Delvin pushed the overloaded cart filled with the other luggage, I carried Jazal's last two bags and still we were forced to hire a hover-taxi to carry the surplus. I rode next to Arvil on the way home; Delvin, since he took up more space, got to ride in the hover-taxi with the surplus luggage and Arvil's twin cousins, Kita and Lita.
Dinner that evening was strained—I cooked for Arvil, all the wizards except for Haral (who wasn't back yet) and Jazal, Anith, Kita and Lita. Kita and Lita weren't nearly as pretty as Anith, but then you can't choose family. You do choose your spouse. Anith was going on about their two moon-turn vacation while Arvil's eyes glazed over. I wanted to laugh several times as I served the soup course with Neele's help. Six more courses followed, including dessert.
"Your cook is now your bodyguard?" Jazal's voice sounded contemptuous.
"Reah is good at both," Arvil sounded bored.
"I find that difficult to believe, brother."
"She didn't miss a single thing she shot at the other night." Milus dipped into his cream cake dessert.
"Reah doesn't miss," Delvin agreed. "Cake's good, Reah."
"Thank you," I nodded stiffly at Delvin. If he thought I'd soften toward him over a compliment, then he was very wrong. I was polite, though. It always paid to be polite.
"I'll hire another assistant," Arvil sighed when dinner was over. Jazal and the relatives had gone off to the casino to play after their meal. They weren't held to the no-gambling resident's rule, it seemed. Arvil stayed behind to talk with his employees. I nodded at Arvil's words—Neele and I had been hard-pressed to serve that many people in Arvil's grand dining hall.
"Hire two, at least," the red-haired wizard agreed. "That way we can still get a meal if Reah has to go out and kill with us."
"Good enough. Reah, will it upset our cook to hire another?"
"No, and I think Xiri might like that job," I said. Xiri didn't like working with Kiasz very much.
"Good. Bring Xiri in and hire two more assistants." Arvil was feeling generous.
* * *
"Don't worry, I've already seen it. In the casino kitchen, no less," Xiri shuddered as I attempted to warn him about what he might see inside Arvil's palace. I wanted to ask Xiri how he'd come to Campiaa, but felt it might be a private matter. I left it alone. If he wanted me to know, he'd tell me.
Xiri had brought two of his night assistants with him, which no doubt angered Kiasz. Kiasz was going to have to look for a new night cook and two others—Xiri had just wiped out a third of the night staff. Arvil didn't seem to care—he expected his people to fill in the gaps until replacements were found.
We were making dough for dinner rolls and setting it to rise when Teeg walked in, followed by three carpenters—they were bringing in the new island they'd built at their shop. The wood behemoth was hauled in on its side on a wheeled transport. Teeg grinned at me as I watched his three helpers lift the island into place. The doors were added next, and then the stone top was brought in and laid down. A small sink was going into the island too, for prep purposes. Teeg did that himself, after sending the others back to his shop.
It was pleasurable, watching Teeg's legs and lower torso twist and turn on the kitchen floor as he hooked the water lines up after dropping in the sink. I think I smiled at him several times as he installed the faucet.
"Reah, want to meet me out front again?" he asked quietly after he finished wiping the countertop and sink.
"Yes." I didn't hesitate for even a blink. I'd missed seeing him every day.
"Well, girlie, that's a fine specimen," Xiri sighed when Teeg walked out the door. Xiri had learned I was female; I learned that Xiri liked men. I think I knew that already, I just hadn't realized it, yet. It made no difference to me. People were people. Why worry over who they loved?
* * *
"Let's get a drink." Teeg led me down the strip of casinos until we came to one not owned by Arvil San Gerxon. Only six of those existed on Campiaa. "There used to be a lot more that Arvil didn't own, but they hauled everything off to Le-Ath Veronis as soon as the permits were given." Teeg was giving me information as we sat at the bar inside the Sandstorm Casino. A huge, round aquarium had been constructed inside the circular bar, and fish of all kinds swam through it. A gaming screen was located at every seat at the bar, too. As employees on Campiaa, Teeg and I weren't allowed to play. A block was placed on our credit chips, preventing it. None of the casinos accepted any other currency.
"Reah, the servants' quarters are getting cramped at Arvil's. Xiri can have your space. Move in with me. I have an extra bedroom. You won't be bothered. Unless you want to be, that is." Teeg offered a wry grin.
"Arvil won't allow it." I hunched my shoulders. If I had the choice between living with Teeg or taking the chance that someone else might die in front of me at Arvil's, well, Teeg would win every time. There were other reasons, but I wasn't ready to face them yet.
"He will, I've already asked him. He thought he'd be forced to move you onto the family floor—he didn't want any of the others up there. I'm less than a quarter click walk from Arvil's palace. Come on, Reah. I'll feel better if I know you're safe while you're sleeping."
"It'll take five ticks to move," I ran a finger down the side of my wineglass, gathering up condensation—I'd asked for a chilled, white wine. "I think I have five outfits."
"And three pairs of shoes. Reah, eight-day is tomorrow. I'll help you move and then we'll find more clothes and shoes."
"Teeg, you don't have to run after me." I stared into warm, dark eyes.
"Reah, I've never found anyone else I wanted to run after." I watched his lips as he spoke—they were sensual and smiled crookedly at his statement.
My mouth was hanging open as I stared—Teeg reached over and lifted my jaw up with a finger to close it.
* * *
Teeg told me he'd come for me around nine bells, so I was standing in the kitchen the following morning, having a quick glass of juice and some toast when Xiri came to me. He'd been preparing breakfast with one of his assistants. "Reah, Neele's been sleeping with the housekeeper," Xiri whispered next to my ear. "You ought to say something to him—he'll get killed if Master Arvil finds out."
Mutely I nodded at Xiri—he was right. I only had a moment to ponder how Xiri had learned of Neele's indiscretion when Neele walked in, dressed only in pajama bottoms and looking rumpled. He snagged one of the breakfast pastries that Xiri's assistant had just pulled from the oven when Arvil walked in, dragging the housekeeper with him by her hair.
Neele died with a single ranos pistol shot to his forehead, a tart halfway to his mouth. The housekeeper, who'd started screaming, was flung on top of Neele's body and shot in the head as well. Blood gushed all over the new tiles when Xiri dropped to the floor in a dead faint. His assistant was curled up on the floor and shaking, a look of horror on his face. It most likely mirrored the expression on my face, to be truthful.
"You couldn't do this somewhere else?" Teeg drawled as he walked into the room. "I just had those tiles laid." Arvil lifted an eyebrow in Teeg's direction but didn't say a word. Instead, he stalked from the kitchen, shoving the ranos pistol into his belt.
* * *
"Reah, just grab your things and let's go," Teeg was herding me through my small bedroom as quickly as he could. "Let those wizards clean up the mess."
"But Xiri."
"Xiri will be fine—his assistant is helping him," Teeg hissed. "Come on, sweetheart. Let's go." Teeg wasn't waiting around for me to look for anything I might have left behind. He was hauling me out of there as fast as he could. I was shoved into a hover-taxi waiting outside Arvil's walls and Teeg ordered the driver to leave as quickly as he could.
"Reah, I'm sorry, but that was Arvil's lover, and he doesn't take that from his lovers. I don't want him looking in your direction next." We were already at Teeg's apartment complex and he was tapping on the window that separated us from the driver. The driver scanned Teeg's wrist for credit after we climbed out
of the vehicle, loaded down with my few possessions. The cab driver left us standing there.
"Come on, Reah. You can't let Arvil do this to you. You have to act normally the next time you see him."
I think my teeth were chattering—shock was setting in. I hadn't hired Neele and I knew he had a wandering eye, but I never expected him to act that stupidly. Now he'd paid for that, as had Arvil's housekeeper. I realized I hadn't even known her name.
"Drink this." Teeg had dumped my clothing onto the floor the moment he got us inside his apartment and kicked the door shut. He'd poured out a very generous portion of bourbon in a glass and handed it to me. "Drink it all," he directed. Teeg watched as I swallowed the bourbon in only a few gulps. "Here, have more." He poured out half as much again. I drank that, too. He tilted up the bottle and drank what was left.
"Come on, love, we're going out in public." Teeg hauled me off the barstool; we left my clothing lying in the foyer and walked out the door.
Teeg lived on the ground floor of a three-story apartment building and we walked down cushioned walkways until we came to streets filled with shops of all kinds. Tourists were everywhere—Arvil owned most of the shops open for business, in addition to a majority of the casinos. Teeg told me that as we walked along.
"See, there are shops that cater to small women," Teeg pulled me inside a shop.
"Trust me, your chip will hold up," Teeg declared as the pile of clothing grew. I'd picked out mostly slacks or pants, with shirts and blouses to go with them. Teeg asked for skirts and dresses. He insisted on staying just outside the dressing rooms as I was fitted for underwear.
"See, this makes what you have much more appealing," the clerk informed me as I stared at the lacy underthing that now covered my breasts. Several of those went into the pile, as did panties that showed much more than they concealed. My face was burning when I got away from the salesclerk.
My credit chip did cover what I bought, and it was substantial. Teeg paid extra to have it packed up and delivered to his address later. Then we went shopping for shoes. Teeg was very fussy over dress shoes. "Just the right amount of heel," he said. "No sense in killing yourself or damaging your toes." I paid for twelve pairs—Teeg paid for another six. Those were the ones he liked and I didn't have any use for. Those would be delivered, too.
"Now, let's get the best food on Campiaa that doesn't come from Reah's kitchen," Teeg hugged me against him as we walked down more cushioned sidewalks.
The best food turned out to be a tiny restaurant that took your order at the counter and then shouted out your name when it was ready. Self-service, for the most part. I understood the logic—there wasn't any room to put tables and no room to place wait staff—the outer area was filled with tourists waiting for their food or waiting to order.
"This is good," I lifted my sandwich, wrapped in one of the best flatbreads I'd ever tasted. The sandwich was filled with beef, onions, sour cream and a sauce I liked very much.
"See?" Teeg grinned at me as we sat at a tiny table in a nearby courtyard to eat. I'd gotten fruit juice to go with my sandwich; Teeg had ordered a mixed drink.
"Thank you," I said. Teeg ducked his head and lifted a crisp he'd gotten with his sandwich. He knew what I meant—he'd worked hard to get the morning's horror out of my mind. We went back to Teeg's apartment when we finished eating.
The delivery van arrived almost when we did, and boxes and bags were hauled inside Teeg's spacious apartment. I got what we'd left on the floor out of the way and everything was placed on Teeg's kitchen island. He didn't have a table—the island served double duty.
"This is your bedroom," Teeg showed it to me after the deliveryman left. The suite was very nice—the bed was big enough for two or three people, the closet held everything with plenty of space left over and I had my own bath.
"The apartments are all built that way—in case tourists want to rent them instead of staying at one of the casinos," Teeg explained as we tucked the last of the shoeboxes inside my closet. "I stocked you with towels and sheets," Teeg smiled. "Let's get in the spa."
"You have a spa?"
"Out on the patio. All the upgraded apartments have one."
"I didn't know you had a patio."
"I do. Put that swimsuit on, Reah, so I can see how knobby your knees are." He was laughing at me. I swatted at him but he moved away easily.
The swimsuit had been Teeg's idea and he'd managed to get it into the pile of clothing even after I'd put it back. Twice. We carried a bottle of wine to the spa on Teeg's patio. A high fence surrounded the small patio and a few tropical plants placed in the corners kept it from appearing so empty and stark. Teeg looked more than fine in the small suit he wore. I had to keep myself from staring.
"Here," he poured a glass of wine for me after I slipped into the bubbling water. "Now, tell me where this came from." He touched the spot on my shoulder where Nods had shot me. The swimsuit he'd picked out was strapless—he could see my shoulders just fine.
"Got shot a little while back." I sipped my wine.
"Ah. Did it hurt?"
"More than you know." I wasn't about to tell him what happened after I got shot. That was between Tory and me.
I was wrapped in a towel later as I put something together for our dinner. Teeg had stocked a few things. I was going to the market as soon as I could to get everything else we needed.
"See, good things can come from nannas that are almost overripe," I said, slicing off a piece of the sweet bread I'd made. Teeg took my hand holding the piece of nannabread and ate it from my fingers. I think he sucked on the fingers, too, before he was finished. I stared at him.
"It is good," he agreed. He kissed my hand and gave it back to me with a smile.
I was ready to tell him it would be even better with a vanilla sauce I made and a particular type of wine, but that thought flew right out of my head, followed quickly by the breath from my body.
"I don't want to move too fast," Teeg murmured. "If you want more, let me know." I stared after him as he walked down the hall toward his bedroom. I heard his door close a few ticks later. I got my breath back and swallowed with difficulty.
* * *
First day, worst day went through my mind as I walked through the gate in the wall. One of the guards nodded to me—I'd worn new clothes today—a pair of slacks and a pretty blouse I'd gotten with Teeg's help the day before. New, comfortable shoes were on my feet, too. It never made sense to wear anything else while cooking. Teeg had given me a quick peck on the cheek before I'd gone out the door.
"Reah, I'd like something good for breakfast," Arvil plopped down on one of the barstools on the far side of the island. Who knew that killing people would work up an appetite? I made something good for Arvil's breakfast and set it in front of him. Delvin came in with Milus and they got the same thing.
"Why don't you check those fields on Twylec," Arvil told Milus as he sighed happily and pushed his plate toward me. Arvil was lying again. Did he think he was going to catch me that way? Did he test all his employees like that? I just placed his dishes in the dishwasher as if I hadn't heard anything.
"Is that carpenter doing you all right?" Delvin sounded snippy.
"The contractor is fine, thank you," I snapped right back.
"Just make sure he keeps on being fine." Delvin stalked out of the kitchen.
"Don't pay any mind to him," Milus said. "He doesn't know what he wants. Spends his nights with those twins, if they're here," he added. "Food was good, Reah." Milus handed his plate over and left.
"Reah, are you all right?" Xiri walked in and tied an apron around his waist.
"Yeah. I was going to ask you the same thing," I said, giving him a quick hug. I'd had to hug his middle—he was too tall for anything else.
"Dinner wasn't that good last night," Xiri muttered.
"Well, it never is if somebody dies in your kitchen."
"Two somebodies," Xiri nodded.
* * *
Two things hap
pened that afternoon—Haral came back from his errand and Arvil received guests.
"I don't know what they are, but they're not all humanoid," Xiri hissed as we put dinner together for an extra eight guests. The housekeeping staff added leaves to the dining table, making it considerably longer. Xiri had seen at least two of the guests when he'd gone to relieve himself. He didn't describe them to me—Jazal had come into the kitchen demanding that a snack be brought to him, Anith and the twins out by the pool. Must be nice to wave imperiously and get whatever you wanted.
Tiny sandwiches, fresh fruit and drinks were placed on trays and Xiri's two assistants and I hauled it out to the pool. I'd never seen Arvil's pool before—it was huge, with a wide flagstone patio around it, a waterfall at one end and a spa on the opposite side.
Jazal had stripped down to a tiny suit, which he shouldn't have purchased. If you had that kind of paunch, then you were better off buying something a bit larger and more concealing. Anith looked quite good in the sea-green suit she wore—it went well with her blonde hair and eyes. Kita and Lita went for basic black and dark glasses.
I served fruit drinks—all of which were liberally laced with rum. Snacks were placed by each lounge chair. "Bring another round of these," Jazal demanded after sipping his drink. I nodded, lifted the drink tray and went back to mix another batch. They had three drinks each before they were done. Honestly, they were all better people when they were drunk.
"This ox-roast very good." Arvil's guests appeared to be part reptile. That's what they looked like to me. Their faces were humanoid, but they had slitted eyes, just as a snake did. Their nostrils, too, were a bit on the narrow side and they sounded slightly short of breath when they spoke—as if they were hissing. The one who seemed to be in charge was complimenting my food.
"It is a pleasure to serve it to you," I gave a slight, respectful bow. I hadn't been introduced to any of the guests, so I couldn't give an honorific to his name. I'd served the ox-roast wrapped in mushrooms, sauce and pastry, in addition to baby vegetables, the soup Arvil loved, crispy rolls, salad and dessert.
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