you’d be kind enough to give me a moment alone with
him, I intend to take at least some of it out of his hide.”
The badger’s smile widened. “Your pleasure is mine,
sir.” Again she snapped her fingers. The grizzly let out a
disappointed grunt, turned, and ducked back through the
doorway.
“Take your time, sir. If you need anything helpful—
acid, some thin wooden slivers, anything at all—the house
will be delighted to supply it.”
The door closed behind her. As soon as they were alone,
Jon-Tom began to search the room. There was only one
window, off to the left. He tried to open it, found it
wouldn’t budge.
” ‘Ere now, mate,” said Mudge, ambling over, “wot’s
the trouble? Just pay the old whore and let’s be gone from
‘ere.”
“It’s not that simple, Mudge. That money is from
Clothahump, to pay for our passage at least as far as
Snarken. And I lied about the amount. No way is there
two hundred and fifty there.”
Mudge took a step backward as Jon-Tom strove to
puzzle out the window. “Just a minute there, mate. Wot’s
that about payin’ our way? Snarken, you said? That’s all
the way across the Glittergeist, ain’t it?”
“That’s right.” Jon-Tom squinted at the jamb. “I think
this locks from the outside. Clever. Must be a way to
break through it.”
Mudge continued backing toward the bed. “Nice of you
to come lookin’ for me, mate, but I’m afraid I can’t go
with you. And you say ‘is wizardship is behind it?”
“That’s right. He’s sick and I have to go get him some
medicine.”
“Right. Give the old reptile me best wishes, and I ‘ope he