“Yes I did,” I snarled at him. “Wouldn’t you, considering the circumstances?”
“Oh, yes … of course. . . .” He darted a nervous glance at Aahz and lapsed into respectful silence again.
“Anyway,” Aahz continued, “it occurred to me I owed this fellow Isstvan a favor for ridding me of a nagging nuisance, so I suggested I accompany Throckwoddle back to his employer that I might offer him my services, on a limited basis, of course.”
“You could have waited for us.” Brockhurst glowered at me.
“Well… I wanted… you see… I….”
“I insisted,” Aahz smiled. “You see, my time is quite valuable and I had no desire to waste it waiting around.”
“Oh,” said Brockhurst.
Higgens was not so easily swayed.
“You could have left us a message,” he muttered.
“We did,” Aahz replied. “My ring, in full view on the table. I see you found it.”
He pointed an accusing finger at Brockhurst. I noticed for the first time the Imp was wearing Garkin’s ring.
“This ring?” Brockhurst started. “Is it yours? I thought it was part of Garkin’s loot that had been overlooked.”
“Yes, it’s mine.” Aahz bared his teeth. “I’m surprised you didn’t recognize it. But now that we’re united, you will, of course, return it.”
“Certainly!” the Imp fumbled in his haste to remove the ring.
“Careful there,” Aahz cautioned. “You know how to operate it, don’t you? It can be dangerous in ignorant hands.”
“Of course I know how to operate it,” Brockhurst replied in an injured tone. “You press against the ring with the fingers on either side of it. I saw one like it at the Bazaar on Deva once.”