Undercity by Catherine Asaro Read Free Book Online

hired me.”
    “Over their own people?”
    “That’s right.”
    “Not bad.”
    I grimaced. “If it doesn’t kill me.”
    “Majda won’t kill you.” His voice sounded casual, but it didn’t fool me. “Might ruin you, though. Get on their bad side, you got nothing. They make sure you live to know.” Dryly he added, “Unless you offend their men. Then you’re dead.”
    That was too close to my thoughts. “Met two princes.”
    His eyebrows went up. “And you’re alive?”
    “For now.” I shifted my weight. “You got an office?” He would have the best security in the place where he did his work.
    “We’re in it.”
    “The entrance to the Black Mark?”
    His grin flashed, with a hint of menace. “Only an entrance when you came in. No more. The room moves.”
    I didn’t doubt it. I still didn’t believe it was his office, but it would have to do. “Secure here?”
    “Yah. Why? Majda got problems?”
    “It’s private.”
    “I ken.”
    I recognized his meaning. He would keep whatever I told him private. So I said, “They lost a prince.”
    He stared at me. “For ransom?”
    “Nahya. He ran off.”
    Wicked pleasure sparked in his eyes. “Good for him.”
    “Jak.”
    “Majda princes live in prison. Not good, Bhaaj. You shouldn’t help put him back.”
    I scowled at him. “They hired me to do a job. I took their money. So I’m doing the job.”
    He returned my glower. “Why would I help them oppress him?”
    “That a no?”
    “You didn’t ask a question.”
    “I need to know if he bought passage offworld.”
    His expression shuttered. “People don’t announce they’re Majda. Even someone who’d spent his life in seclusion ought to have more sense.”
    I paced across the hexagonal room to the wall where I had entered. Gods only knew where it would let me out now. “Probably tried to sell his clothes.”
    Jak laughed in his whiskey voice, deep and inebriating. “You think people’d pay to wear clothes worn by a Majda prince?” His tone became thoughtful. “Actually, they might. Could be lucrative, making that claim.”
    I turned around to him. “Jak.”
    “Why would I care about his clothes?”
    “They got diamonds. Sapphires, gold, opals. Real, not synthetic.”
    He gave an incredulous snort. “He went undercity dressed like that?”
    “I don’t know. You hear anything?”
    “Nothing. I’d like to, though.”
    “I think he went offworld. Couldn’t leave as a prince. He needed a new identity.”
    Jak stalked across the foyer to me. “So you came here, asking me to find out?” His lean muscles rippled under his clothes and he emanated a sense of barely controlled aggression.
    “Depends,” I said.
    He stopped in front of me. “On what?”
    “The price.”
    “You got a Majda expense line?”
    “Yeah.”
    “Then you don’t care about price.”
    I touched the cleft in his chin. “I wasn’t talking about that kind of price.”
    He caught my hand and held it in his tight grip. “What, Bhaaj?”
    I was too aware of how close he was standing. “Seven years ago you vanished.”
    “Someone owed me money. I went to get it.”
    “They were killers.”
    “Didn’t scare me.”
    “Yah, well, I thought you were dead.” I pulled away my hand. “Selei City has been restful.”
    “You’re bored there, Bhaaj.”
    “Want to be bored.”
    “Why did you come here?” he demanded. “For my help or my apology?”
    I wasn’t sure myself. “Whatever you got to give.”
    He considered me. Unexpectedly, his mouth quirked up. “I dunno. I help you with Majda, will you try putting me in seclusion?”
    What an alarming thought. He’d pulverize me. “Gods, no.”
    He burst into his intoxicating laugh. “Good.” His smile faded. “If I hear anything, I might let you know.”
    It was more than I had expected. I nodded, sealing our bargain, and then stood there, uncertain what else to say. When the moment became awkward, I said, “Guess I better go.”
    He touched my lips.