Page 88 of Sky Song
Zaron’s eyes gleamed with humor. “It’s good, honest money.”
She had objections about the honest part. “That’s not the point. Lyle isn’t a fighter. They took him for a punching bag, Zaron. You and your outfit should be ashamed.”
He laughed. “There’s nothing I am ashamed of if it can bring me money, little one.”
“Please don’t call me that. I’m taller than you by at least two inches.”
Ironically, the barb hit its mark, and Zaron pursed his lips. “The Rix is a grown man and he agreed to the offer.”
“Theoffer?” Cricket was outraged.
“He could have said no. Right, Paloma-bird?”
Paloma squinted in a sort of an affirmation as she sucked in more ale.
“See? He didn’t, so he’s going into the ring.”
“But you can call it off, can’t you?”
“I will do no such thing. Folks will get disappointed, and customer disappointment is bad for business. Tell you what, how about we all go watch it?”
He took Cricket aback. She hadn't expected to actually watch Lyle. She didn’t know if she could stomach it.
Paloma sat up straight. “Cool! I’ve never seen a fight.”
“Ren never showed you?”
“Oh, come on. You expressly prohibited him to.”
Zaron didn’t have the grace to look chagrined.
“Allow me.” He offered Cricket his left arm in a great imitation of upper crust manners.
Throwing a questioning look at Paloma, Cricket accepted Zaron’s arm. They cut across the room, deftly maneuvering between bodies, and went through a sturdy set of double doors guarded by yet another one of Zaron’s seemingly endless supply of ripped bouncers. Behind the doors was a large room with a raised platform in the center. The setup was pretty basic, just a platform with ropes around it bathed in a reddish light projected from above. The ring was empty at the moment, but judging by the agitated, mostly male crowd that had already congregated around it, the action was about to start.
Ren approached them, frowning. “You brought them here?”
An elegant shrug of a black silk shirt dismissed Ren’s concerts with contrived negligence. “I thought, why not? She’supset. If she decides to have a meltdown, better it happen here where it’s soundproof.” Zaron smiled with his mouth but not his eyes. “Have spare change? Place a bet.”
“On Lyle?” Cricket was having trouble processing it all.
“On a fighter of your choice.” Zaron motioned to the familiar one-eared Tarai who was hanging out a short distance away. “What’s on the Rix?”
“Lasting one full round, knockout in the second - five tokens,” the Tarai rattled off. “Lasting three full rounds go for only two. He can win, that’s one token to enter, but the odds aren’t great.”
Paloma poked Cricket in the ribs. “Pay up. He’ll last three rounds, he promised. And you need money.”
Cricket automatically accepted a small notepad and entered with two virtual tokens. She gave the notepad to Paloma who gave it to Ren who gave it back to the Tarai but didn’t release it right away. “Place both on the full win.”
The Tarai nodded and grabbed the notepad, correcting her entry.
“Easy to lose with other people’s money,” Zaron murmured.
“I know.” Ren beamed at him. “You taught me that.”
Cricket cast her eyes around, once again wondering how she managed to find herself at an illegal fighting club, betting on a wreck of an alien who smelled so sweet and kissed so deeply. She, Emmaline Beatty, a serious and practical woman, a law abiding citizen whose most fervent wish was to bring mama to Meeus and find tranquility and peace.
Ain’t looking for it in the right place, girl, a voice said in her head, and it sounded awfully like mama’s.
