Another Fine Myth by Robert Asprin

Aahz ignored their stares and plopped down again at his place by the fire.

“Now that that’s established, why don’t you put away those silly crossbows and sit down so we can chat like civilized folk. eh?”

He gestured impatiently and they hastened to comply.

I also resumed a sitting position, not wishing to be the only one left standing. “But. .. what are . .. why are you here … sir … if you don’t mind my asking?” Brockhurst finally managed to get the whole question out.

However incompetent he might be as a demon, he sure knew how to grovel.

“Ah!” smiled Aahz. “Therein lies the story.”

I settled back. This could take a while.

“I was summoned across the dimensions barrier by one Garkin, a magician I have never cared much for. It seems he was expecting some trouble from a rival and was eager to enlist my aid for the upcoming fracas. Now, as I said before, I had never been fond of Garkin and was not particularly wild about joining him. He began growing unpleasant in his insistence to the point that I considered swaying from my normal easygoing nature to take action against him, when who should appear but Throckwoddle here who did me the favor of putting a quarrel into the old slime-stirrer.”

Aahz acknowledged me with an airy wave. I tried to look modest.

“Naturally we fell to chatting afterward, and he mentioned he was in the employment of one Isstvan and that his action against Garkin had been part of an assignment.”

“You answered questions about an assignment?” Higgens turned to me aghast.