The Wreckage of Paradise.pdf - Dice

Mukikel’s eyebrows rose. “You think he’s worth one?”she asked bluntly, while Mitch wondered what the fuck a“blank” was.“It would certainly square thingswith his overlord, nowwouldn’t it?”“Yeah, ifhis overlord calls him back. Do you really thinkthe Defiance legion is just going to hand us a blank, just likethat?”“They’llprovide one for me,” the Princesssaid. Mukikelshrugged.“Ifyou want to just give it away ...”The Princess leaned back and stroked her lips with herright hand’s fingertips. “Mm,” she said. “I do have aproblem with profligacy, don’t I? Though I hear there’s alot of good blanks coming on the market lately. A reliablesupplier.”“I didn’t hear that,” Mukikel said.The Princess smiled. “No reason you would.” Sheseemed to have made a decision as she stood and said, “Isuspect the best solution is to have Buniel transferred to ourcommand.”“Especially if you do it now,” Shadrannat said, “whilehe’s just one more useless spirit in the Pit.” Afew more softcrunching sounds came from her mouth.“My thoughts exactly. Shadrannat, his overlord is.. .mm, one of the six Proud Walkers, I remember that much.”“I’ll find out,” Shadrannat said, and her tone of determinationsounded odd, coming from little girl lungs.“Find out, negotiate, drive a hard bargain, but get himreassigned. Mukikel should have a blank ready to go by thetime you get that straightened out, right?”‘Yes,” Mukikel said.The threewomen exchangedglances again, then-wordlessly-thetwo subordinate demons turned to leave.“Send in the Star Thorn, please,” the Princess said asthey retreated.Then it was just her and the two men. She smiled.“I envy you,” she said.