Demon's Quest by Connie Suttle Read Free Book Online Page B

comp-vid.
    "Nefrigar, what are you doing here?" I hissed. He smiled, his blue eyes almost glowing in the semidarkness.
    "I came to see if you wanted anything."
    "Honey blue, I wish I could do this faster," I muttered. "I don't want to come back here if I can help it, and those fool guards outside could come in to piss anytime."
    "Did you just call me honey blue?" That amused him, I think.
    "Honey blue, I called you honey blue. Now stop talking so I can think." I rubbed my forehead in frustration.
    "Here." He tapped my comp-vid with a finger, downloading everything in a blink. I stared at him in shock. "You asked. I gave," he was smiling again.
    "Thank you," I whispered in reverent awe. Larentii ability was worthy of anyone's amazement.
    "I'll fold you to your room, you don't have to skip," he said, and took us both.
    * * *
    "Yes, I do have a criminal record, but that is behind me. My incarceration information is included," Edan tapped the business manager's comp-vid.
    "You've worked for Desh's number one for the past four months?"
    "Yes. That information is also included and verified with pay records."
    "You're Edan Desh. The one who used to win the awards."
    "Yes, but my staff had a great deal to do with that," Edan said. "And now my cooking skills are somewhat rusty after five years of being away from the kitchens."
    "I understand. I have a spot for an assistant cook. If you want it, you will start in an Eight-Day unless you need longer to give notice."
    "No, I will be expected to leave as soon as my notice is given," Edan said. "I will be ready to go to work when you say."
    Edan turned in his notice that afternoon. Just as expected, Addah ordered him to gather his things and leave the restaurant. He threatened Edan, too, just as Edan threatened Reah years ago. Vague memories of what the other Edan had done shamed him and gave him nightmares.
    * * *
    Ilvan was weary of going through restaurant kitchens, searching for code violations, all while smelling food cooking on the stove and watching others prepare it. His fingers itched at times to move someone aside and take over. Especially if he found them doing something wrong. A new restaurant was opening and he was interested. His interview was scheduled for the following day. Ilvan had more lift in his step as he walked to work.
    * * *
    "She's torturing us. That's what she's doing," Gavril grumbled, going over records with Dee.
    "Focus, child. We have the trials for the Strands tomorrow."
    "I know. Do you think anyone will come forward? We've tripled the guard around them."
    "Perhaps you should ask your brothers to come. I can't imagine anyone getting past them."
    "I hate to do that. It shouldn't be necessary."
    "Your choice."
    * * *
    Plovel, if you don't ask how I purloined these records, I will not be obligated to answer , I sent the message on my comp-vid, along with copies of the records I'd filched the night before. Security was much too lax in Grithis. The city was ancient and beautiful, but it was falling to ruin around its citizens. All taxes gathered were lining corrupt officials' pockets—I could see it clearly.
    Greed abounded among business owners and commonwealth officials alike. If Neidles became any greedier, he would burst with it, I think. I had to show him the difference between a bad cut of meat and an acceptable one before he slashed my food budget. The farmers and ranchers came in two days per six-day to sell their goods, and I preferred to buy directly from them.
    They weren't much better off than the commoners walking the streets, trying to stretch insufficient paychecks to feed their children. And children were still disappearing. Plovel and I were going through record after record, trying to make sense of all of it. Poor research and botched forensics only hampered our investigation.
    * * *
    "Neidles, now is not a good time," I muttered when he appeared in the restaurant, asking yet again about the cost of the meat I'd purchased. "Do you want this