Dread Brass Shadows

Many of the races, and even some humans, prefer not to bury their dead. The reasons vary. For kobolds and some others burial supposedly leaves the dead the option of getting up and walking again. Or so they fear. For us humans expense is usually the major consideration. TunFaire is short on cemeteries. Burial ground is expensive.

The kobold took us to the kiln room. He shouted in his own language. More kobolds, likely family, popped up, threw coal into the kiln's firebox, pumped bellows furiously. In seconds waves of heat beat at us.

"You're going to burn it?" Winger asked.

"Going to chuck it in there and cremate it. Won't be anything left but slag." It gets hot in those kilns. Has to, to reduce bone.

The little folk shoveled coal and pumped. The whole place got toasty warm. Winger argued with herself. She wasn't much at hiding her thoughts. "Garrett... I got to go outside. I can't handle the smell." It was a bit thick in there but she just needed an excuse to remove herself from temptation. If she could stand herself, she could stand a crematorium.

Soon enough the old kobold told me the kiln was ready. I wrestled with myself a little, finally managed to pin the dark side of me long enough. I tossed the bundle in onto the rack were they usually parked the bodies. I leaned my nose against a mica porthole and watched.

Carla Lindo's pack burned quickly, exposing the book. First time I'd seen it. It was pretty much as described, big, thick, bound in leather that went fast Its brass pages started to curl.

I'm sure it was imagination. I don't know what else it might have been. But as those pages yielded to the fire I thought I heard tiny, distant screams. I thought I saw frantic shadows scurrying over the glowing coals.

48

I stepped out of the crematorium. "Well, that's the end of that" A young couple passing spared a wide-eyed look for a goof who carried on conversations with thin air. I clammed. Winger wasn't there. I hung around half a minute, probably looking as silly as I felt. Then I shrugged. What the hell? She had work to do, Chodo's plunder to pawn while the pawning was good.

Now what?

I figured my best bet was to go home and catch up on my sleep. So naturally I decided to punish myself a little by delaying gratification. I headed for the Tate compound.

It would be just a quick stop, just a minute to see how Ti

But they did let me inside. I did see Ti

I gave her a little peck on the lips, about ten minutes' worth, on account, and a grin for interest, and said, "I'll run all the way. Don't let me get too old before you..."

"You're already too old but I like you anyway I'll probably give in to my baser nature... You'd better scoot before Uncle Willard finds out you're here."

I scooted. I didn't exactly run home, but I didn't waste much time. People tell me I was humming. I went straight to bed.

Which is probably where I ought to stay, and say good-bye to ru