Sabine climbed out the window and pulled herself onto the roof. Malek managed to follow her with little trouble, even though he significantly outweighed her. This only elevated her opinion of him. She bit back a smile and motioned for him to follow. If Malek had such skill as a ship captain, it wasn't surprising he'd found smuggling to be profitable.

"Which direction?" she asked when he crouched down beside her.

"Back toward the docks, but we'll need to head to the surface streets when we get closer. I'm not familiar enough with the city to identify the landmarks from here."

She nodded and climbed over a parapet wall onto a lower section of roof. "You handle yourself well up here."

"Do you travel the rooftops often?"

"Only when I'm trying to avoid attention," she admitted, pointing out an area where the roof appeared a bit weaker. It would support her weight, but probably not his. He nodded and moved behind her while she led him across several more buildings and toward the edge of Dax's territory. The city guards patrolled this area, but many of them were in Dax's pocket. She wasn't sure what instructions he'd given regarding her, but it was safe to assume she needed to avoid them.

"The night we met... were you trying to draw attention? Was that why you weren't traveling the rooftops?"

She frowned. "No. I was careless that night."

Malek arched his brow. "Most people wouldn't have admitted that."

"I'm not most people."

"I'm learning that," he said quietly.

Sabine darted another glance at him. He studied her again with that unnerving intensity of his. She frowned and turned away, determined to focus on their destination. Malek was a mystery she intended to solve, but she had to keep reminding herself to be patient.

Moving forward, she leapt over the railing of a low terrace and climbed up to the adjacent rooftop before crossing to the next building. An owl hooted in the distance, and she paused at the edge of the roof. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply and took the pulse of the night. Everything was quiet, as though even the few stray people wandering the streets were being respectful of the night's silent embrace. The owl was just an owl this time, not a warning.

Sabine opened her eyes and waited for Malek to crouch beside her once again. For such a large man, he had the uncanny ability to wrap himself in the shadows and move silently. Her suspicions deepened that he was much more than he pretended. But then again, they all were pretending to some degree.

"Does this look familiar?" she asked softly, reluctant to disturb the night's silence.

"I believe so." He gestured farther down the street. "Is there a butcher's shop down that way?"

Sabine nodded. The area he referred to was more congested, but she'd have to take the chance on being recognized. Gesturing toward a trellis which had been a common climbing point for her over the years, she said, "We can get down to the street from here."

Leading the way, she lowered herself using the trellis as a makeshift ladder. She dropped down the rest of the way once she was low enough and brushed off her hands while Malek started his descent.

Malek jumped off the trellis, landing lightly on his feet beside her. She started, and he chuckled. "You don't have to look so shocked. I may not be accustomed to your rooftop traveling, but while my mischievous little sister was growing up, she often found herself in out-of-the-way places, particularly when she was trying to get out of her studies. I usually had to hunt her down before our parents discovered she was missing. It led me to climbing some rather tall trees and onto a roof a time or two."

"You have a sister," she murmured, touched he'd taken it upon himself to look out for her. From the way his eyes softened when he spoke of her, it was obvious he held a great deal of affection for his sister. "You two are close?"

"Aye," he agreed, considering her thoughtfully, and then his lips curved in a smile. "Her name is Kaia. It's been a few years since I last saw her, but I imagine she's still getting into quite a bit of trouble. I just hope she's better at getting herself out of it now." He paused for a moment. "What about you? Do you have any siblings?"

"A brother." Sabine looked away, not wanting to revisit the shadows of her past. Sometimes it was better not to speak of such things, especially when the night was eager to capture careless words and send them back to those who might be listening.

Without waiting for a response or giving him a chance to ask more questions, she headed down the alley and toward the main thoroughfare. Sabine leaned forward, peering down the street. A couple of guards were patrolling farther down the block, but their gait was leisurely and unhurried.

Sabine frowned. In a quiet voice, she said, "Once the guards pass, we can move down the street. Dax has probably paid them off to keep an eye on this area, and I'd rather not be spotted by them."

Glancing in the direction she indicated, he nodded and then stepped back into the shadows. She followed him and leaned against the wall. Closing her eyes, she listened for footsteps. Malek didn't say anything else, but she could feel him watching her. Expectation and anticipation hung in the air as they waited.

Only a handful of minutes had elapsed before the sound of the guards' approaching footsteps interrupted the silence.

"Hey, you," a man's voice called from the same direction as the footsteps. "Move along. You can't sleep here on the street."

Sabine's eyes flew open, and she grabbed Malek's arm to pull him away. He shook his head, pointing toward a building across the street from where they were hiding. An unconscious man with a bottle in his hand was in a nearby doorway, and the guards had obviously decided to chase him off.

Sabine tensed, scanning the dead-end alleyway for a place to hide. If they climbed the trellis again, they'd be spotted. It was too risky to try to use her magic to shroud them from view, but if the guards turned around, they'd be in clear view. It was unlikely the guards would trouble her too much, but Dax would kill Malek if he found out he'd accompanied her. Not even her mark on Malek's wrist would stop him.

Yanking off her heavy cloak, she tied it around her waist to cover her weapons and give the appearance she wore a dress. With her hair unbraided and covering her ears, it might be enough for the guards to overlook them. At the very least, they might not recognize her right away and would assume they were two lovers engaging in a quick tryst in the alley. Malek's expression became quizzical, but she ignored him and gripped his shirt tightly.

"Kiss me," she whispered urgently, aware they only had seconds to pull off this ruse.

"What?"

She pulled him toward her just as footsteps rapidly approached. Awareness filled his eyes, and he lowered his head, pressing his lips against hers. She put her arms around his neck, listening for the guards.

Malek wrapped his arms around her, drawing her even closer. Focus was critical, but his nearness affected all of her senses. Oh, this was a very bad idea. The taste of his lips and the scent of his skin were heady, threatening to overwhelm her from pure sensation. Despite the danger of the approaching guards, he took his time, tasting and exploring her mouth. Malek did have magic, but she couldn't tell how much because it was tightly controlled and suppressed.

She whimpered and softened against his body, unable to resist him. Part of her was tempted to claim she was merely playing a part, but she wanted this. She wanted him. Unlocking his magic wouldn't be difficult, but she wasn't willing to force him into revealing his secrets before he was ready. This kiss was only a hint of what could be between them, and she suspected this brief taste of him was never going to be enough. But the timing wasn't right—for either of them.

The footsteps faded, indicating their ruse had worked, but she couldn't bring herself to pull away just yet. She nipped at his lower lip, and he groaned, his hand sliding under her shirt and brushing against her bare skin.

Sabine broke the kiss suddenly. If she continued kissing him, she'd forget why they'd come here tonight. The temptation to trace her power over his skin was overwhelming. Running her hands down Malek's chest, she managed, "I think they're gone."

Malek's breathing was as rapid as hers, and she could feel his heart pounding beneath her fingertips. He searched her expression for a long time. "We could pretend the guards are still here."

Despite herself, she laughed. "You're very tempting."

"That's not a no," he said with a grin, trailing his fingers under the edge of her shirt to brush against her skin in a light caress.

She bit her lip, reluctant to pull away. Their attraction to each other was undeniable, but sex was viewed differently amongst other races. Depending on how much humanity was within him, she couldn't risk allowing him to form any attachments. She didn't trust herself enough with him to hold back her power. Magic could be addictive, especially when coupled with intimacy. If that kiss was any indication, he could easily cause her to forget herself, and that could be dangerous for both of them.

With a small smile, she said, "No, it's not. But we should keep moving."

Malek's eyes filled with something akin to regret before he moved away from her. She missed the warmth of his body almost immediately, but the space between them brought some clarity. With a sigh, Sabine focused on what needed to be done, namely getting to the bottom of who was behind the attack.