Owl and the Tiger Thieves
Page 42
Sometimes even I don’t risk lying. “Let’s just say I’m woefully lacking in some skill sets, and from what I gather, you and just about every other mercenary outfit in here could use an antiquities expert who knows her way around supernaturals. I’d say I’m more than qualified.” For once in my life I believed it. “I’m the best at what I do—you know it, and they all know it.”
Williams regarded me again. So did his other two men. “The Dragon?” he asked.
“Sabbatical.”
He nodded, thoughtful.
A pair of tumblers arrived—scotch on ice. Williams picked up one, passed me the other, and raised his glass. I took a sniff. Good scotch. “Far be it from me to waste top-shelf booze,” I said, and returned the gesture before downing it.
“Are you certain about this, Hiboux? If you sign a contract with us, it’s not only legally binding.”
Meaning that if I reneged, they had other ways of doling out retribution. I finished off the scotch and nodded. I’d done my research; so had Nadya. The Zebras were the best and fairest chance I was ever going to get.
Williams waved over his men, who rejoined us at the table. It was a testament to their professionalism that they didn’t shoot me even a glance as they took their seats.
“Johan, get the paperwork ready. I’ve found you a replacement for Hans.”
The man closest to me on my left narrowed his eyes at me. “Who do I make the paperwork out for?”
“One Alix Hiboux.” Williams nodded at me. “Welcome to the Zebras,” he said before getting up and leaving the table.
At least neither of the others asked about my eyes. I turned to Johan. “Who was Hans?”
“Our last archaeologist and supernatural expert.”
“Deceased archaeologist and supernatural expert,” his companion clarified.
Johan inclined his head and slid me the tablet. “Let’s hope you fare better than he did. We haven’t had great luck keeping our archaeologists alive—not for long, anyway.”
“You’ll see it all in the waivers.”
“Special ones for your type.”
Of course there had to be a catch . . . I skimmed through the disclaimers and clauses. The contract was refreshingly short and to the point. I’d be working for the Zebras as an expert on all things supernatural and archaeological. The chances were good that I’d be dead in a few months, but in the meantime I’d be paid very well. There was a space at the bottom for next of kin and a description of the generous condolence package that would be paid out if and when I kicked the bucket in the line of duty.
The two Zebras continued their discussion while I read and signed the documents. No responsibility for imprisonment, death, maiming, etc., etc . . . .
“Though it looks like you’ve already survived a few run-ins with supernatural sorts,” Johan said. “It’ll factor into the betting pool.”
“Betting pool?” I was on the last page at the dotted line. The point of no return.
Johan answered, “We do it for all new recruits, a pool for how long you’ll last.”
“It’s more of an initiation. We don’t give you an ID until you’ve survived two jobs,” one of the other men said.
“Consider it your audition,” Johan said.
“And our entertainment.”
I closed my eyes and leaned back in my chair. Yup, definitely a great big catch. What to do, Alix, sign or not sign? I stared at the last line, which was waiting for my signature via finger pad.
At that point Captain decided to stick his head out of my backpack and let out a loud, impatient mew.
Oh, what the hell. It wasn’t as though I’d been living a safe, normal life before this. Besides, there was something refreshing about their candor. Not the bullshit lines the IAA used to feed me. Honesty I could respect.
I signed the dotted line with the pad of my finger and handed it back to Johan.
“Welcome to the Zebras, Alix Hiboux,” he said, scrolling through the documents. “May you fare better than poor Hans.” The two of them lifted their drinks and drank to that. I joined them—what else was I supposed to do? There was as good a chance as any I’d be at death’s door again tomorrow—and this time without any friendly supernaturals to save me.
At some point I’ll have to grow up, and if I’m going to keep playing with the big, mean supernaturals, I’ll need to stop being so damned afraid and learn to deal with them on my own grounds. Human grounds. This was the best way to do that. Before something worse happened than my stealing Rynn’s powers.
The maturity shocked the hell out of me too.
I’m Alix Hiboux, antiquities thief and newly minted Zebra mercenary for hire.
God help me—or, more accurately, them.
Acknowledgments
As always, thanks goes out to Steve Kwan, Leanne Tremblay, Tristan Brand, Mary Gilbert, and Pervez Bill who read each and every Owl installment. Your encouragement keeps me writing. Special thanks this round go to my cousin, Rachel, for the Spanish translations, and Cindy and Wally for helping me with logistics.
I also have to thank my agent, Carolyn Forde, who picked the original Owl and the Japanese Circus manuscript out of the slush pile; my editor, Adam Wilson, who makes Owl that much better and puts up with me; and Brendan May for his encouragement and handling logistics at S&S Canada. There are many other people who have mentored and encouraged me in my writing career—thank you all!
Finally, there is one nonhuman without whom this series would never have been written, and that is my cat, Captain Flash, on whom the character Captain is absolutely based.
About the Author
Kristi is a scientist and science fiction/fantasy writer who resides in Vancouver, Canada, with her spousal unit, Steve, and two cats named Captain Flash and Alaska. She received her BSc and MSc in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from Simon Fraser University, and her PhD in Zoology from the University of British Columbia. Kristi writes what she loves—adventure-heavy stories featuring strong, savvy female protagonists.
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Volumes in Kristi Charish’s Owl Series
Owl and the Japanese Circus
Owl and the City of Angels
Owl and the Electric Samurai
Owl and the Tiger Thieves
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2018 by Kristi Charish
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Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Charish, Kristi, author
Owl and the tiger thieves / Kristi Charish.
ISBN 978-1-5011-8984-5 (softcover)
I. Title.
PS8605.H3686O98 2018 jC813'.6 C2017-906704-4
Cover design by Jae Song
Cover photography © Tatjana Kabanova/Shutterstock (girl); © Aleksander Krsmanovic/Shutterstock (hair); © Filipe B. Varela/Shutterstock (desert)
ISBN 978-1-5011-3981-9