This weekend, however, my two watchdogs were off making their yearly report to Mob Central, leaving me to fend for myself. Obviously, before they left, they made me give my solemn promise to be careful. Also obviously, as soon as they were gone, I set out to do just the opposite.
Even aside from our percentage of the Mob’s take at the Bazaar, our magic business had been booming, so money was no problem. I filched a couple thousand in gold from petty cash and was all set to go on a spree when an invitation arrived to sit in on one of the Geek’s dragon poker games at this club, the Even-Odds.
As I said before, I know absolutely nothing about dragon poker other than the fact that at the end of a hand you have five cards face up and four face down.
Anything I’ve tried to get my partner, Aahz, to teach me more about the game, I’ve been lectured about “only playing games you know” and “don’t go looking for trouble.” Since I was already looking for mischief, the chance to defy both my bodyguards and my partner was too much to resist. I mean, I figured the worst that could happen was that I’d lose a couple thousand in gold. Right?
“You’re all overlooking something. This is the forty-third hand and Skeeve there is sitting in a chair facing north!”
I took my cue from the groans and better-censored expressions of disgust and raked in the pot.
“Say, Geek,” Grunk said, his red eyes glittering at me through half-lowered eyelids. “Are you sure this Skeeve fellow isn’t using magic?”
“Guaranteed,” responded the Deveel who was gathering the cards and shuffling for the next hand. “Any game I host here at the Even-Odds is monitored against magic and telepathy.”