01 Dead Witch Walking by Harrison Kim

Author:Harrison, Kim [Kim, Harrison,]
Format: epub
Published: 2010-04-10T16:30:41.343000+00:00

Trent's eyebrows rose. "Ms. Morgan isn't in the position to harm anyone. Stop it."

Eyes going from one to the other, I watched the older man takeTrent 's rebuke with an acceptance I wouldn't have expected. The two had a very odd relationship.Trent was clearly in charge, but remembering the bother inTrent 's face when Jonathan expressed his disapproval ofTrent chewing his glasses, it seemed it hadn't always been so. I wondered if Jonathan had seen toTrent 's upbringing, however briefly, when his mother, and then his father, had died.

"Accept my apologies, Sa'han," Jonathan said, actually inclining his head.

Trentsaid nothing, returning to his papers. Though clearly dismissed, Jonathan waited untilTrent looked up. "Is there something else?"Trent asked.

"Your eight-thirty is early," he said. "Shall I accompany Mr. Percy back?"

"Percy!" I squeaked, andTrent glanced at me.Not Francis Percy !

"Yes,"Trent said slowly. "Please do."

Swell, I thought as Jonathan ducked into the hallway and eased the door shut behind him. Francis's interrupted interview. I paced the perimeter of my cage, nervous. My muscles were loosening, and the movement felt painfully good. I stopped as I realizedTrent hadn't taken his gaze off me. Under his questioning look, I slunk into my hut, ashamed somehow.

I foundTrent was still watching me as I curled my tail about myself, draping it across my nose to keep it warm. "Don't be angry with Jon," he said softly. "He takes his station seriouslyas he should. If you push him too far, he'll kill you. Let's hope you don't need to learn the same lesson he does."

I lifted my lip to show my teeth, not liking him giving me wise-old-man crap.

A whiny voice pulled both our attentions to the hallway. Francis. I had told him I could turn into a mink. If he made the right connection, I was as good as dead. Well, more dead than I was. I didn't want him to see me. Neither, apparently, didTrent .

"Mmmm, yes," he said, hastily getting up and shifting one of his floor plants to hide my cage. It was a peace lily, and I could see past its wide leaves and still stay hidden. There was a knock, andTrent called, "Come in."

"No, really," Francis was saying as Jonathan all but pushed him in.

From behind the plant, I watched Francis meetTrent 's eyes and swallow hard. "Uh, hello, Mr. Kalamack," he stammered, coming to an awkward standstill. He looked more unkempt than usual, one of his laces peeping out from under his pants almost undone, and his stubble having grown from potentially attractive to ugly. His black hair lay flat, and his squinty eyes had faint, tired lines at the corners. It was likely Francis hadn't been to bed yet, coming out for his interview atTrent 's convenience rather than the I.S.'s.

Trentsaid nothing. He went to sit, easing behind his desk with the relaxed tension of a predator settling in beside the water hole.

Francis glanced at Jonathan, his shoulders hunched. There was the sound of sliding polyester as he pushed up his jacket sleeves, then pulled them back down.

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