasn’t been herself today. I would imagine you might know the reason.”

Rynn went and pulled Gray away. “My bonded has that affect on people. I’m sure she’ll be okay in a few days.”

Softie held up the necklace. “Let’s hope so. Not sure this will help. It was sad when I looked at it. Might get even more sad by the end of the night.”

Walking with Rynn in the marketplace felt like the most natural thing in the world. It was crowded, with townspeople coming out to see all the new decorations. But it wasn’t just folk from Pit City, but people had travelled from other cities to be there. He saw a contingent of elves and a dozen goblins. There was no way they were going to get a place at Gorgonzola’s Counter. Or so they thought.

Pinch had gotten them a place at a new table under an awning and close to a firepit. That was new—probably something Gorgonzola added to accommodate extra customers. There were a whole set of fresh faces working there.

They sat down with Pinch, who had a glass of manafied wine, though it hadn’t improved her mood any.

Gorgonzola came over. “Friends! I had a feeling I’d see you tonight, and here you are. Manafied wine and meatcake for three? You’d be a fool if you didn’t. And it might kill me to make you any special orders. Busy, busy, busy tonight.”

They all agreed on the meatcake and to show his thanks, the goblin chef gave them a spicy toasted bread dripping with flavorful butter.

The three of them sat in awkward silence for several long minutes.

Pinch looked desperate to say something.

Rynn could see the discomfort on the fae girl’s face. “You can ask, Pinch.”

“You had tears today, when you healed the Quelling elf. I saw them, but I didn’t understand them. I don’t understand a large potion of the emotions in your squad. It’s all very confusing. Maybe, you could explain them. Please.”

Rynn laughed. “That was awkward, but not as awkward as the silence. Very well, Pinch—”

“Pamalee,” the fae girl said gently. “If you could…if could call me by my first name. The nickname stings sometimes. Most of the time, I don’t mind, but tonight, I do.”

“Pamalee,” Rynn said it like she was trying it out. “I’ll try to remember.”

“That’s all I can ask.” Pinch sipped her wine. “If you forget, I won’t be mad.”

Again, Gray had to wonder at Pinch’s story and who she really was behind the frown.

Rynn looked shy for a minute. “It’s kind of stupid. I was hoping no one saw me. But if you must know, well, I’ve used my mana to hurt people mostly. It was the fighting, right? Training and such things, and Aunt Florence wasn’t too happy about that. She wanted me in dresses, not my fighting uniform, and of course, she wanted me to get bonded, have babies, and do all that. But I didn’t really want that.”

“I did,” Pinch said, not looking at them. “But then, I didn’t have an Aunt Florence to rebel against. Is that really her name?”

“Yes,” Rynn said uncertainly.

“I’m sorry. I interrupted you.” Pinch’s brow was furrowed. Though she was drinking wine, she looked the opposite of relaxed.

“It’s fine.” Rynn shot Gray an uncertain look. “I, uh, when I was healing Ames, I felt this happy feeling. I was using mana to make her feel better. Not that healing feels good right away, but I watched her skin heal. I was helping her. It’s stupid, see?”

“It’s not.” Gray was pretty sure he’d never heard the fae girl sound so gentle. “It was impressive. You picked up the healing skill so fast. Unlike some…” She didn’t look at Gray, but he knew who she was talking about.

Rynn laughed. “I’m very capable when it comes to mana manipulation. I’ve spent my entire life training my meridians.”

Gray could feel the mana swirling around Rynn’s core. Her humility resonance was hard at work, keeping her core filled.

“Because you liked it?” Pinch asked.

“Yes, Pamalee, because I liked the power I felt. I was teased growing up because, you know…”

Pinch nodded. “Because you have the blood of murderous angels in your veins.”

Gray thought Rynn might get mad, but she just laughed. “That’s one way of putting it. I learned to fight, thinking I would beat up anyone who bullied me. In the end, though, I didn’t need to. I felt too good about myself. They could say whatever they wanted. I didn’t care. Until I came to the Belly. Then I hated it for some reason. So fuck them. I cut my hair. Gray was right. I was a mad dog, that no one could mess with. That worked until you came along, Pamalee Thornpinch. You and your bully squad scared me. You were so cold. You liked it, didn’t you?”

Pinch’s face lost all color. She cast her eyes down.

“I’m sorry,” Rynn said. “We shouldn’t talk about the past. It’s cruel. I don’t want to be cruel.”

Gray thought of Ames. Part of Ames liked being cruel—he could feel it because they were bonded. He’d have to watch that part of her.

“We could talk about Redemption Midnight,” Gray offered, trying to change the conversation.

“You mean the Reckoning?” Rynn asked.

Pinch cut her off. “It’s not cruel. It’s the truth. I liked the money. Bullying you and the other recruits gave me money, and I liked it. I liked the power I felt. Power is the real currency in the world. I’ve seen that. Power and status, and money helps with both. You two idiots then wanted to fight me every day. Every fucking day. I didn’t know Gray had this endless core, and you didn’t even want to win, Grayson Fade. You just wanted to punch me in the face. I was so shocked when you said that three shekels was a bargain for getting the opportunity. And then I’d faced you, Rynnanatha, and you never got tired. I was baffled. Every fucking day.”

“You used the wrong word, Pamalee,” Gray said. “You said idiots. I think you meant geniuses. We got so good. Best training possible.”

Their meal came, but Pinch didn’t dive in right away. She only sat there, no expresson her face. Then she smiled. “I should’ve joined you, right then. I knew. Somehow, I knew, that I would be an idiot if I didn’t leave everything behind and join you. Squad 23 is going to be recruited, the full squad, which hardly ever happens. I would bet there is going to be bidding on us, and the dragons will win, and we’ll serve the Supera family in Pride City. We will be so rich.”

Like with Rynn and humility resonance, Pinch’s greed resonance gave her mana.

Her dreams of riches were nothing compared to the mana she would get at the gaming tables in the Dice Market.

Gray knew the power of lust, but he was about to get a lesson in the power of unrestrained greed.