Jeanne G'Fellers - No Sister of Mine by Jeanne G'Fellers (the rosie project .txt) 📕

“That’s employed trollop to you.” Firman jerked her away before she could say more.

“Don’t overdo it.” He shut and barred the door behind her. “LaRenna, let me introduce you to Starnes Bane, owner of the Waterlead.”

Starnes frowned. “This little girl, this child is what the Kinship sends to stop their renegades?”

“Things are not always as they appear, Barman Bane.” LaRenna bowed a short greeting. “Rest assured, I’m qualified for this post. The Kinship would not have sent someone who isn’t.”

“Hmph.” Starnes snorted. “I don’t think one Autlach barmaid will have any impact.”

“Probably not.” LaRenna blinked hard. “But a Kimshee will.”

Starnes’s double chin dropped to his chest so fast it coaxed a laugh from Firman. “Amazing what a good dye job can do, isn’t it?” The big Autlach chuckled.

“I’d never of known.”

“That’s the intent,” said LaRenna. “I have to appear real enough so another Taelach won’t suspect me.” She noted a marked change in Starnes’s attitude since she had revealed her identity. He seemed to stand a little straighter, with renewed confidence. Were things really so bad? “Anything new happen since you met with Taelach Middle?”

“My father has taken a turn for the worse. He can’t eat anymore.”

“I’ve medicine with me. We’ll begin treatment this evening.”

Starnes’s tension reduced even more, permitting him to accomplish a short smile. “We’ve got to get back. If I’m gone too long, Cance will come hunting.”

LaRenna nodded then gave Firman a quick hug about the waist. “Thanks for the help.”

“Anytime,” he said, cupping his hand to her ear. “After all,” he whispered, “we’ll be seeing each other often.” He gave her another swift swat and unbarred the door. “Carefully, my friends. Much depends on your success.”

They departed the Hiring Hall from the rear, away from the prying eyes of the mouthy and unemployed. Starnes was only slightly taller than LaRenna, but his hurried pace forced her to jog. They made their way across the Commons and through a small ramshackle housing area. On the far side, he stopped and pointed ahead to a shabby two-story building just as old if not older than the Hiring Hall. “There it is.”

“Needs work.”

“Work?” exclaimed Starnes. “It needs to be leveled. I hate it.” He scratched his side and shrugged disconcertedly. “But I guess it’s a living.”

“Better than the Hiring Hall, I’m sure.”

Starnes grinned at her. “I suppose it is. So, you going to cover those gorgeous blue eyes of yours or not?”

“Yeah, right now.” LaRenna closed her eyes to replace the lenses. “Better?” She didn’t want to admit she had forgotten about their removal.

He still grinned at her.

“Something else wrong?”

“No.” Starnes’s smile spread all the way to his outward-turned ears. “Can I ask you something?”

LaRenna nodded, though she knew the question he was about to ask.

“Sorta short for a Taelach, aren’t you?”

Chapter Eighteen

He who aids the Taelach shall become as soulless as the blue-eyed witch, his misdeeds punished in the cleansing fires.

—from the text of The Raskhallak Stipulations

“I expected you to bring back a barman, Starnes, not a waif still smelling of the farm.” Cance watched LaRenna clean a corner table. “Was the selection at the Hiring Hall that pitiful or have you that desperate a need? Brandoff was perfectly willing to—”

“No, Cance, quite the opposite. She was the best the Hall had to offer skillwise.” Starnes averted her eyes as he restocked the bar. Cance rattled her empty glass against the counter until he slid a filled decanter to her.

“Good boy, Starnie, you’re learning.” She swiveled and lounged against the heavy glass counter to watch their new employee. “Best qualified, eh? I’ll be the judge of that. You, girl, let me see your worker’s card. I want to know your job history.”

LaRenna rose until she could see the other Taelach through the maze of chair bottoms and table bases. Cance stared back at her, mouth pursed as LaRenna whiningly objected. “Barman Starnes has seen the card.”

“I don’t give a damn what Barman Starnes has or hasn’t seen of you, though I suspect he already has seen quite a bit. He may be the owner, but I manage this establishment and I require your card. Bring it here.” LaRenna pulled the card from her skirt pocket and grudgingly offered it to Cance, who snatched with a scowl. “You want to work here, girl, you do as you’re told. Get it?”

“Yeah.” LaRenna turned back to her work.

“Hold on! Did I say you were excused?” Cance caught LaRenna’s leg with her foot, nearly causing her to fall. As it was, LaRenna fell to one knee, bashing her forehead on the nearest chair back. Cance laughed uproariously at the sight. “Clumsy! Stand straight and tell me where you’ve worked.”

“It’s on the card.” LaRenna rubbed at the small knot rising on her brow. It wasn’t a serious bump but enough to bruise her pride.

“Humor me.”

LaRenna rolled her eyes as she recited the list contained in the card’s small writing. Krell had been correct in insisting she memorize it. Cance was thorough. “I’ve worked at the Base Ender, the Downsider, and the Planetrise.”

“Uh-huh.” Cance read the card’s front then flipped it over and eyed LaRenna expectantly. “Tell me about your background.”

True to her disguise, LaRenna questioned Cance again, in a tone more whining than before. “Is this really necessary? Everything I’m saying is on the card. The Hiring Hall has verified it.”

“You’ll answer.” Cance’s Taelach drawl began leaching through. “Or find yourself whoring to get back into the hall.”

“If you must know, I’m from one of the farming compounds west of here. My father was in charge of the community stores, so I helped there until I took out on my own. Anything else?”

“By the look of you I’m sure you were thrown out, but I’ve no more questions. Not for now. Get back to work.” Cance flung the work card to the floor and poured a glass from the fresh crystal, watching with wistful interest as LaRenna bent to retrieve the card. The low cut of LaRenna’s frock