Street Rat

Dorian's gaze flickered as though he wanted to say more. Or maybe it was that he was already in the process of saying what he planned in case Theron rebuffed him.

But what he didn't expect was that there wouldn't even be the slightest shift in Theron's expression. He just took the Bloomstones and vanished.

Somehow, Dorian felt like something was wrong. But he also couldn't place just what it was.

"That was easy," a young man said as Theron vanished. "How long do we wait before we go and actually complete the mission? I tried to tell you that we should have just let him go. It's such a waste of Bloomstone if he doesn't make it all the way there…"

The young man's voice trailed off as Dorian gave him a look. He didn't know why, but he felt a chill.

"Talk less, Ali," Dorian said coldly.

His mouth clamped shut in response, his adam's apple moving slightly as though swallowing the next words he had wanted to speak.