Gilded Latten Bones

10

Fire and Ice wasn't hard to find. It was a well-known establishment on the frontier of Elf Town, serving the needs of the successful working man. Meaning it wasn't quite the upscale hook shop I expected but it wasn't rodent's belly nasty, either. It was a place where shopkeepers and skilled tradesmen could relax of an evening. A throwback kind of place, actually, because it didn't make its money on volume, nor entirely on marketing its keystone service.

I expect the relaxed atmosphere was one way the house competed for scarce disposable income-much of which, these days, ends up in TunFaire's gaudy theaters.

Play-going was all the rage, in part because a man could take his wife. And the wives knew that.

I gave my name at the door. It was no shibboleth. I tried Belinda's.

There was the magic.

A veteran brunette-absolutely a heartbreaker not long ago-turned up quickly. She had something special going. I was tempted to fail to remember that I was taken.

"You came from Miss Contague?"

"She asked me to keep watch on your injured guest."

She considered my claim. She considered me. She consulted some recollection. She decided that I was the real thing, though she was not prepared to be impressed. My feelings were bruised. I was willing to be impressed by her. And I was as fine a specimen of former Marine as you're likely to find still vertical. I had my dings and scars but they just let you know that I was the genuine article.

"All right. Come with me." After a glare that dared me to even think about running with that.

We passed through the fancy public lounge works, entirely uninhabited at the moment. Potential witnesses had been cleared out. In the back, where delicacies comestible and sensual got prepared, I spied several toothsome lasses enjoying a light repast and steadfastly taking no interest whatsoever in anyone passing through. Two appeared to be full-blood elf girls. The others were nearly as gorgeous.

"Stop slobbering on the carpet."

"Sorry. I don't get out much anymore."

"Here's a suggestion. Keep your hands to yourself while you're here." Then she snorted. She was one of those people who can't keep their laughter out of their noses. It took me a few seconds to get the joke.

"I'm taken," I said stiffly.

"Most of our clients are." We came to a narrow, steep back stair.

"I'm Garrett," I said, though my name had failed to awe anyone yet.

"I know. I've heard of you. I'm aware of your reputation."

"Damn! I didn't know I had one. It's probably all lies and exaggerations. Who are you?"

"You can call me Miss Tea. If I find out that you're tolerable, I'll let you call me Mike."

"Mike?" One of those? Here? "I had a brother we called Mikey."

"For Michel." That was a hard "ch." "He didn't come back?"

"No. It broke my mother's heart." She gave up. She'd already lost my father and hers, and some brothers, to the terrible beast of war.

Mike turned a little less hard-ass. Very little. Like almost every human in Karenta she shared the experience. "You were luckier."

"I was. Most of me made it home."

She looked me straight in the eye. "And now you're stalling so I'll go up the steps first. So you can be behind me and watch my ass."

"That hadn't actually occurred to me, but now that you mention it, sure, I'll be a gentleman and let you to go first."

"Living up to expectations so far. Enjoy the show. It's the best you'll get around here."

Did I threaten her somehow? Was she a secret agent of the redheaded Tate? "I'll do that. It's a sin to ignore what the gods generously set before us."

"And me without my work boots." She started up the stairs and laughed mockingly as she went. And, hard as she might have tried, she could not help putting a touch of flounce in her step. "And you said you were taken. Hypocrite."

"Are you my conscience?" I was a tad flustered and confused. So I did try to lean back and enjoy what the gods set before me.

I began to suspect that Misty was not entirely disinclined to have her assets appreciated. And that she considered her behind to be the best of those. And I thought she might be right, seen from where I was standing.