AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Salt distilled from the River Gihon in Third Heaven, which cures all poisons.”
Hattie takes it from him and holds it up to the light. Satisfied with what she sees, she puts it in her pocket with the Tears.
“What else have you got in that bag?” she says.
“Nothing that would interest a lady like you.”
“Really? Why don’t I have my boys take it and chuck you all over the balcony.”
“Excuse me, ma’am,” I say.
Hattie turns to me.
“Which one of these assholes do you like the least? I’ll do you a favor and kill him first.”
Diogo takes a step toward me, but Hattie stops him with a short wave.
“This one looked like bad news from the moment I saw him. What’s wrong with his face? No one brings a man like that along who isn’t looking for trouble.”
“Not with you,” Delon says. “Sometimes we don’t get to pick and choose who we deal with, do we? Like you and the Shoggots. He’s my Shoggot.”
Hattie gives a short, snorting laugh that ends in ragged coughs.
“Here I was feeling sorry for us and you’ve got to haul around your own monster. Look at him. He’d like to put a knife into your back right now.”
I shrug.
“Nothing personal. I always want to stab someone.”
“This motley crew looks like more trouble than they’re worth,” says Hattie. “Give them to the Shoggots. May they choke on each other.”
Hattie gets up and starts down a hall with her boys.
“You wait here while we prepare. Don’t steal anything. I’ll know if you do.”
She points to a hotel surveillance camera that hasn’t worked since disco was king.
Delon comes back to where the rest of us are sitting.
“Do you trust them?” I say.
He shrugs.
“What choice do we have?”
“That’s not what I asked. Does the family keep its promises?”
“Tykho said yes, but you’ll notice that she’s not here.”
I turn to the others.
“Keep your weapons handy but don’t get itchy and start shooting at shadows.”
Vidocq looks at the hall that the Mangarms went down.
“I’d love to know more about their potion making. When this is over, maybe I’ll come back and do some trading of my own.”
“You do and I’ll tell Allegra,” says Candy.
