his jaw, and squeezes hard. Her lover makes a strange noise and backs away along the wall. “You are never to touch me in public,” Dancer says. “I’ve told you that.”
He nods as much as the pressure on his neck will allow.
“Haven’t I?” she asks in a low voice.
“Gyesh. Yesh, you have.”
“You are a convenience. An accessory. Do you understand?”
“Quite.” He tilts his head to one side, trying to relieve the pressure. “In the intresht of not doing any permanent damage, perhapsh you should let me go now.”
She releases him.
He rubs his neck and wiggles his fingers in his ears. “By Koba,” he says breathlessly. “You’re incredible.”
She smiles.
SIDE PASSAGE
“What do you suppose Thraso wants to talk to him about?” Amarantha asks.
“I think he’s telling him they’ve made him a lieutenant,” Second Son replies smoothly.
Amarantha has worked herself away from Second Son’s hand and is staying away by keeping a step ahead of him. She stops abruptly. “That’s wonderful!” she says.
“I understand it means a lot to him.”
“Oh, absolutely,” Amarantha says. “He thinks the Rakehells are the way to a big position in the Prime Medium. He wants to be rich and have a domus in the Chandelier.”
Second Son moves closer to her. “What do you want?” he asks.
Amarantha backs away reflexively. “I want whatever he wants.” But the truth is, she finds Cadell’s promotion very exciting. How jealous her friends will be when she tells them!
“This promotion will help,” Second Son says. “The Prime Medium looks to the Rakehells first when they want new blood.”
“But how did you know about the promotion?”
Second Son smiles strangely. “Well, actually, I had something to do with it.” His breath is heavy and moist.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, uh . . .” Second Son glances at a camera just around the corner. “Here. Step over here,” he says motioning her in the other direction.
She follows him around the corner. Suddenly she realizes they have wandered into one of the quiet side passages. Dust motes swim in beams of light from the narrow window.
“I asked my father to put in a good word for him.” Second Son’s breathing has grown more rapid. The pinions on his cloak bounce around him, casting comical shadows.
“Why?”
“I did it for you,” Second Son says. His hand darts out to grasp hers. “I thought maybe you might show me some appreciation.”
She pulls her hand away. Only a sudden sense of danger stops her from slapping him. “Is that what this is all about?” She realizes Second Son has positioned himself between her and the way they came in. Is it deliberate, or is she just being paranoid? “I told you to forget about me. Why don’t you listen?”
“How can I listen to those words when I want you so much?”
The look in his eyes — crafty and needy at the same time — makes anger bubble up inside her. “Is that supposed to be sweet talk, Hump? Because if it is, it’s pretty pathetic.”
He grabs her hand again, harder this time. His teeth show and his eyes form narrow slits. “Damn it, you can’t talk to me that way . . .”
“You inbred cretin!” She tries to pull her hand away again, but this time he won’t let go. “Don’t you understand I don’t want you?”
“You know, I told myself you’d say yes,” he says in a low voice, “but I think it’s actually better this way.”
Amarantha yanks her hand free and turns to run, but the way out is suddenly blocked by four young men in black and green uniforms. The emblem of the Orcus family, a stylized eye crossed by a sword, is embroidered on each man’s sleeve.
Second Son grips her shoulders and pushes her, so that she stumbles against the men. Two of them grab her arms and throw her against the wall. She struggles against their grips, but they are much bigger than she is. As her head hits the plastic, she looks upward briefly and notices something unusual.
He nods as much as the pressure on his neck will allow.
“Haven’t I?” she asks in a low voice.
“Gyesh. Yesh, you have.”
“You are a convenience. An accessory. Do you understand?”
“Quite.” He tilts his head to one side, trying to relieve the pressure. “In the intresht of not doing any permanent damage, perhapsh you should let me go now.”
She releases him.
He rubs his neck and wiggles his fingers in his ears. “By Koba,” he says breathlessly. “You’re incredible.”
She smiles.
SIDE PASSAGE
“What do you suppose Thraso wants to talk to him about?” Amarantha asks.
“I think he’s telling him they’ve made him a lieutenant,” Second Son replies smoothly.
Amarantha has worked herself away from Second Son’s hand and is staying away by keeping a step ahead of him. She stops abruptly. “That’s wonderful!” she says.
“I understand it means a lot to him.”
“Oh, absolutely,” Amarantha says. “He thinks the Rakehells are the way to a big position in the Prime Medium. He wants to be rich and have a domus in the Chandelier.”
Second Son moves closer to her. “What do you want?” he asks.
Amarantha backs away reflexively. “I want whatever he wants.” But the truth is, she finds Cadell’s promotion very exciting. How jealous her friends will be when she tells them!
“This promotion will help,” Second Son says. “The Prime Medium looks to the Rakehells first when they want new blood.”
“But how did you know about the promotion?”
Second Son smiles strangely. “Well, actually, I had something to do with it.” His breath is heavy and moist.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, uh . . .” Second Son glances at a camera just around the corner. “Here. Step over here,” he says motioning her in the other direction.
She follows him around the corner. Suddenly she realizes they have wandered into one of the quiet side passages. Dust motes swim in beams of light from the narrow window.
“I asked my father to put in a good word for him.” Second Son’s breathing has grown more rapid. The pinions on his cloak bounce around him, casting comical shadows.
“Why?”
“I did it for you,” Second Son says. His hand darts out to grasp hers. “I thought maybe you might show me some appreciation.”
She pulls her hand away. Only a sudden sense of danger stops her from slapping him. “Is that what this is all about?” She realizes Second Son has positioned himself between her and the way they came in. Is it deliberate, or is she just being paranoid? “I told you to forget about me. Why don’t you listen?”
“How can I listen to those words when I want you so much?”
The look in his eyes — crafty and needy at the same time — makes anger bubble up inside her. “Is that supposed to be sweet talk, Hump? Because if it is, it’s pretty pathetic.”
He grabs her hand again, harder this time. His teeth show and his eyes form narrow slits. “Damn it, you can’t talk to me that way . . .”
“You inbred cretin!” She tries to pull her hand away again, but this time he won’t let go. “Don’t you understand I don’t want you?”
“You know, I told myself you’d say yes,” he says in a low voice, “but I think it’s actually better this way.”
Amarantha yanks her hand free and turns to run, but the way out is suddenly blocked by four young men in black and green uniforms. The emblem of the Orcus family, a stylized eye crossed by a sword, is embroidered on each man’s sleeve.
Second Son grips her shoulders and pushes her, so that she stumbles against the men. Two of them grab her arms and throw her against the wall. She struggles against their grips, but they are much bigger than she is. As her head hits the plastic, she looks upward briefly and notices something unusual.
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