AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘I would agree with that assessment. However, I have reviewed the contract book this morning and there are no ongoing jobs that match this scenario.’
‘Would you tell me if there were?’
Krieg smiled. ‘No. Regardless, there is no sanctioned contract that involves minors.’ The phrasing there was clearly important.
‘Nosanctionedcontract. Does that mean that you believe there is an unsanctioned contract?’
‘You are brave to ask impertinent questions. Brave – or foolish.’
‘What would happen to an ogre who carried out an unsanctioned contract? Hypothetically, of course.’
‘Hypothetically, I’d kill them.’
‘Gosh. No three strikes rule with you,’ I muttered.
‘Only the strong survive here.’
‘In the ogres’ den?’
‘In the Other. If you want to survive longer than a New York minute, you must be prepared to kill.’
Unbeknownst to him, I had already killed. Admittedly it was under duress and during a battle, but there was still blood on my hands, even though Esme was in control at the time. We’re a package deal; I was as responsible for Ace’s death as she was.
I realised abruptly that Krieg was trying to derail my questioning, so I turned the subject back to the ogres. ‘Have any of your ogres been unusually absent of late?’ I queried.
He smiled without warmth. ‘You have outstayed your welcome, alpha. I trust you can see yourself off the premises.’
I wanted to argue but it wouldn’t do me any favours; indeed, it might actually get me killed. I gave him another bow – making sure it lasted at least five seconds, of course. ‘Thank you for taking the time to meet with us this morning, Your Excellence.’
‘It has been illuminating,’ Krieg conceded. ‘I will look into your accusations.’
‘I didn’t accuse anyone,’ I protested.
He smiled faintly. ‘No, you were very careful not to. Perhaps you will survive in the Other after all. Good day.’
‘Good day,’ I replied. Greg and Bastion both bowed respectfully, and the three of us retraced our steps alongside the cottage. We maintained silence all the way to the car. I had no idea how good an ogre’s hearing was.
‘Will you come back to the mansion with us?’ I asked Bastion.
‘Do you have need of me?’
I pondered. ‘Not really. I just feel better when you’re around.’ I did; people were wa-a-a-ay less likely to kill me when he was there.
His lips tipped up fractionally in what he would have termed a smile, and he slung an arm around my shoulders in a half-hug. ‘If you don’t need me, I’ve got things to do.’ People to kill. ‘But call me if that changes and I’ll shuffle them around. Make sure you get in the car and drive off promptly.’
‘Okay, thanks. I appreciate you coming.’ He gave me one last squeeze, released my shoulders, shimmered and turned back into a four-legged griffin. He stretched out his mammoth white wings and took to the air. What was it with all these winged creatures constantly jumping into the skies? You’d think that at least a few of them would fall foul of a Boeing 757.
Greg and I climbed into the car, fastened our seat belts and motored off. ‘Well,’ he said, ‘that could have gone worse.’
‘Sure. We’re still alive, and in my book that counts as a victory. Reynard was hidden in the trees. Did you see him?’
‘No, but hiding on ogre territory is a sure path to death,’ Greg observed grimly. ‘He should have told us what he was planning. I hope he manages to stay hidden until night falls. If he tries to leave sooner … he’ll be granite.’
I grimaced. Reynard was old, like couldn’t-remember-his-mum old, so surely he’d be all right? ‘Did you believe Krieg?’ I asked. ‘Do you think he doesn’t know anything?’
‘Yeah, I believe him, though I’m not sure why. He didn’t look particularly surprised when we told him about the kidnappings, but I don’t believe it was a sanctioned contract.’ He frowned. ‘The problem is that if Krieg does his own investigation into who’s running around accepting contracts without his say-so and he kills the ogre in question, we lose our lead to who hired the ogre in the first place.’
‘Yeah.’ I sighed. ‘That’s true, but if the ogres are against taking contracts that involve minors, surely Krieg will try and get some information about the snatched kidsbeforehe kills the ogre?’
