By Grace Alone (The Death Dealer Book 2) by Katie Roman

Clearly the sergeant was quick to forgive.
    At the night market, a decent crowd of people had gathered. They came from all over the city to enjoy the entertainment. Nathaniel allowed Grace to lead them around and she found a clearing where a small band of musicians had gathered. She asked Nathaniel to dance, though after one song she decided it was a bad decision. Apparently no one had ever taught the good sergeant how. Grace led him over to the fountain to sit after the failed attempt.
    “Would you like something to drink? Or perhaps one of those sugared cakes? Or bandages for your crushed toes?” Nathaniel pointed to a wagon that had been wheeled into the night market. A woman with black hair and the darkened skin of a Nareroc native was peddling little cakes.
    “Wine and a cake would suit me,” she said.
    Nathaniel rose to find the refreshments while Grace stayed near the fountain. Through the crowds, she caught the eye of the last person she wanted to see. Dark skinned with thick black hair, wearing the hose and shirt of a man, and wielding the body of a seductress. Kay Lansa was at the market. She saw Grace almost as soon as Grace saw her. There was no way to escape a confrontation now.
    The pirate captain smiled her wicked little smile and moved languidly through the crowd. She plopped herself down next to Grace and put an arm around her shoulder. The gesture was too friendly for Grace’s taste, but when she tried to shrug the arm off, it only pulled her closer and tighter.
    “Grace Hilren…sweet, innocent little Grace.” The last time Grace had seen Kay, the captain was none too pleased that Jack preferred the younger woman to her.
    “Kay. I hear you’re stirring up trouble, as usual. Aren’t you a little old to be pillaging the coasts? Is this a gray hair I see?” Grace reached for Kay’s hair but her hand was smacked away. “Causing trouble here in Glenbard like you own the place?”
    “What have you heard?”
    Since Grace wasn’t going to bother going to the Emerald, she figured she may as well try to get information this way. “Just that Harris Atkins wants to board your ship. You know Marcus will have your hide if you take him.”
    Kay laughed a throaty laugh. “I know all about it, but that one’s trouble. He can pay for passage on the Dawn , but only a fool would actually let him board. It’d never be safe for me to dock in Glenbard again.” On the sea Kay was a queen among pirates, but in Glenbard even she bowed to Marcus’s rule. “Besides, I don’t need any more hot heads on the Dawn .”
    Grace saw Nathaniel at the cake wagon haggling over prices with the woman. She wanted to be rid of Kay, but there were more questions and none of them were easily asked. She mentally flipped through options of how to ask without seeming too interested in Kay’s business.
    Only a few moments of silence had passed, but Kay decided to fill them. “I saw you attempting to teach that guard buffoon how to dance. How are your toes? I imagine they took a licking from those boots he wears. He is certainly no Jack Anders.” It was a deliberate jab at Grace. “I heard from one of the thieves that you allowed that ruffian to kiss you right in the middle of the market. It upset Jack greatly when I told him. Luckily, I was there to comfort him.” Kay wanted to hurt Grace; it was just her nasty way and it hurt. It also confirmed what Ridley suspected. Kay had been in Jack’s bed.
    Grace elbowed Kay in the stomach in the middle of the pirate’s nasty, gloating laugh. The wind quickly escaped Kay’s lungs and her arm loosened from around Grace’s shoulders. Being free of the grasp wasn’t enough for Grace, though. She took advantage of the momentary stunned nature of Kay and tipped her backwards into the fountain.
    Grace was on her feet in an instant, hand to her mouth. A crowd quickly gathered around the thrashing figure in the water. Nathaniel appeared at her side, his hands overburdened with cakes. He was