Jo Clayton SQ 03 Shadowkill

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.##Direwolf wandered over to Rose. Autumn Rose, he said, sucking on his straw. It s a name that resonates. Oh? There was a game on Cazarit some decades ago.A woman who was also AutumnRose played in the Prime seat.Blonde woman.Attractive.Very.Good player.Very good.Stylish. Oh? Yes.Stylish.Had a way with the cards.Never forgot it. Ah. Going to be an interesting game, once it gets started. Ah.He raised his glass to her, the straw tinkling against the sides, then wentstrolling off.##Barracuda stood close to his door, his eyes fixed on Rose.Kikun winced at themalice steaming off the man.Grandmother Ghost pinched his arm and muttered in his ear:Black bile man, he stinks, baby.You watch him, you hear? He s up to something and it s nothing good, you hear?Listen to your ol gramma.You get over there.Stand in his shadow, baby.Youlet him get away he ll wreck everything, you hear me?Gaagi danced behind Barracuda, great black beak threat-ening the man,black scales glittering, wing feathers shud-dering around him.Abruptly, Gaagi froze.Then he beckoned urgently to Kikun.Kikun set, his glass down, slipped around to stand behind the man.Barracuda took a babi slin from the plate the Dasuttra held, ate it, held outhis hand to the other attendant; she cleaned it with a lightly scented cloth. That woman, he murmured. Who is she? Why was she invited to this game? You haven t heard? The kneeling Dasuttra (a very young, very lovely girl)looked up at him, her eyes wide, glowing. Ah, Senhuan, she is accursed of godand blessed by the Lady.She has won thirteen days running. That seems.unusual. No, Senhuan. The Dasuttra at his side had a deeper voice.She was older,surer in her beauty, sure enough to venture a small contradiction. JaojuhFeyn certifies her, she is blessed by Luck, not by her fingers. Yes, Senhuan, the kneeling Dasuttra said, words com-ing out in a rush, Ihave heard a woman was cured of muteness by the touch of her dress and theringing in a man s ears went away and another dug in his garden and found atreasure someone had buried there. She looked over her shoulder at the otherPlayers, leaned closer until she was nearly touching his long black robe. It is said High Ones required her presence.The highest of the High.Barracuda made a slicing gesture and the girl shut her mouth.He tapped hercheek, fished in his sleeve and set a gold emu between her lips.He droppedanother emu in the plate. Leave me, he said and waited till they moved off,then he swung round and pushed his door open.Kikun followed him., There was a short foyer, then a small but luxurious room,identical to the one Rose had.Barracuda crossed to a table with a black caseon it, punched a code into the case s lock, and opened it.A com.Shielded.Kikun dropped to his hands and knees, scooted under the table.Page 147ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlHe could hear the soft patter of a keypad as Barracuda entered another code,then waited, fingers tapping an irreg-ular impatient rhythm on the tabletop. Black House. A man s voice, a light musical tenor.Barracuda tapped a secondcode. Tinggal here. Another voice.Deeper, rougher. I need a team to pick up a woman. When and where? Day or so.Tos Tous.Kipuny Shimmery. That s Truceground.We could be dispossessed if we break truce. She s offworld.Silence from the com.More tapping from Barracuda s fingers, speeding up as the silence stretchedout.After another few breaths, he swore softly, said, You know who I am. Yes.But you re only one.I answer to the whole Coun-cil. I see.There re crowds outside this place.The woman is a Luck Piece, that swhat I m told, theDraw.Send the team.They needn t come onto the Shimmery grounds, they canmerge with the crowd, no one will notice them.As soon as she s clear, theycan take her. You ll mark her? Don t need to.Crowd ll mark her for them. Yes.Anyone you prefer? Sul Purgis is available to head them? Yes. Let him choose.I want her untouched, with her full vigor on tap.Youunderstand me? Quite. I ll join you in say.four days.Out.Whistling breathily, Barracuda returned the pad to its slips and shut thecase.Leaving it on the table,he strolled out, hands clasped behind him.Kikun scurried after him, vibrating with anger.Grandmother Ghost waited for him in the corner.Her out-line was sharper, hercolors stronger than they d been in months.Look at him, baby.Monster.You know what he wants to do to her, don t you?Look at him look at her.I curse him, head to toe.May his feet crack open androt.May the hair on his legs grow so long and thick he trips on it and peoplelaugh like fools saying see the beast, see the stupid hairy beast [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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