nothing."
my reward, will we? Even the most trusted people can be tempted to knock me off and claim it themselves. No skin off your nose but plenty off mine."
5
Of Slavery, Decoys, and Shadowcats
demands? Who is this who demands anything of me?"
was why Comug was around in the first place and held the position he did.
Very important. Yobi understands your expense and is willing to be quite generous to regain her."
could be done, it brings up the question of just what makes this piece of fluff worth such work. You face me then with a problem, sir. If I give her to you, I must take on faith that all you say can and will be done. Not doubting that the old girl thinks she can do it, belief and accomplishment are two very different things. I know that well. It is why I'm stuck here. On the other hand, you have demonstrated that I own something of great value. If she is of great value to your mistress, then she is most certainly of great value to others. I believe I should see who else is offering something for her, then, perhaps of more certain value."
dare threaten me in my own house, in my own lands, in my own office?" he roared.
discuss the matter further," Hodamoc told the magician. "I make no promises, though. Now—get out of here! I am about to issue orders that if you are ever on my estate again you are to be killed on sight, and even your precious little whore will drive the knife into you if she sees you!"
very important, since she'd be a pariah to the bulk of the population considering her current state.
were ninety percent brilliant, weren't you Hoddy? It's the other ten percent that's made you a professional failure."
is an honor, even if it is a bit hard on the floor."
last thing I want is you dead, although I can't be absolutely sure that it won't result. How's your heart, Hoddy?"
is you! I promise you that!" she responded with a cackle. "It has a bit of your hair and a bit of your nails and all that. No blood, but, then, I don't want you dead."
Third Rank, dear. She's not the one who betrays such as you. No, it is the demon who betrays, by not digesting one tiny little particle and instead depositing it very nicely my way where it can do the most good. I was dealing with that demon sprite before Karelia's grandmother was born. I have priority." Yobi sighed. "So, let's get down to business. You give me the girl, and I forget all about this encounter."
killing you. Oh, no. Suppose I just pinch one of these cute little feet here ..."
Here we go again!
nobody, did this to him! Particularly in his own home and in his own quarters! First he would arrange for his protections and be ready for any retaliation, although it would take a bit of time. No more ninety percent here. Then, one way or another, he was going to find out just what was so valuable about that little whore, and then he would use all the influence he had to make certain that any value she might have would accrue only to him.
Somebody who understood her! "Yes, Master," she responded in English.
thing in Hodamoc's office wasn't reassuring. That Yobi looked like a horrible version of the creature who had captured the others and almost gotten her as well after the flood. However, there were certain default conditions as it were built into the slave spell. All could be countermanded, of course, but they existed unless that was done. The first was total unthinking obedience whether you wanted to or not, of course. The second was an automatic subservience to anyone who could order you around. One did not speak unless spoken to and one answered just what was demanded—and absolutely truthfully. You couldn't lie, cheat, or steal something from a controller unless told to do so, and like a planet in its orbit you needed your controller as the planet needed its sun. There was no running away. It simply was not an option.
was quite a walk, and, again, she couldn't have retraced it if she tried, nor did she figure out how the
my reward, will we? Even the most trusted people can be tempted to knock me off and claim it themselves. No skin off your nose but plenty off mine."
5
Of Slavery, Decoys, and Shadowcats
demands? Who is this who demands anything of me?"
was why Comug was around in the first place and held the position he did.
Very important. Yobi understands your expense and is willing to be quite generous to regain her."
could be done, it brings up the question of just what makes this piece of fluff worth such work. You face me then with a problem, sir. If I give her to you, I must take on faith that all you say can and will be done. Not doubting that the old girl thinks she can do it, belief and accomplishment are two very different things. I know that well. It is why I'm stuck here. On the other hand, you have demonstrated that I own something of great value. If she is of great value to your mistress, then she is most certainly of great value to others. I believe I should see who else is offering something for her, then, perhaps of more certain value."
dare threaten me in my own house, in my own lands, in my own office?" he roared.
discuss the matter further," Hodamoc told the magician. "I make no promises, though. Now—get out of here! I am about to issue orders that if you are ever on my estate again you are to be killed on sight, and even your precious little whore will drive the knife into you if she sees you!"
very important, since she'd be a pariah to the bulk of the population considering her current state.
were ninety percent brilliant, weren't you Hoddy? It's the other ten percent that's made you a professional failure."
is an honor, even if it is a bit hard on the floor."
last thing I want is you dead, although I can't be absolutely sure that it won't result. How's your heart, Hoddy?"
is you! I promise you that!" she responded with a cackle. "It has a bit of your hair and a bit of your nails and all that. No blood, but, then, I don't want you dead."
Third Rank, dear. She's not the one who betrays such as you. No, it is the demon who betrays, by not digesting one tiny little particle and instead depositing it very nicely my way where it can do the most good. I was dealing with that demon sprite before Karelia's grandmother was born. I have priority." Yobi sighed. "So, let's get down to business. You give me the girl, and I forget all about this encounter."
killing you. Oh, no. Suppose I just pinch one of these cute little feet here ..."
Here we go again!
nobody, did this to him! Particularly in his own home and in his own quarters! First he would arrange for his protections and be ready for any retaliation, although it would take a bit of time. No more ninety percent here. Then, one way or another, he was going to find out just what was so valuable about that little whore, and then he would use all the influence he had to make certain that any value she might have would accrue only to him.
Somebody who understood her! "Yes, Master," she responded in English.
thing in Hodamoc's office wasn't reassuring. That Yobi looked like a horrible version of the creature who had captured the others and almost gotten her as well after the flood. However, there were certain default conditions as it were built into the slave spell. All could be countermanded, of course, but they existed unless that was done. The first was total unthinking obedience whether you wanted to or not, of course. The second was an automatic subservience to anyone who could order you around. One did not speak unless spoken to and one answered just what was demanded—and absolutely truthfully. You couldn't lie, cheat, or steal something from a controller unless told to do so, and like a planet in its orbit you needed your controller as the planet needed its sun. There was no running away. It simply was not an option.
was quite a walk, and, again, she couldn't have retraced it if she tried, nor did she figure out how the
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