The Artifact of Foex Read Online Free PDF

in with a shrug.
    Chet stared. It had to be a bluff.
Everyone—from Clementina and Tibbets on down—seemed befuddled by
his statement. Some were probably skeptical because they didn’t
believe in reincarnation. The Flame had powers, sure, but they were
also known as crafty tricksters. Tibbets, at least, understood
Journey to be a practical authority on history, and he seemed as
confused as the rest. Wondering how far Knife would take his
bluff?
    “I do not believe you know anything about
me,” Clementina said. “Prove it.”
    “Clementina Khal Golub, citizen
identification number 392-9442e. You are the third daughter of
Cyril and Vera. Cyril is balding man with a large belly, and your
mother died last year of cancer.” Knife blew out smoke, his whole
body relaxed yet watchful. “You have three grown children. One is
married, and I expect a grandchild will be on the way soon.”
    She looked genuinely shocked, and the
students began whispering among themselves. Her grip on the gun
wavered, and she put it away abruptly. “This is untoward.”
    Journey said, “Professor Clementina, I’m sure
we can come to some reasonable agreement. We came here to
help.”
    “Screw you. I’m still calling the
police.”
    Clementina strode away, clearly shaken.
Professor Tibbets gave the Flame a wild look before trotting after
his colleague. Graduate students began drifting back to their
assigned pits with many a backward glance in their direction. Knife
quietly snubbed out the cigarette and pocketed the stub. At the
same time, Journey uncovered the body, handing Chet his jacket
back. Knife and Journey knelt and began digging again in
earnest.
    Their movements were so frantic that it took
Chet a moment to realize they’d both returned to their original
races, bistre for Knife and flaxen for Journey. Chet rubbed his
eyes, his head hurting. Flame took some getting used to.
    “We’d better hurry,” Knife murmured to
Journey in the Tache language, the same as they’d spoken last
night. “Pantheon knows how deep the Raptus is buried.”
    How deep
what
was buried? Chet sat
and began helping again. “How could you possibly know her family?”
he asked in the same tongue.
    “You understand?” Journey shot him a curious
glance. “Funny, I had you pegged as a rich kid from Door.”
    Chet barked an ironic laugh, then covered his
mouth, glancing around to see whether anyone was looking their way.
Several were within clear earshot, even if no one was looking
directly at them—probably the reason for the language shift. “I
am
a rich kid from Door. But my father is a Merchant with
international clients. He was also a collaborator during the
war.”
    “I see.” Journey wiped her brow with a
handkerchief. The humidity was getting worse, Chet realized; it
would thunder soon. Both Flame looked very uncomfortable.
    “
Will
she call the police?” Journey
asked Knife.
    Knife shot her a dirty look. “Abyss if I
know. I’m no Syche affiliate.”
    “How on Uos
did
you know all that
stuff about her?” Chet said.
    “I’ve been around. When I’m a guest in
someone’s house, I like to know a little about them. So, I snoop.
Call it a habit. She has photo albums on the lower library shelves.
Opened bills and letters in her study, and there’s all sorts of
other documentation in the house, too. My bedtime reading last
night.”
    Chet stared at him, impressed. “That’s not
very ethical, you know.”
    “I notice that both Journey and I are still
here, digging and not dead. Whether she calls the police is another
story. Oh,
shit
,” he added in an entirely different tone.
“My suitcase is still in the house. I liked that suit, Pantheon
curse it. Journey, your luggage is there, too, right?”
    Journey nodded. She was crying, Chet noticed.
Just a tear or two, no noise. She sniffed and wiped her eyes. “What
just happened reminds me so much of the bad old days.”
    “Don’t know if you’ve noticed, lovely one,
but it’s still the bad