Page 81 of Swamp Kings 1

“Well?” he asked when she took a bigger sip.

He was at it again with his smile and she nodded, staring down into the cup. “Do you play this trick on all the newcomers?”

His laugh told on him but what it was telling had nothing to do with the drink. Hell’s teeth were snapping at her heels.

“What trick?”

She nodded. “You got me. I bought every bit and only the good Lord kept my breakfast in my stomach over just the idea of such a nasty thing.”

He was laughing more then finally said, “It wasn’t a trick, it has everything I said in it. Would you like me to call Mah-Mah right now and have her verify?”

She regarded him, back to mildly queasy. “Maybe everybody is in on the trick.Surely,I’d taste such a thing in my drink.”

“Oh man, you’re gonna be a lot of fun,” he said, cocking his leg out before him while her mind chased down what that meant to him. She sipped more of the drink, determined to believe it was indeed a newcomer joke.

He leaned forward and reached behind him, pulling a paper from his pocket, and opening it. She realized it was the agreement. “So, we doing this today? I’m free until this evening at eight. We’re having a big gumbo for the Marsh Kings and their new friends. You staying for it?”

She lowered the mug, scattered again. “I’m… supposed to…”

“Come on,” he cajoled. “You said you wanted to meet the people. You can teach me some spiritual take downs, I’ll teach you some physical ones, then you can eat. Put some meat on those little bones.”

Take downs, what was he meaning? “What kind of… take downs do you mean?”

“Kind of a figure of speech. I’ll start with teaching you moves for handling physical attacks of various kinds. You practice them until you perfect them. Then after that, maybe I’ll teach you how to Cajun dance.”

Dance withhim? “I don’t… I didn’t come prepared to go to a party.”

“What do you need? Doesn’t matter, whatever it is, Mah-Mah will fix you up. It’s her favorite thing to do.”

She never knew how to take his words. “Who will be there?” she asked, not recalling talk of such a thing with any of the sisters. And they would surely know if it involved a party. Parties to them were like trips to the moon. “You mentioned Marsh friends.”

“The human side of Quantum crew. I believe Dr. Harlow, his brothers and their wives for sure. Maybe a couple of the other sisters. What should I call you, by the way? Sister seems a little… eh… Sis I can handle.”

“You can call me Scarlett,” she said, also not comfortable with the sister title either. Not so sure about the sis. With him.

“And you can call me Spar. I think we’re going to make a kickass team, what do you think?”

She surely didn’t know what that even meant to him. “I’ll do my best. And… I’m sure you will too.”

“So, it’s official? Me and you? Teaming up with this?”

“I mean… as long as I’m able. I’m afraid I only have a week though.”

“A week,” he said, flatly. “That’s not long enough. Why just a week?”

“I…” Oh mercy, she couldn’t tell him… wait, why couldn’t she? He likely already knew, how wouldn’t they? “I’m scheduled for…” Scheduled? Like a surgery? “I’m proposed,” she blurted. “To be married. To… one of Quantum King soldiers. Along with the rest of my sisters,” she added, not wanting to stand alone in that spotlight suddenly.

“Really,” he muttered, clearly not happy. But why? The training? “That’s…”

She glanced at him, finding him staring with an angled head at the air before him. “Very disappointing.”

“It’s been planned before we ever… discussed such a venture.”

“So, you really thought we’d train for a singleweek?”

“No,” she said. “I was just informed last night about it.”

“You said it was planned.”

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