already figured,” said Freddy. “Lodrán will open an office around ten, and we’ll phone the cops from there. Then we hightail it back to the booth and get ready to pack up the important stuff and evacuate.”
“There’s an outside chance that one of the staff will discover it before we make the call. What do we do if that happens?”
“I don’t see how it changes things much,” said Chelinn. “Either way, we can’t break camp without raising suspicion, until we get the evacuation order.”
“The thing that really worries me is what happens if we don’t get the order,” said Freddy. “What if the cops decide if it’s a hoax? Or if they have someone at the 911 place to make sure a call doesn’t go through? I ain’t gonna stay around to find out.”
“A fire would get everyone out,” said Chuck. “Too bad you can’t teach me a spell to start a fire, Chelinn.”
“It takes a certain temperament for a beginning mage to work Fire magic. Mine, for example.” Chelinn grinned. “Your temperament, I think, would be better suited to Air or Water spells. But given your technology, the Principle of Necessity would normally demand that you start fires in the usual manner.”
“If I hadn’t seen what I seen, I’d think y’all were just yappin’ about some game.” Freddy drained his mug.
“Normally,” Chuck agreed. “But this isn’t a normal circumstance, is it? Besides, someone carrying flammable materials through a crowded building would be remembered when the fire actually starts.”
“Hey!” said Annie, with Lodrán in tow. “Thanks for inviting me, I was gonna go find a fast-food joint.”
“No problem,” said Chuck. “What are you drinking?” He flagged down the waiter. “I think we all need a refill on our beers. No more shop talk, folks. Time for happy-babble!”
“A Cabernet for me.” Annie laughed. “Have you guys already ordered?” They nodded and she took a quick glance at the menu. “The Chicken Salad Oratorio looks good, especially since I ordered red wine.”
“Now there’s someone who has her priorities straight,” Chuck laughed. “Wine, then food!” Everyone, including Annie, joined the laughter.
The waiter brought their drinks. “Your entrees should be ready shortly,” he told them. “The salad won’t slow things down much, so we’ll bring them out together.”
“A toast.” Chelinn raised his freshened mug. “To friends well-met on a strange journey.”
“And to friends well-come in time of need!” Chuck matched Chelinn’s grin.
“I’ll drink to that!” said Annie, giving Lodrán a nudge. He smiled and drank with the others.
Some hours later, Lodrán and Annie tottered up a hotel hall, arms around each other. Annie laughed on occasion at their stumbles, while Lodrán tried to remember how the elevator worked and how he would find his way back to the exhibition hall. The style of dancing here was chaotic, but he did well enough to get a compliment from Annie. Not that it required much more than letting go of one’s inhibitions, and the drink made that simple. He’d not drank so much since that night he found himself peering into the chambers of Lord Tarchus’s daughter. He never could bring himself to break up that stolen necklace, more wealth than he could spend in a hundred years—
“Here we are,” said Annie, fumbling a small card out of her pants pocket. Lodrán watched as she inserted it in a slot above the door handle, then withdrew it. Lodrán heard a click, and she opened the door then gave him a hesitant smile. “You wanna come in?”
Lodrán looked down. “Annie, in… where I come from, if a woman invites a man into her chambers at night, it’s not to drink tea.” He looked at her and smiled. “But I’ve enjoyed our time together, and I wouldn’t mind extending it a few more hours.”
“It’s not all that different here,” she said. “I usually don’t do this, but you’ve been nice and… well, I don’t get
“There’s an outside chance that one of the staff will discover it before we make the call. What do we do if that happens?”
“I don’t see how it changes things much,” said Chelinn. “Either way, we can’t break camp without raising suspicion, until we get the evacuation order.”
“The thing that really worries me is what happens if we don’t get the order,” said Freddy. “What if the cops decide if it’s a hoax? Or if they have someone at the 911 place to make sure a call doesn’t go through? I ain’t gonna stay around to find out.”
“A fire would get everyone out,” said Chuck. “Too bad you can’t teach me a spell to start a fire, Chelinn.”
“It takes a certain temperament for a beginning mage to work Fire magic. Mine, for example.” Chelinn grinned. “Your temperament, I think, would be better suited to Air or Water spells. But given your technology, the Principle of Necessity would normally demand that you start fires in the usual manner.”
“If I hadn’t seen what I seen, I’d think y’all were just yappin’ about some game.” Freddy drained his mug.
“Normally,” Chuck agreed. “But this isn’t a normal circumstance, is it? Besides, someone carrying flammable materials through a crowded building would be remembered when the fire actually starts.”
“Hey!” said Annie, with Lodrán in tow. “Thanks for inviting me, I was gonna go find a fast-food joint.”
“No problem,” said Chuck. “What are you drinking?” He flagged down the waiter. “I think we all need a refill on our beers. No more shop talk, folks. Time for happy-babble!”
“A Cabernet for me.” Annie laughed. “Have you guys already ordered?” They nodded and she took a quick glance at the menu. “The Chicken Salad Oratorio looks good, especially since I ordered red wine.”
“Now there’s someone who has her priorities straight,” Chuck laughed. “Wine, then food!” Everyone, including Annie, joined the laughter.
The waiter brought their drinks. “Your entrees should be ready shortly,” he told them. “The salad won’t slow things down much, so we’ll bring them out together.”
“A toast.” Chelinn raised his freshened mug. “To friends well-met on a strange journey.”
“And to friends well-come in time of need!” Chuck matched Chelinn’s grin.
“I’ll drink to that!” said Annie, giving Lodrán a nudge. He smiled and drank with the others.
Some hours later, Lodrán and Annie tottered up a hotel hall, arms around each other. Annie laughed on occasion at their stumbles, while Lodrán tried to remember how the elevator worked and how he would find his way back to the exhibition hall. The style of dancing here was chaotic, but he did well enough to get a compliment from Annie. Not that it required much more than letting go of one’s inhibitions, and the drink made that simple. He’d not drank so much since that night he found himself peering into the chambers of Lord Tarchus’s daughter. He never could bring himself to break up that stolen necklace, more wealth than he could spend in a hundred years—
“Here we are,” said Annie, fumbling a small card out of her pants pocket. Lodrán watched as she inserted it in a slot above the door handle, then withdrew it. Lodrán heard a click, and she opened the door then gave him a hesitant smile. “You wanna come in?”
Lodrán looked down. “Annie, in… where I come from, if a woman invites a man into her chambers at night, it’s not to drink tea.” He looked at her and smiled. “But I’ve enjoyed our time together, and I wouldn’t mind extending it a few more hours.”
“It’s not all that different here,” she said. “I usually don’t do this, but you’ve been nice and… well, I don’t get
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