Savage by Robyn Wideman Read Free Book Online Page B

erode support for the prince. Prince Valentine wants us to stop the attacks and figure out who is behind them.”
    “Sounds like a job for the city constables.” Going to Draisha meant being surrounded by people. Exactly the type of job he didn’t want. Even worse, an investigator would have to converse and be friendly with people. Why did she think he would be a good fit for this job? It seemed an unlikely match.
    Kyra scoffed. “You know as well as I do that the Draishan city constables are available to the highest bidder. If our mystery suspect has any influence with them, they will never find an answer.”
    Bazur rubbed his chin as he pondered the crazy idea of being a royal investigator. “I suppose you are right about the city constables. But why would you want me as a partner? There are plenty of sellswords in Draisha that have contacts in the underworld of Draisha. I’m an outsider. Hell, one look at me and they know I’m an outsider.” Being half-orc, Bazur had a particular look, not quite human not quite orc. His skin tone and facial features were mostly human with the exception of his overgrown incisors, which were small by orc standards, but marked him as half-blood more than any other feature. His dark hair and bright blue eyes were traits he inherited from his father. His powerful frame and height came from his orc blood.
    “I’m not the first person that Prince Valentine has contracted for this job. He has hired three separate investigators, all men with skills and knowledge of the city. The type of men you would automatically think of for investigating such crimes… All three are dead or missing. That is why the prince wants us. He wants a different approach. And I want you because you are an outsider. I am going to need protection. I have no intentions of being the fourth dead royal investigator. If I can’t pry information out of suspects with flashes of tit or batting my eyes, you can scare the information out of them.”
    “So I am the muscle.” Bazur nodded to himself as he said it. He was always up to play that part if it paid well enough. That he got do so with Kyra was a double bonus. Kyra was smart as a whip and as likely to figure out any clues as any real investigator, and she certainly had the ability to use her attractiveness to make men tell her what she wanted. It never ceased to amaze Bazur to watch Kyra lay on the charm. He’d only seen it a few times including now, but each time had been an eye opening learning experience in the powers of female persuasion. He’d known enough women over the years to not be a babe in the woods, but Kyra was on a whole new level, no woman he’d ever known was as attractive or as seductive. As for his own suggested role, Bazur knew few, if any, sellswords in Draisha would be able to intimidate suspects as well as he could. Humans feared orcs, even half-orcs like Bazur. That and Bazur’s reputation in the badlands as a dangerous warrior would give Kyra an advantage when dealing with suspects who didn’t fall for her charms. “I would hate to see you become the fourth dead investigator, Kyra. I will think about it and tell you in the morning.” In truth, he was ready to say yes, but with a woman like Kyra, it was best to make her wait. He had to prove he wasn't so easily susceptible to her charms.
    “That is fair. But I was wanting to go over the prince’s notes on the attacks tonight. No prying eyes looking over our shoulders here.”
    “After dinner. First we eat. In the basket by the wall are two bapa fruit. Grab them.”
    While Kyra grabbed the two large desert fruits, Bazur removed the rabbit skewers from the fire. He grabbed his only two clay eating bowls and filled them with the pieces of rabbit. When Kyra handed him the bapas, Bazur pried the fruit open and squeezed the juice onto the rabbit pieces. With a practiced hand, he peeled the prickly fruit and added the chunks of fruit flesh to the bowls. Done with the preparation, he