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work here as it is very important and I simply don't have the time to
make chitchat-"
"You had some visitors this morning, " the man said casually. "Three
guys, wasn't it?"
"And what if I did?" Gilbenstock retorted.
The man didn't answer right away. Instead, he stepped closer to the
Iron Dragon and rubbed a thumb over a black-painted pipe that ran along
the top of the upper wheel housing. "They give you their names?"
"Unlike some people, they... " A nasty remark died on Gilbenstock's
lips as he realized to his amazement that the three men had not given
out their names, nor had Gilbenstock remembered to ask for them. "I
won't say, " the gnome finished. "What business could something like
that possibly be of yours, anyway?"
"Well... let's say that, in a way, those three guys and I, we're in the
same business. We're looking for things. Maybe I'm a little curious
about what they're looking for. For personal reasons. "
The man leaned against the wheel housing, then suddenly looked down at
Gilbenstock in a way that was almost friendly. "You run a mining
business, right?"
If I were bigger, the gnome thought, I'd punch him right in the nose
and throw him out the door with one hand. His fists clenched
helplessly. If I were only bigger....
"Right?" prompted the man again, eyebrow raised.
"Yes, " growled the gnome.
The man smiled. "They want you to dig something up for them?"
"That, " Gilbenstock said slowly, "is between my customers and myself.
"
"Huh. " The man's gaze lifted, and he stared into space at a secret
thought. "Maybe. " He thought for a moment more, then looked to the
side at the silent bulk of the Iron Dragon. "You taking the job?"
"I said, that is between my customers and myself, and you are hardly
better than a goblin in your manners. "
The man stopped chewing his gum. His smile faded. He shook his head
almost sadly as he exhaled through his nose and looked down at the
gnome with cold, empty eyes.
Gilbenstock stopped breathing. His anger melted in the fear that he'd
gone too far. He stepped back with a sudden awareness of his physical
limitations.
A few long seconds passed. Quietly, the man reached for something under
his overcoat. He pulled the object into view without hurry.
The cool overhead lights gleamed off the surface of a polished steel
blade, an oversized hunter's knife with a single cutting edge and deep
blood grooves, virtually a sword to Gilbenstock. Red runes decorated
the steel. The gnome's stomach knotted in an instant. I've got to run,
he thought wildly. I've got to get out of here. To his horror, he was
paralyzed with fear, unable to do anything but stare.
The human lifted the hunting knife and began to scrape at the paint on
the pipe of the Iron Dragon, rubbing the flakes away with his fingers.
After scraping away an area about a foot long and a half-inch wide, he
nodded as if satisfied with his inspection.
"Nice job, " he said, letting his knife hand drop. The huge blade
pointed down at Gilbenstock's feet. "Guess I'd better be going and let
you get back to your work. "
Gilbenstock said nothing, unable to take his gaze away from the knife.
The man smiled faintly and nodded, then turned and walked toward the
double doors. He had almost reached them when he turned around. The
knife was gone.
"Oh, you know, I was just thinking, " the human said. "If your
customers were to know about me, it might be a bad thing all around. I
wouldn't mention this nice little chat of ours to them if I were you. "
He waited just long enough to make sure the gnome had gotten the
message, then pushed open the doors and left. As he did, he looked back
at the gnome and winked. Then he was gone.
It took a while for Gilbenstock to realize that the sun was shining
outside through the clouds. He heard the street traffic picking up, the
sounds of hooves clopping and wagons rattling over the cobblestones.
After a couple of minutes, he worked up the nerve to walk to the door
and look up and down the street.
There was no sign of the human.
Gilbenstock pulled the door shut, dropped a heavy bolt into place, then
pulled a chain across the double doors.
Passersby noticed there was no sound at all from the warehouse, which
was usually quite noisy whenever the gnome was inside.
* * * * *
Trusty Squib was put in charge of making the hors d'oeuvres for the
evening's meal, when the three men were to return to sign the contracts
and clarify their mission for Gilbenstock. The gnome knew perfectly
well that Squib's idea of edible fare did not match anyone's but
another gully dwarf's, but he also trusted Squib to quickly get lost in
Palanthas on his shopping spree, as he always did. This would give the
gnome and his customers a few minutes of peace to discuss the mission.
If Squib returned early, Gilbenstock could always generously allow the
gully dwarf to eat his own cooking (by himself in the kitchen with the
door closed, of course).
The three humans arrived at sunset. They hadn't bothered to comb their
hair or straighten their outfits, but such niceties meant little to
Gilbenstock, who welcomed them in and got them seated in short order.
"Yes, " sighed Gilbenstock, "I must say it's been quite a day since you
dropped in on me this morning, Mister um... "
The three men nodded in unison.
"Uh, " mumbled Gilbenstock to the red-bearded man, who was nearest.
"I'm dreadfully afraid that I've forgotten to ask your names. "
Comprehension dawned in the man's face. "Harbis, " he said. "Harbis my
name is. "
The other two men looked surprised, then responded as well.
"Klarmun, " said the big blond.
"Skort, " said the tall one.
Gilbenstock was flooded with relief. "My, " he said, "I can't tell you
how good it is to meet people who are polite enough to give you their
names, unlike some people I know. " He was on the verge of saying more
when the memory of the hunting knife came back. "Would you like some [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]