The Amulet of Samarkand
02/10/06 07:41:30
"I'll find another way," he muttered darkly. "Wait and see." "Ooh, I'm really scared," I said. "Watch me shiver." The kid was thinking hard. There were big gray bags under his eyes. Every time he made an incantation he wore himself out further, which suited me just fine. Some magicians have been known to drop dead simply from overexertion. It's a high-stress lifestyle they have, poor things. His thinking went on for a long time. I gave an ostentatious yawn and made a watch appear on my wrist so that I could glance at it wearily. "Why not ask the boss?" I suggested. "He'll help you out." "My master? You must be joking." "Not that old fool. The one who's directing you against Lovelace." The boy wrinkled his brow. "There's no one. I don't have a boss." Now it was my turn to look blank. "I'm acting on my own." I whistled. "You mean you really summoned me on your lonesome? Not bad... for a kid." I tried to sound suitably sycophantic. "Well then, let me give you a tip. The best thing now is for you to let me go. You need a rest. Have you looked in a mirror recently? One without an imp inside, I mean? There are worry lines there. Not good at your age. It'll be gray hairs next. What will you do then when you meet your first succubus?[5] Put her right off, it will." [5] Succubus: a seductively shaped djinni in female form. Oddly popular with male magicians.
I was talking too much, I knew, but I couldn't help it. I was worried. The kid was looking at me with a calculating expression that I didn't like. "Besides," I said, "with me gone, no one will know you have the Amulet. You'll be able to use it in complete secrecy. It's a precious commodity—everybody seems to want it. I didn't tell you before, but some girl tried to jump me for it when I was hanging around in town." The boy frowned. "What girl?" "Search me." I neglected to mention that this was pretty much what the girl had succeeded in doing. He shrugged. "It's Simon Lovelace I'm interested in," he said, almost to himself. "Not the Amulet. He humiliated me, and I'm going to destroy him for it." "Too much hate is bad for you," I ventured. "Why?" "Um..."
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