Another Fine Myth by Robert Asprin

“Of course. I’ll get it for you.” •

The Deveel started to rise, only to find Aahz’s knife threatening him again.

“Don’t trouble yourself, Frumple, old boy,” Aahz smiled. “Just point out where they are and we’ll fetch them ourselves . .. and keep your hands where I can see them.”

“The . . . your things are over there … in the big chest against the wall,” Frumple’s eyes never left the knife as he spoke.

“Check it out, kid.”

I did and, surprisingly, the items were exactly where the Deveel said they would be. There was, however, an intriguing collection of other strange items in the chest also.

“Hey, Aahz!” I called. “Take a look at this!”

“Sure, kid.”

He backed across the shop to join me. As he did, he flipped the knife into what I now recognized as a throwing grip. Apparently Frumple recognized it too, because he stayed frozen in position.

“Well, what have we here?” Aahz chortled.

“Gentlemen,” the Deveel called plaintively. “I could probably help you better if I knew what you needed.”

“True enough,” Aahz responded, reclaiming his weapons.

“Frumple, it occurs to me we haven’t been completely open with you. That will have to be corrected if we’re going to be allies.”

“Wait a minute, Aahz,” I interrupted. “What makes you think we can trust him after he’s tried so hard to get us killed?”

“Simple, kid. He tried to get us killed to protect himself, right?”

“Well. …”

“So once we explain it’s in his own self-interest to help us, he should be completely trustworthy.”

“Really?” I sneered.

“Well, as trustworthy as any Deveel can be,” Aahz admitted.