Read Ketty Jay 04 - The Ace of Skulls for Free Online Page A

He shrugged. ‘Safe. Not like safe safe, I mean, we were at war, right? But safe like home. Everything in its place and you knew what you had to do and you knew who everyone was and they knew you.’
    He took a quick sip from his flagon and nodded to himself. ‘Yeah. Safe. That’s what it was.’
    Crake was staring at Ashua in amazement. ‘You know he’s never spoken that much about anything, ever?’
    ‘Maybe you never bothered asking?’ she said cheerily. She felt rather pleased with herself. No one paid attention to Harkins, except Pinn, who tormented him. Ashua had an affinity for outsiders and underdogs, especially when she’d had a few.
    She slapped Harkins on the shoulder and for once he didn’t flinch. ‘Harkins, your idea of happiness sounds like my worst nightmare, but I’ll drink to it anyway.’
    They all raised their mugs, and afterwards Harkins looked a little bewildered. But he was smiling, and none of them saw that too often.
    She left Harkins with Crake and went to relieve herself, swaying a little as she wound her way through the crowded room. She was feeling good, still on a high from last night’s victory, and there was nothing to concern her in the future. Life on the Ketty Jay had turned out better than expected. She’d bargained her way on board in order to evade her enemies, but she’d always intended to leave when the moment was right. These days, she wondered if she really wanted to.
    They were a good lot, in all. She was fond of Malvery and liked Crake, and the others were a decent bunch too, even the Cap’n. She’d pegged him as a bit of a sleaze when they first met, but to her surprise he hadn’t made any advances on her since she’d joined. In fact, she’d warmed to him as a person, against her better instincts.
    Careful , she told herself. Don’t get too attached to this crew. You know what’ll happen, sooner or later. What always happens.
    Ashua was used to looking out for herself. It was how she’d survived as an orphan child on the bomb-torn streets of Rabban. She made alliances when it suited her and ducked out when things got rough. The only one she’d ever put her trust in was Maddeus Brink, a dissolute aristocrat and drug dealer who’d adopted her in a fit of drunken charity. He’d been like a father to her for many years until, with characteristic callousness, he exiled her from his home and sent her out on her own again.
    She learned her lesson from that.
    Maddeus , she thought, and a heavy sadness came upon her. Maddeus, rotting in the heat of Shasiith, his poisoned blood killing him slowly as he passed his last weeks in a narcotic haze. Was he dead now? Perhaps. But he’d made his wishes clear, and she had enough respect for him to keep away. Besides, he’d sent her out of Shasiith for her own safety; she wasn’t foolish enough to go back.
    Respectable ladies might have found the toilet of the Broken Anchor disgusting, but it took a lot to disgust Ashua. When she was done, she pushed her way out and back into the noisy bar.
    ‘Ashua Vode?’ said a voice by her side.
    She had her pistol out and pressed into the man’s belly in half a heartbeat. Being recognised was rarely good, in her experience.
    She didn’t know him. He had a plain, nondescript face, folded and rucked with middle age. But it was his scent that alarmed her. A smoky, woody blend of spices and blossoms. The kind of smell that often clung to rich Samarlan merchants.
    It was a smell from Shasiith, from her past. And that meant trouble.
    ‘I’m no enemy, Miss Vode,’ said the man, calmly. She was standing close to him, her body concealing the weapon in her hand. The other patrons of the bar were oblivious.
    ‘I’ll decide that,’ she said.
    ‘I bring news. Jakeley Screed is dead.’
    ‘That’s a lie.’
    ‘I assure you it’s not.’
    ‘Then who are you?’
    ‘My name is Bargo Ocken. You remember Dager Toyle, of course?’
    ‘Of course. I also remember that Screed killed him.