Heaving a deep sigh, I sprinted off after Aahz with Gleep lumbering along in hot pursuit.
I was just overtaking them when Aahz stopped suddenly in his tracks and started to turn. Unable to halt my headlong sprint, I plowed into him, knocking him sprawling.
“In a hurry, handsome?” Tanda asked, eyeing me slyly.
“Gee, Aahz,” I stammered, bending over him, “I didn’t mean to-“
From a half sitting position, his hand lashed out in a cuff that spun me halfway around.
“Watch where you’re going next time,” he growled.
“Gleep!” said the dragon and licked my face.
Either my head was spinning more than I thought, or I had been through this scene before.
“Now quit clowning around and listen, kid.”
Aahz was on his feet again, and all business.
“Here’s where we part company for a while. You wait here while I go haggle with the mercenaries.”
“Gee, Aahz,” I whined. “Can’t I-“
“No, you can’t!” he said firmly. “The crew I’m going after is sharp. All we need is one of your dumb questions in the middle of negotiations and they’ll triple their prices.”
“But-“ I began.
“You will wait here,” Aahz ordered. “I repeat, wait. No fights, no window shopping for dragons, just wait!”
“I’ll stay here with him, Aahz,” Tanda volunteered.
“Good,” Aahz nodded. “And try to keep him out of trouble, okay?”
With that, he turned and disappeared into the crowd. Actually, I wasn’t too disappointed. I mean, I would have liked to have gone with him, but I liked having some time alone with Tanda even more . . . that is, if you can consider standing in the middle of the Bazaar at Deva being alone with someone.