Home > Zaxe's Rule (Assassins of Gravas #4)(8)

Zaxe's Rule (Assassins of Gravas #4)(8)
Author: N.J. Walters

She shrugged, desperately trying to ignore the heady scent of his warm skin. It wasn’t the smell of sandalwood or citrus from soap. No, it was a natural male musk that made her want to bury her nose in the curve of his neck and inhale deeply.

“There are niceties to be followed.” That was just the way business was conducted here. She’d never really thought about it before but wondered what it must look like from an outsider’s point of view. Zaxe might look like a local, but he was a stranger here, unfamiliar with the customs.

The door swung open, and the guard stood back and swept his arm forward. “Reman will see you.”

 

 

Chapter Four

 


Zaxe had crawled through the underbelly of many planets in his lifetime, but he’d never experienced anything like this place. The natural stone walls were a rich cream color, as were the floors. This “back room” was illuminated by the glow of dozens of lanterns that hung from the ceiling. At first glance, they appeared to be oil lamps, but were actually solar powered. There must be panels on the roof. The lamps on the table were the real deal.

Half a dozen low tables were surrounded by thick, colorful pillows. Only one of them had men sitting at it. Like the patrons in the outer section, they were dressed in local garb. A far cry from the dirty and unkempt patrons that inhabited the bars he usually frequented in his searches. The men glanced in their direction before returning their attention to their private conversation.

On a slightly raised dais on the far end of the room sat a slender man with a trim beard and mustache. This must be Reman. He raised his hand in greeting. “Jamaeh, what brings you to my humble establishment?”

His greeting was pleasant enough, but there was cold calculation in his eyes. And the three guards around him looked more than capable of handling most problems that might arise.

What struck Zaxe the most was the lack of diversity. Everyone was dark skinned—except for Jamaeh. While her skin was brown, it was a much lighter shade. In every other bar he’d ever visited, there’d always been a motley group, representing every corner of the known galaxies.

Was it like this only in the Northern Territory or were the rest of them as closed to outsiders?

“And you brought a friend. Sit. Sit.” Reman indicated the cushions across from him. Neck itching at the thought of having his back to the room, Zaxe sat, making sure his cloak wouldn’t hinder him if he had to move suddenly. His battlesuit would halt a knife to the back, but nothing would stop a headshot.

“Reman, it’s been a while.” Jamaeh bowed slightly and took a seat, her movements graceful and feminine, in spite of the male garb she wore. To his mind, it seemed to emphasize it even more.

Their host studied him, trying to see past the hood that covered his face. “You must forgive me, but I don’t do business with men I can’t see.” The note of command in his tone made Zaxe smile.

He flowed to his feet and bowed. “I beg forgiveness for wasting your time.” He headed back toward the door. Jamaeh cursed under her breath and followed.

“What are you doing?” she whispered angrily.

“Making a point.” As he’d suspected would happen, a guard moved in front of the door to block them. Zaxe glanced over his shoulder. “Not very hospitable.”

The entire place went dead silent. Jamaeh sucked in a breath. “Oh, shit. What have you done?”

Since he hadn’t lived here since childhood, Zaxe had spent some time this afternoon delving into the customs of Zaxus to refresh his memory. A Zaxian male prided himself on his hospitality. To call it into question was to cast doubt on his honor.

“I’ve killed men for less.” Reman’s voice held a hint of anger.

“You have or have you had them killed?”

“It is the same.” He waved his hand in the air in front of him.

“No, it’s not.” Giving the man his back, Zaxe faced the guard. “Move.”

“You must sit until Reman is done speaking with you.” The guard pulled a knife and gestured back toward the table.

Quick as a snake, Zaxe struck the man in the throat, pulling the hit enough so it took him down without killing him. The big man dropped like a stone, clutching his neck. The knife clattered to the floor. There was a rush of feet behind him. He spun around but they weren’t going for him.

Jamaeh bowed toward Reman. “I’m sorry. I had no idea my client was so stubborn. I offer my apology. We will leave and I will never darken your door again.”

Shit, he was so used to acting on his own he hadn’t taken into account how this would affect her. It wasn’t easy to change decades of training.

Two of the guards had her by the arms and were dragging her back toward the table. He could take them all out, but not before they had a chance to hurt her. They shoved her down on a cushion. She wasn’t going anywhere until they allowed it.

Their host cocked an eyebrow. “Are you joining us?”

The threat was clear. What Reman didn’t know was that he was a dead man. Zaxe couldn’t leave the planet until he knew Jamaeh wouldn’t pay for his actions. His threat to her had sealed his fate.

Zaxe prowled across the room, stopping at the occupied table. “Get out.” The men didn’t waste any time. They simply ran. When the door slammed shut behind them, only their host and his guards remained.

“Now I’m doubly curious. Why the secrecy?” He waved to the cushion across from him as if he hadn’t threatened to kill Zaxe moments before. A waiter silently appeared, setting a bowl of figs and a bottle of wine on the table. He filled the lone goblet before disappearing out another door that likely led to a kitchen area.

Zaxe settled himself back on a cushion, making sure the hood of his cloak was still in place. “I don’t want the entire city knowing my business.” The guard he’d taken down was still writhing on the floor. “You should sit him up.” Zaxe motioned toward the man. “He’ll breathe easier.”

Reman waved his hand at one of his guards, and he immediately went to do his employer’s bidding. The injured man was propped up against a wall, and the guard returned to his position. Seemed Reman wasn’t much different from Helldrick and others like him. They ruled their small empires with an iron fist, and their men were expendable. Only this one hid his cruelty behind a façade of graciousness.

It made him worse in Zaxe’s eyes. At least the others didn’t pretend to be something they weren’t.

“Now you are questioning my integrity along with my hospitality. No one speaks of what goes on inside these walls. Not if they know what’s good for them.” He shook his head and sighed. “It’s a sad state of affairs. Don’t you agree?” he asked Jamaeh.

She inclined her head. “It is a sad state of affairs.” Her skin was pasty and a bead of sweat rolled down her temple, but she tilted her chin up and met their host’s gaze.

“Why did you bring him to my establishment?”

“Everyone knows that there is no better source of information in Badwa. You know everyone, are aware of everything that happens here.”

Reman stroked his beard and smiled. “True enough.”

The bastard was eating up the flattery. While Zaxe understood what she was doing, he didn’t like her pumping up this guy’s ego.

Hot Books
» House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1)
» A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire
» From Blood and Ash (Blood And Ash #1)
» A Million Kisses in Your Lifetime
» Deviant King (Royal Elite #1)
» Den of Vipers
» House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City #2)
» The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air #
» Sweet Temptation
» The Sweetest Oblivion (Made #1)
» Chasing Cassandra (The Ravenels #6)
» Wreck & Ruin
» Steel Princess (Royal Elite #2)
» Twisted Hate (Twisted #3)
» The Play (Briar U Book 3)