“About four times too big.”
“Uh huh. What would you say ta a casino? I haven’t seen one yet that didn’t draw tourists by the droves.”
Vie expressed his admiration with a low whistle.
“You don’t think small, do you? I’m surprised you aren’t thinking of a way to make money off the grounds as well.”
“I can’t make up my mind between a golf course and an amusement park.” I said. “That can wait for a while until we see how the rest of this works out.”
Right about then, I noticed Vic babes had his cheaters off and was studyin’ me. Now, I’m used to bein’ stared at, but there was somethin’ kinda unsettlin’ about his expression that was outside the norm, if ya know what I mean. I waited for him ta speak his mind, but after a while the silence started gettin’ to me.
“What’re you lookin’ at me that way for. Young and Bloodthirsty? Did I grow another head sudden-like when I wasn’t lookin’?”
Instead of answerin’ right away, he just kept starin’ until I was thinkin’ a bustin’ him one just ta break the suspense.
“You know, Massha,” he said finally, “for-a-so-called apprentice, you’re pretty savvy. With the way you dress and talk it’s easy to overlook, but there’s quite a mind lurking behind all that mascara, isn’t there?”
Now if there’s one thing I have trouble handlin’ it’s praise . . . maybe ‘cause I don’t hear that much of it. To keep my embarrassment from bein’ too noticeable, I did what I always do and ducked behind a laugh.
“Don’t let the wrappin’ fool ya. Fangs. Remember, I used ta be an independent before I signed on with Skeeve’s gang. Magician for the city-state of Ta-hoe and then Veygus over on Jahk, that was me.”