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Chapter 24
The next night, I was too exhausted to pretend to be nice to gamblers and glad-handers. Sylvia had worn me out, during the daylight hours, all in the interest of furthering her philosophy of 'Enjoy the Sweet'. But it was impossible to sleep at night. The Narimac was a marvelous source of profit; unfortunately its inverted hours were wreaking havoc with my sleeping habits. My malaise went deeper than that, though. I didn't know what to do with myself. Yes, I can hear your heart breaking in sympathy for me: lucky bastard survives dragon, wins casino, sleeps with fabulous Jasmi. What was I crying about? I wasn't a thief anymore. I couldn't run a successful con anymore, when everyone with money knew who I was. And why steal at all? It hardly made sense to steal a few hundred from some rich man's house when I could rob him repeatedly when he came to the Narimac. I would just have to find something to do. Something consistent with the kind of life I liked to le
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Jayden's Luck Chapter 25
has been behaving ... oddly. He dismissed his longtime right-hand man - a childhood friend. One of his captains was assassinated. Two more are ... mixing with the wrong sort of people. Money has been changing hands in unusual places." - "Jerian the Younger." I said. Inavar raised an eyebrow. - "Told you he was well-informed." said Ledomir. Several of my contacts had mentioned this little tidbit: Jerian the Younger, up and coming member of the Pirate Council, had suddenly dropped his best friend. And while pirates are frequently knifed, shot, or dropped in the harbour after dark, the only Captain to die of non-natural causes in the last month was connected to Jerian. - "How can I find out more about this than you can, my Lords?" They had to have much greater resources than I did. Ledomir answered. "I had two men inside Jerian's crews. Both disappeared three weeks ago." He made no bones about spying on another Pirate Lord; I suspected that the
Jayden's Luck Chapter 26
The waitress was well beyond her prime, but that made no difference. I was polite, and tipped generously. If I was going to come back to the Eagle regularly, it wouldn't hurt to cultivate her. Sources of information come in many shapes and sizes. But for my present needs, this place was perfect. As I nursed my second pint, I thought about the task that Inavar and Ledomir had dropped in my lap. I needed to know more about Jerian - much more. I wasn't going to break into his house (not yet, at least), or run a scam on him. Then again, my marks didn't usually have a fleet of ships and a private army of three hundred pirates. I would have to tread carefully. When I ordered a third pint - unusual, for me - I realized that I was grinning. I had been feeling sorry for myself, not knowing how to keep myself occupied. Well, I was occupied now. This job could be dangerous: but then, I'd always lived dangerously. It could also be fascinating, and might earn
Jayden's Luck Chapter 27
- "Marta." I said, rising to my feet. "You look ... marvelous." She did, too. Marta preferred low-cut dresses, or peasant blouses, which revealed about six or seven inches of cleavage. Simple, but supremely effective. - "It's been so long." she said, presenting her cheek for a kiss. - "You haven't changed." I said. A bit of a lie, but forgivable, under the circumstances. - "What an unusual place." she said. - "Wait until you've tried the soup." I said. "The bread is fresh-baked, across the street. And you have to try the beer. I know you drink expensive wines, but please - have a beer with me. For old time's sake?" There's an old saying about girls from my neighbourhood: you can take the girl out of the Bottoms, but ... I suppose you can guess the rest. Yes, it's rather rude. Try substituting the 'F'-word for 'take'. Marta smiled; I think she was genuinely pleased to see me. - "I
Jayden's Luck Chapter 28
I started by visiting a few of my more reliable contacts. I had new questions that I hoped to find answers to. Then I got together with one of my best street operatives.Her name was Denya, and she was a black-haired, eleven year-old wharf rat. She worked with her little brother and another orphan. They stole, but Denya was careful. She was also clever; she knew very well that they could earn more performing simple tasks for me than they could in a week of stealing - and with less risk.I put them onto Teeshay. Once they knew where she was meeting me tomorrow, it would be child's play (literally) for them to tail her.- "I want to know where she goes. If possible, it would be nice to know who she talks to. Be careful, and don't let her spot you."- "Teach yer grandmother to suck eggs." said Denya's little brother. Denya cuffed him in the ear.- "Shut yer gob." she snapped. "I does the talkin'. An' you show Master Ken some respec
Jayden's Luck Chapter 29
***I was up on the roof of the Narimac, talking to the gargoyles.They weren't employees. They were bound to the building, by an incredibly powerful spell. But it was finite; it would expire one day. Until then, they were compelled to protect the Narimac, and do the bidding of the owner. Me, or Sylvia.But the spell couldn't hold them, if I ordered them to go more than three hundred yards away.- "It's prolly 500." said Thaak, the male. "But you shouldn't risk that. You never know."It was Sylvia who'd told me how the pair of gargoyles were ensorcelled, magically trapped to serve as security for the Narimac.- "They have 187 years to go." she told me. "Bella paid for the spell. It was set to last for 250 years."- "Damn." I said. "Do they know that? The gargoyles?"- "Why not ask them?" said Sylvia.- "They can talk?" I said. Sylvia just gave
Jayden's Luck Chapter 30
- "It won't be easy, though." said the wizard. "Or cheap." - "Uh-oh." I didn't like the way she'd said that last bit. "How much?" Taliesine shrugged. "Anywhere between a hundred and two hundred and fifty thousand." I gaped at her. It wasn't that long ago that I'd have considered 250 a good score for the month. Now I was listening to the raven-haired wizard calmly throwing out a sum a thousand times greater. "There are components we will need. I can't even begin to imagine how we'll obtain some of them. Magical resources, consultations ..." - "We can afford it." I said. "How much do we have on hand, partner?" Sylvia put her hand on my arm. "Slow down, Ken. We have to maintain a considerable reserve for the Narimac. You need money, as well, to buy a house. Taliesine is earning her reward." - "Kima and I have found a suitable place." said the wizard. - "There you are." said Sylvia.
Jayden's Luck Chapter 31
"Physically and mentally drained. Satisfied, with a job successfully completed. But well aware that it could easily have all gone very badly. Lucky. You were feeling lucky to be alive. But too damn tired to enjoy it." - "That's amazing." she said. Her eyes were wide. "How did you read all that?" - "I told you: it's exactly what I was feeling. That was why I felt a ... kinship with you. Then I healed you - that always creates a bond. It works both ways, in case you're wondering. I will always be grateful to Pamna." Aressine blushed. She swept her hair back. For the first time, I realized that she had an exceptionally long neck. Swan-like. I felt the urge to kiss her neck, her throat ... - "And Pamna told you that I was interested in you." she said. - "Don't make too much of that, Aressine. Yes, if I hear that a woman is interested in me, I'm curious ... But if she's ugly as sin, it isn't enough that she likes me. Or, if she'
Jayden's Luck Chapter 32
"Please tell them that I'm looking for them. I'll be back later today." Then I was off to meet Teeshay. I didn't particularly want to, but if I failed to show up, that might tell Jerian that I was on to her. I started thinking of something to do that would keep her occupied for a while, far enough away to keep her out of my hair for a time. Teeshay was too excited; I could tell the moment I saw her. - "I have something." she said, immediately. "It could be really important." - "Oh?" It was going to be a lie; the only question was, what kind of lie? - "Remember you told me to keep an eye on Jerian's bodyguards? Well, two of them went to a house yesterday. I checked the place out after they left. It wasn't a tavern, and it wasn't a whorehouse." - "No?" Teeshay grinned, and shook her head. "It was Nanamon's house." - "Who?" - "Nanamon. One of Evor OneHand's captains!" - "Oh!" Never mind that I didn't believe Teeshay
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