Asher Converse's Arc

Chapter 18 of 30

By last call the floor had thinned. Rowan swept the far corner. The last traders paid and pushed out into the dark. Asher bolted the door and counted the till while Tucker wiped down the bar. The room went quiet enough to hear the lamps hiss. Tucker set the rag down and leaned on the bar. He watched Asher stack coins. Tucker was the man who had led Asher here, who managed the drink and took a share of it, who had already made his interest plain more than once and been turned away. Asher kept him close and kept him at arm's length. It had held that way for weeks. "You count better than you dress," Tucker said. "And you dress fine." His eyes moved over Asher's open shirt, the gold chain at his throat. One flat chain swung as Tucker leaned closer. "Every night I watch men buy ale because a server smiles at them. You never smile at anyone. And you're the best-looking thing in this room." Asher stopped counting. He set the coins down slow. "You're working me now." "No." Tucker's voice dropped. "When I work a man, he doesn't notice. You'd notice." He let that sit. "I'm telling you plain. I like looking at you. I've liked it since the roof." Asher held his gaze. The chain at his own throat felt heavier than it had all night. "Tucker," Asher said. "You're good at this. Better than anyone I've met." Tucker straightened a little. "You don’t know how good I am at some things." "You’re My partner. The face of Elixir. The man who fills this room." Asher held out his hand. "I need you here for the fight coming. I need you clear." Tucker looked at the offered hand a long moment. Then he laughed, low and dry, and took it. "Warm and stupid," he said. "You want everyone warm and stupid but me." "You I need warm and smart." Tucker released his hand. He picked up the rag again. "Fine. But I'm not done looking." He hung his chains straight and went to help Rowan with the chairs. Asher finished the count. The line was drawn now, and clean. Elixir stood between them like a thing they'd built. He blew out the near lamp and locked the till.