Read Lisa Shearin - Raine Benares 01 for Free Online Page A

Rude Parrot. They live for this sort of thing.”
    I
nodded. I agreed with him, to a point. The goblins with Sarad Nukpana were
professional killers; Tanik’s crew just did it for fun. There was a difference.
Whether Phaelan could get back in time with Tanik and his merry band of
cutthroats was one thing, whether they would be able to keep Quentin from being
killed or worse was quite another.
    “You
took your time joining us, Master Rand,” Nukpana told Quentin. His dark eyes
regarded the dead broker gently swaying from the beam overhead. “Apparently the
late Master Stocken tired of waiting for you.”
    “So
you killed him,” Quentin said flatly.
    Nukpana
smiled as if he knew the punchline to a private joke. “Master Stocken was
already dancing on air when I arrived.”
    “To
do what?”
    “Inquire
about a box you recently acquired from a certain nachtmagus.”
    Quentin
didn’t miss a beat. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    “Considering
the difficulty you had stealing it, I wouldn’t think you would have forgotten
so soon. My guards remember you”—Nukpana’s smile vanished—“and your friends. If
you need help jogging your memory, a few hours staked out on the edge of the
Daith Swamp should suffice. I do have a little time at my disposal this
evening. I’m certain the bog beetles would appreciate dining on something
besides dead fish.”
    Quentin
said nothing. But my mind was racing. Quentin was terrified, but not nearly
terrified enough. He had no clue who and what Sarad Nukpana was, and for once I
was grateful for Quentin’s ignorance. Why Nukpana wanted the amulet could wait,
for now. What I needed to know was how to keep Quentin from getting himself
killed in one of the many interesting ways only someone of Nukpana’s ability
and perversions could devise. I was feeling outnumbered. For the moment, the
best thing I could do for Quentin was to sit quietly, not knock anything over,
and wait. Either for Phaelan and friends to return and give me the diversion I
needed to grab Quentin and run, or for an opening that had yet to present
itself. It wouldn’t help Quentin to get myself killed, and it wouldn’t do much
for me either.
    Quentin
remained silent.
    “Tell
me more about your friends,” Nukpana asked in a quiet voice.
    “What’s
in it for me? You’ll kill me faster?”
    The
goblin smiled, a glimmer of fang peeking into view. Quentin swallowed.
    Nukpana
moved slowly towards him, the only sound the sibilant rustle of his robes.
“I’ve always held the opinion that anything worth doing is worth doing
correctly. From time to time, some of the gentlemen here have the challenge of
extracting information. Even though I provide careful instruction to my guards,
the new ones do it rather sloppily. It’s unfortunate, but expected in those
with little experience. Information that dies with its owner is of no use to
me. Practice does make perfect.”
    The
goblin stopped, his face mere inches from Quentin’s own. “I have no doubt you
will tell me all I want to know,” he murmured. “Eventually. You’re here to deliver
the box to Master Stocken, who would in turn collect payment from his client.
The client would then take possession of his new purchase. You do remember how
it works in polite criminal circles, little thief?”
    Nukpana
was closer to where I was, but not nearly close enough for me to stick
something sharp through him.
    “I am
that client,” he said. “And I have paid Master Stocken in full.” The smile
vanished. “I want my property. Disarm him. Completely. Then bring me the box.”
He turned to leave the circle, then paused. “On second thought, if he resists,
just kill him.”
    Four
temple guards moved to act on Nukpana’s orders.
    Then
a lot of things happened at once.
    I
heard a familiar whistle and thump, and one of the guards holding Quentin
looked down in surprise at the crossbow bolt that had just bloomed from his
chest. The goblin pitched forward to the