House of Cards

"I don't need poetry, Janx. Just tell me what you want."

"Humans," Janx said without distress. "So demanding, so shortsighted. You want everything so quickly. You must learn patience, my dear. It would stand you well in dealing with the Old Races."

"Janx, you've got a hundred of my lifetimes to look forward to. I've got threescore years and ten. Maybe that's why I don't want to waste time with you flirting around the subject."

"Margrit." Janx turned the corners of his mouth down, a picture of injured feelings. "I'm not flirting." Charm and lightheadedness slid from his eyes, cooling their color. "I'm trying to soften the blow."

She braced, as if what happened next might be a physical attack. Jade glinted through Janx's eyes again, a smile playing over thin lips. "I do like that about you, Margrit Knight. You transform fear into defiance so quickly. Does it cost you?" He dismissed the question as easily as he asked it, brushing it away with long fingers. "Vanessa Gray was Daisani's right hand for over a century, but she was only human. Forgive me,"he said with an upward dance of his eyebrows, "but from our perspective you are-"

"Pawns,"Margrit said flatly. "Easily played and easily discarded, just like your lieutenants. I get it, Janx. What do you want from me?"

"Malik is my right-hand man."

Margrit stared at the dragonlord without comprehension, then came to her feet, shoulders rising with tension. "Malik's one of you. Dji

"Eliseo Daisani will hardly fail to avenge his lover of thirteen

(decades over something as desperately irrelevant as race or exile. I have no proof that he's behind these murders, and he's hardly going to provide it. Nor will he be so clumsy as to leave a trail back to him In Malik's case."

"If he was going to, why wait? It's been months."

"I believe a tool for revenge has only recently arrived." Janx's voice went quieter yet, a song in its softness. "The dji

Margrit spread her hands, then slowly closed them, grasping understanding. "The selkies. Water creatures." Surety filled the guess, and Janx's brief smile confirmed it. "I thought there weren't any left."

"Margrit. Don't be disingenuous with me."

"Well, that's what everybody keeps telling me. I met one, but she disappeared. I didn't think there were enough left worth mentioning. I thought that was the whole thing about them. They crossbred with humans and died out. What's that got to do with Malik? What's it got to do with me?"

"You don't know." Amusement washed through Janx's expression as he approached her, leaning against the table and folding his arms over his chest. "That's lovely. Margrit, my dear, all I care about is that I believe Malik's assassination is in the making. I expect you to stop it."

CHAPTER 5

Margrit's laughter shot high, hurting her throat."Me? I'd just as soon stick a needle in my eye, Janx. Or better yet, in his."

"I know." Janx beamed. "That's what makes it a favor. Isn't it wonderful?" Delight leached out of his mercurial voice, leaving it heavy. "I could make this a demand, Margrit, not a favor. Be grateful I'm inclined to play fairly."

"Is that a dragonly trait?" Margrit asked tightly. "Does your hoard only shine properly if it's gotten through fair trade?"

"Not at all. But jewels, once obtained, must be treated with care so their gloss remains unmarred."

Another laugh broke free, horror mixed with shock. "Am I a jewel in your hoard?"

"Be grateful that you are not gold, my dear. Gold is soft, and easily-distorted." Before the threat settled in her bones, Janx went on, voice light and casual, though the words carried weight. "Jewels crack under pressure, but retain their heart until shattered. I've made Malik's life your responsibility, and you can't refuse me."

"How exactly do you expect me to keep him alive?"

His beatific smile darted back into place, lighting his eyes. "That's not my problem, is it? Consider yourself fortunate. As a human, you have no constraints on what you might or must do to ensure his survival. Not, at least, in regards to the Old Races, and our lives are lived enough in shadow that I think human justice will never see any transgressions you may be forced to commit in my service."

"What-"Margrit's voice broke and she swallowed, clearing disbelief and fear away. Her blood raced until she itched with it. Aching feet or not, the impulse to bolt into action, to run as far and fast as she could, was barely held in check. "What do you expect me to do?"

"Whatever is necessary, my dear. Whatever is necessary. Malik will be your constant companion-"

"Like hell." Margrit stood, painfully aware the heaviness of the action was nothing like Janx's fluid movements. "Like hell. Absolutely not. I will not have him following me around. For one thing, I can't do my job with a minor gang lord hovering over me. It'd ruin my career. For another, Malik hates me."

"You had the nerve to put him in his place, Margrit."

"And I'd do it again. That's not the point. I'm not exposing myself to his presence. You might order him to leave me alone, but if he disobeys-"

It might be hard on him, but it'll be infinitely worse for you. I believe you've used that argument in the past. Refusing me may be just as bad for you as Malik's company."

"I can live with that." Margrit set her teeth together, then beat Janx to the punch:"Or not. I'll..."Her hands cramped and she looked down, to see them fisted so tightly that, unfolded, they showed nail marks in her palms. She watched the half-moons change from white to red, using the changes as a timer with which to gauge her own temper. Only when they'd returned to her natural color did she trust that her thoughts were under control again, rational thinking overcoming blunt panic. She raised her eyes to find Janx with his feet kicked up on the table, fingers steepled in front of his mouth as if to hide the smirk that shaped his lips.

"Two things," she grated. "First, forget the whole favor-owed thing for a minute. I will not have somebody like Malik following me around. If you want me under a death sentence, carry it out yourself, Janx. Do me that much honor, at least." Her pulse slowed in her throat as she met Janx's gaze, fatalism outweighing fear.

He folded his fingers down until only one remained pressed against his pursed lips as if he'd whisper, "Shh." After a moment his eyes lidded, catlike, so slowly Margrit couldn't be sure if she saw a subtle nod accompanying the action. He curved his finger down over his chin, then did nod, another small motion. "If it comes to that, perhaps I will. But how do you propose to keep Malik safe if he isn't at your side?"

"How do you think I propose to keep him safe even if he is?" Margrit asked incredulously. "The second thing is I don't know what the hell you know that I don't, but you'd better fill me in, starting at the begi

"What few of them may be left are already exiled. The selkies, as a people, have nothing to lose. Imagine you're one of the very last of a dying race, Margrit. Imagine you're a young mother with a child, and what you might do to protect that child. And imagine what incentives a man like Eliseo Daisani might be able to offer you to shatter one last taboo."

"You can't possibly think Daisani's going to send Cara Delaney after Malik. Cara's-" Margrit broke off, remembering the fragile selkie girl's huge dark eyes and shivering fear. That was the impression that haunted her when she thought of Cara, but the girl had shown an unexpected strength, too, the last time they'd spoken. "If Daisani'd gotten his hands on her, he wouldn't have given me back her selkie skin,"she said, trying the argument out on herself.