Shadowkill

##

It was a light supper, half of a smallish bird, soup, several rolls and a large salad. A pot of local tea sat in a quilted nest, a curl of steam rising from its spout.

After she divided the meal meticulously in half, they ate in silence for several minutes. “Find anything?” she said at last.

“He keeps his keys on him, or they’re locked in the com-box. Which you’d have to handle; my training lies in other lines.”

“Hmm.”

He drank the last of the soup, refilled his cup with tea from the pot. “You seem to be doing well at the Game.”

“Well enough.”

“Not excited? There’s gold enough there to gild half the roofs in the city.”

“Gold, tchah! Hadluk’s been in this backwater too long, he’s lost his perspective. You know, Kuna, I’ve played single passes where more value changed hands. Couldn’t get enough gold in that room to interest some types I’ve been in games with, you know, like Ginny’s clients. Well, that’s not why we’re here, is it.

“Is it?”

“’Course not.” She wrinkled her nose, then grinned at him-and he found himself liking her better than he had for a long time. “Sure, I hate to let that idiot Hadluk cheat me, but no way I’m going to go running off with half a ton of gold stuffed down my front. My fun’s in the playing. Riding the high. I told you, I can always get money.” She sobered. “Just as well we’re not planning to hang around after this is over.”

“High Vaar getting possessive?”

“You got it. He’s bidding for a permanent partner. Got so far as to say I’d make someone a fine wife, someone who liked Vagnag, him for instance. Z’ Toyff!”

“Well, it’d be an easy life.”

“Wash your mouth out, saaaa, easy, that plasticman pawing over me, make me sick just thinking about it. Besides, I like my work. I’d kill myself if I had to sit around doing nothing.” She looked at her ringchron. “Time in. Where’d I put that hood?”