The Bandalore - Pitch & Sickle Book One: (A Gaslamp Fantasy Series) (The Diabolus Chronicles 1) by D K Girl

Author:D K Girl [Girl, D K]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-02-25T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

The Atlas was closed. The morning had not yet given way to midday, and not a single patron graced the seats or slumped at the bar. Only the bartender, Kaneko, was in attendance, and when he looked up from his glass polishing, his face grew dark.

‘Mr Astaroth, back so soon?’

‘I simply cannot stay away from your pleasant self.’

Kaneko’s scowl deepened. ‘I’d be more pleasant if you did not insist on breaking my glasses every time you grace us with your presence.’

‘Well, Mr Talbot should not insist on accusing me of cheating every time we play cards. Your misfortune can be blamed on him.’

Kaneko gave a slight shake of his head and turned his attention to Silas, who hobbled across the room with the aid of a walking cane that Isaac had handed him as he struggled to step down from the carriage. Curiously, Silas’s injured ankle did not bother him nearly so much by the time they had made the journey from the cemetery to The Atlas, and he was very much gratified to learn he could dispense with Pitch’s assistance upon arrival, the cane being entirely adequate.

‘Mr Mercer,’ Kaneko said, ‘I must warn you, your choice of company may lead you into some trouble.’ He selected a pint glass and pulled an ale, the deep brown liquid frothing as it poured. Kaneko made no mention of the state of either Silas or Pitch. ‘He’s not one to waste your time with.’

‘Oh, do be a good tsukumogami and piss off.’

Pitch settled into one of the armchairs by the fire. Save for a missing pair of shoes he was, thankfully, now fully clothed. In the strangeness of things that Silas was fast becoming used to, the carriage Isaac fetched them in had held some items of clothing in a storage compartment, a pair of brown trousers and a light yellow shirt, all of which fit Pitch perfectly. Isaac had mumbled something about this being a common occurrence, the need to dress Mr Astaroth, and it was evident he thought little of the service. There had been a lack of shoes available though, so Pitch remained barefoot, but it was a welcome relief to see him shrug off the coat. Even if it did mean Silas was forced to endure a lurid show of flesh for far longer than necessary, whilst Pitch dressed in the confines of the cabin on their journey. Silas’s coat now lay waiting in the carriage for the return to Holly Village and Gilmore’s attentions. Sadly, there had been no emergency provision of clothing for Silas, and he stood now most uncomfortable. The mud had hardened distastefully upon his trousers, and down the length of his shirt.

Kaneko set down the pint of ale, doing so with enough gusto to send froth spilling down its sides. It was too early for such an indulgence, but with the bloody encounter still so fresh, Silas was not about to refuse.

‘Oh, thank you very much.’ Silas was quietly impressed that the bartender remembered his ale preference.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.