Blacker than Black by Etzweiler Rhi

Author:Etzweiler, Rhi [Etzweiler, Rhi]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Published: 2012-01-20T16:00:00+00:00

“Monsieur Garthelle awaits your presence in the parlor, if you will follow me?” The butler’s icy gaze seems blind as he bows in a smooth, precisely measured movement and swivels to lead us through the maze of Dragulhaven.

His every footstep lands with obsessive precision on the tiled marble floor. I bet if I measure, his tread would be perfectly centered in each square.

Slightly compulsive. As are the placement of ancient urns, whose locations appear haphazard. Far from it, I’m certain. I wonder what would happen if I moved them, at random, an inch or so out of position?

Laughter tries to bubble up again.

Sure as hell beats obsessing over the fact that even though I’m descending into the viper pits, I still can’t sense a single snake. I spend the next few moments mentally stringing together a colorful collection of expletives to suit the occasion, until I’m left with no recourse but to begin reusing some.

“I’m feeling the urge to detour, I think.” Jhez doesn’t take the news of my inspiration very well, and even the butler striding ahead of us falters.

“To where, exactly?” Is that a hint of resignation? Or curiosity? My sister has the inquisitiveness of a cat, most days. Maybe she’s off her game a little. Or maybe, like me, walking through the heart of lyche society just doesn’t sit well with her strong sense of self-preservation. Can’t blame her, there. She should try doing it sense-blind.

“You remember Desmonde from that first night, I’m sure. There weren’t any good vibes going on there between her and Soiphe.”

“She refused to be available when we were there yesterday, what makes you think she’s going to make a greater effort at any point in the near future?” Jhez laces her question with disdain the way an assassin would lace their victim’s food with arsenic.

“Difficult to make yourself unavailable when you’re given no forewarning of invasion.”

“So we just don’t knock?”

I grin at her and catch the butler staring back at us over his shoulder. Slightly unprofessional, the wicked twist at the corner of his mouth. But he diverts down a side hallway without missing a beat, and I’ve no doubt where he’s leading us.

“Something tells me Garthelle will be more explicit with the details of his requests for the foreseeable future.” Jhez is more amused than concerned, judging by the giggle of laughter she lets slip out.

“Indeed,” the butler assures her in a dramatically mournful tone. “That only makes circumventing him a greater challenge though.”

“I usually enjoy a good challenge.” Leonard’s butler is a man after my own heart. A pleasant surprise. And it’s a wonderful feeling to have an ally in this place. Not that it’ll get us very far, but I’m not about to complain—allies are in short supply here, where every lyche would as soon fin tap us as look at us. Never mind listen to the words that come out of our mouths. Which seriously makes me wonder what I’m planning to accomplish, confronting a decidedly hostile lyche on her own territory.

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