Now I am not so far gone that I can’t spot a professional rebuke when I hear one.
“We didn’t like it, either,” I growl, “but the Boss ordered us not to go along with him and asked us to lend a hand here instead.”
Pookie thinks about this for a second, then gives a small nod.
“That explains a few things,” she sez, unthawin’ a little. “Skeeve’s being alone had me wondering about you two, but I guess you really didn’t have much choice in the matter.”
There is no reason why her approval should mean anything to me … but it does.
“So, you’re from Perv, huh?” I sez, tryin’ to prolong the conversation.
“She’s my cousin,” Aahz sez, and for the first rime I become aware that he is standin’ nearby.
In fact, the whole team is standin’ here, and I …
“Your cousin!” I sez, the words finally sinkin’ in.
“Don’t worry,” Pookie sez, givin’ me a small smile and a wink. “We aren’t at all alike.”
“Can you guys keep it down?” Tananda hisses at us. “I’m trying to eavesdrop on this!”
Wrenchin’ my attention away from Pookie, I finally start to focus in on what’s goin’ on.
We are still in the throne room, but the crowds are gone. In fact, the whole place … floor and balconies … are empty of people and guards except for us. Well, us and the Boss, who is sittin’ on the throne steps chattin’ with Queen Hemlock.
“… so everything was going pretty well, until Roddie caught some bug or other and died,” she is sayin’. “When I didn’t die, too, I realized those rings you gave us didn’t really link our lives … incidentally, I’d get my money back on those if I were you …”