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human construct. They make big shows of negotiating exemptions from human law
and rule.
Excellent. Maintain that capacity for dredging up irrelevant sophistries and
The Call will clutch you to its bosom. You may be promoted directly into their
Inner Council.
"I don't want to do this."
There is little choice, Garrett. These are pivotal times. Everyone must take
a stand before it ends. Who refuses will be devoured because he will be out
there alone. But we who recognize the signs and portents have the opportunity
to deflect or defeat the gathering darkness.
"I know where I stand, Windy. But I'd rather be noble and honorable and
defend true justice and the divine right of Karenta's kings while I'm sitting
in my office with a mug in my hand, chatting with Eleanor."
And you insist that I am lazy.
"Only because you have no more ambition than a bone that's been buried for
twenty years. You don't have to go out there and try to run between the
raindrops, partner."
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That is another matter which warrants future discussion.
26
"Right on time," I said when somebody hammered on my door late in the
afternoon.
Belinda said, "My people are expected to be punctual and to do their jobs
well. And they deliver."
"You should take life easier, Belinda. You don't always have to be "
"I try, Garrett. But some demon keeps pushing me. I can't beat it. And it'll
get me killed eventually."
I nodded. That came with the territory. I looked out the peephole. An
unfamiliar hulking creature of mixed ancestary shuffled impatiently on my
front stoop. "I think I understand. Is this thing somebody you know?"
She leaned past me, so close I had trouble breathing normally. "That's Two
Toes Marker. My driver."
"Driver? He looks like he wrestles ogres for a living."
"He looks badder than he is. He doesn't move very well anymore."
Two Toes knocked again. Despite plaster dust falling all over the house Dean
didn't come out of the kitchen. He was exasperated with everybody. And for
once he did put the blame where it always belongs: squarely on the shoulders
of the Dead Man.
"I'll get my shoulder ornament and we'll be set."
"Why? That bird is disgusting."
Finally, somebody who agreed with me.
The Dead Man relaxed his control of the Goddamn Parrot. The little monster
barked, "I'm in love! Look at this sweet fluff!"
"I already looked, you deadweight jungle buzzard. And you're right. She looks
damned good. But she's a lady. Mind your stinking manners."
"That was really good, Garrett," Belinda told me. "Your lips never moved
once."
Argh! But the bird was right. I was right. She did look good, if a little too
vampiric for current fashion. She'd had people in and out all afternoon, some
to elevate her to this supernal state. She didn't want to go unnoticed
tonight. Hell, she was going to raise the dead. I thought about wrapping her
in a blanket so we wouldn't have crowds chasing us through the streets.
This evening would be easy on my eyeballs. Alyx was sure to give Belinda a
run. So would Nicks. And Tinnie would be absolutely killer if she bothered to
try. Belinda would be a blood-dark rose in a garden of brilliant whites and
yellows and carmines.
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"If I was doing the talking this little shit would say things to score points
for me, not to get everybody pissed off."
Belinda laughed. Then she demanded, "What?"
"You startled me. You don't laugh very often. You should."
"I can't. Though I do wish I was different."
A shuddering déjà vu overcame me. I recalled her father once suggesting that
he didn't really want to be a bad guy but he was in a bind where his choices
were to be the nastiest bad boy he could or end up grease under some climber's
heel. The underworld is strictly survival of the fittest.
The Contagues survive.
I opened the door. Belinda pushed past, murmured something to Two Toes.
Dean bustled out of the kitchen. "Did you remember your key, Mr. Garrett?"
"Yeah. And this door better not be chained when I get back. Got that?"
He had talked me into installing an expensive key lock, supposedly so I
wouldn't need help getting in late. But maybe he just wanted to aggravate me.
It used to be cats. He was always adopting strays, apparently because I
didn't want them around. I attract enough stray people.
"Absolutely guaranteed, Mr. Garrett."
I looked at him askance. I didn't like his tone. "Thank you, Dean." I shut
the door. "Living with him is like being married without any of the
perquisites." I waved to Mrs. Cardonlos, who was outside watching again. I
wondered if she knew what she was looking for. I wondered what had become of
Mr. Cardonlos. I have a suspicion he's alive and well and happy somewhere far
from here.
She got an eyeful of Belinda. That one and its sister both liked to popped. I
thought her chin would hit her knee.
Now she had something juicy to chew up and pass around. What do they see in
that man ?
Two Toes had left the Contague coach around the corner on Wizard's Reach. As
we strolled behind him I noted that he had earned his nickname the hard way.
He had a weird, crooked limp.
I gave him a significant glance, then raised my eyebrow to Belinda. She'd
relaxed. She understood. "Old family obligation." She made a noise I would
have called a giggle had it come from another young lady. "Guess what? He has
a twin brother. No-Nose Harker. The Harker boys didn't have much luck in the
army."
I gave the automatic response of every guy who ever made it back from a war
when most soldiers didn't. "Sure they did. They got out alive."
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