The Last Adventure of Constance Verity by A. Lee Martinez Read Free Book Online Page A

said Tia. “I threw a bunch of stuff together because I didn’t know what I’d need. Meanwhile, you’ve been letting things just happen . Are you sure you’re up for this? Need a day to recover?”
    â€œI once went a week straight without sleeping in a duel of death with a sniper in the deltas of Cambodia. I think I’ll manage.”
    Tia removed her backpack and, with a relieved sigh, set it next to a precarious stack of boxes that might topple over any moment. “Maybe you should get another butler. Or a manservant. What happened to the old butler, anyway? Jenkins was his name, right?”
    â€œHe was part of a secret society.”
    â€œI thought that was why you hired him.”
    â€œNo, another secret society. A bad one. Wanted to prepare the Earth for alien invasion or blow up New Jersey. Or something.”
    â€œHow many secret societies are there?”
    â€œI’ve stopped counting, and a surprising number of them want to blow up New Jersey. Hell if I know why. That’s whythey’re secret societies. They don’t tend to share their mission statement. He tried to steal a magic idol I had stowed around here. We had a knife fight on a rooftop. He stumbled and fell to his death.”
    â€œBut when I asked you what happened to him, you said, ‘He took a long trip.’ ”
    Connie smiled.
    Tia groaned. “Oh, God, I just got that now. Don’t take this the wrong way, Connie, but I think I know where your trust issues come from.”
    â€œThey’re not issues. I just assume my closest allies will betray me when it serves their purposes.”
    â€œOh, I know. How many times have you jabbed me with a fork over the years?”
    â€œIt’s only being prudent,” replied Connie. “You understand.”
    â€œJust one of the joys of being your friend. So, what’s up with this Byron guy?”
    â€œNothing much. It wasn’t planned, but it just felt right.”
    â€œHe seemed nice the two seconds I was allowed to talk to him.”
    â€œHe is nice. And smart. And cute. And a regular person.”
    â€œHow did you end up with him, then?”
    Connie started poking through boxes for the item they would need to begin her last adventure. “I can end up with normal guys.”
    â€œFor a night, sure,” said Tia, “but do you actually plan on calling him?”
    â€œI don’t know. Yes?” Connie grabbed an ancient relic, and thunder rattled the apartment windows. She tossed it aside. “I want to.”
    â€œBuuuuuut?”
    â€œBut . . . Y’know how it is. It was a good night, but that’s probably all it was.”
    â€œOnly one way to find out if it can be more,” said Tia.
    â€œYou think I should, then?” asked Connie.
    â€œYou promised you would, and didn’t you swear an oath to never break your word?”
    Connie moved aside a ray gun and several bottles of dried wolfsbane. She needed to organize this stuff better.
    â€œI’m an adventurer, not a Boy Scout.”
    Tia dug through her pack for a bottle of water and twisted off the cap. “I still think you should call him.”
    â€œI have water,” said Connie. “Comes straight out of the tap with a turn of a knob. Like magic.”
    Tia shrugged. “I don’t drink tap.”
    â€œOh, you’ll make a dandy sidekick.”
    â€œI think you should call him. Oath or no oath.”
    Connie opened a mysterious case, and the phoenix feather within burst into bright blue flame as its spirit shrieked in the throes of its rebirth. She slammed the case shut and interrupted the process. “Now, where the hell did I put that key? You really think I should? But what if this doesn’t work? What if I can’t be normal?”
    â€œIt’ll work,” said Tia. “And if it doesn’t, who gives a shit?He’s different than most the guys you’ve had. Even the