Drayce ignored her and slid into the bench opposite her with a wide grin. “You know, if you just get us into a meeting with Yash Magar, we’re not your problem any longer. We’re good ol’ Yash’s problem.”
The woman stared at Drayce, appearing thoroughly unimpressed with his logic. “And you don’t think Yash has enough problems to deal with?”
“There is a very good chance that we could help Yash with his problems,” Rayne countered as he took the open seat beside Drayce.
She turned her bored look to Rayne and waited as if expecting Rayne to either keep pitching or move along. Drayce rested one arm flat on the smooth tabletop and propped his other elbow on it so he could place his chin in his palm. He gave the woman his most winning smile. “What’s your name?”
She blinked at him a couple of times as if she were stunned by his sudden change or that he was even interested in her name. Maybe she was used to being just another cog in Magar and Giri’s smuggling machine, and no one had taken an interest in her.
“Nanu Tamang.”
“Nice. I’m Drayce, and this sourpuss next to me is Rayne,” he introduced, poking one finger into Rayne’s arm. He pointed at Vale standing at the end of the table. “That’s Vale.”
“I know who you are,” Nanu grumbled.
“Awesome. Then do you also know that we need to get up to Mrtyu?”
“Drayce,” Rayne started in warning, but Drayce ignored him. They were still sitting at the table, and Nanu was talking to them for now. As long as she was talking, they had a shot at winning her over.
Nanu gave a little shake of her head before looking at the sheaf of slightly crumpled papers that were resting in front of her. Drayce had glanced at them when he sat but couldn’t read it. They were covered in a mix of writing and numbers, probably invoices from all their illegal shipments. “No one gets up to Mrtyu without the High Luminance’s approval.”
“Anyone living in Mrtyu can offer an invitation up to the city for a brief visit,” Rayne corrected. “And that’s all we need. Considering Yash works for Kamal Giri, I would think getting said invitation shouldn’t be that difficult.”
An ugly, throaty laugh jumped from Nanu, and she flashed Rayne a crooked grin. “Of course you think something like that would be so easy. You don’t understand our people and you never will.”
Drayce grinned back at her and lifted his free hand, letting it flutter in the air while keeping his tone light and carefree. “I’m sure most people would say the same thing about smuggling KoD out of Zastrad and selling it to the people of Caspagir. Such a thing is so impossible. They’d probably say the same thing about kidnapping the King of Erya and nearly killing his advisor. They’d probably say it was impossible and no one would be so stupid as to attempt something like that. But the amazing people who work for Yash and Kamal have done all of that and probably a lot more.”
Nanu sat silently, staring at Drayce as seconds ticked by. She finally nodded, a smirk lifting one side of her mouth. “You have a point. How about we play a game and let the Dead God decide whether you meet with Yash?”
“We have no business with your Dead God,” Rayne snapped.
That only made Nanu smile even wider. “Everyone has business with the Dead God. The point is whether you have it sooner or later. If he wants you now, obviously you can’t have any dealings with Yash. If he doesn’t have need of you now, you have time to serve Yash’s needs. Make sense?”
“Yep. Let’s do it,” Drayce agreed before Rayne could continue arguing with the woman. They weren’t getting anywhere Rayne’s way. He’d beat the old woman at her game and they’d get in to see Yash. Easy-peasy.
Still smiling, Nanu slid out of the booth and walked toward the bar. The second she was out of earshot, Rayne grabbed his arm and shook him. “What are you thinking?” he hissed in a loud whisper.
Drayce jerked his arm free of Rayne’s biting fingers. “I’m thinking we’re not going to get anywhere if we don’t get in to see Yash, so we have to play her contest.”
Vale planted both her hands on the table and leaned forward so that she could add, “And letting the Dead God decide anything means there’s a damn good chance you could die in this contest.”
“I’m a lot harder to kill than most people believe,” Drayce murmured with a roll of his eyes.
“You better hope so, because Caelan is going to kill you when he finds out what you’re doing.”
More than anything else, that had Drayce mentally flinching. Yeah, Cael was going to go fucking ballistic when he learned Drayce was risking his life for their endeavor, particularly if it went against Rayne’s advice. “There’s always the option of not telling him, you know?” He leaned closer to Rayne. “You’re the secret man. Can’t you keep this thing a secret so he doesn’t worry?”