Castle for Rent Read Online Free Page A
Author: John Dechancie
swimming to shore. I didn't get a drop on me."
âYou were lucky. Still, I wonder why you risked it."
âWe've been getting a lot of Guests from here in the past few years. Some of them would like a way back. I'm here to see if I can establish a permanent gateway again."
Trent's pale brow rose. âYou did it for the Guests? Those losers?"
âIt's the least I could do. I would have seen to it long ago, butâone, I've been busy. Two, most of the Guests like the castle and want to stay. But some don't, and I thought we owed them."
âHow about all the rest?"
âSome have stabilized gateways. The others ... well, someday I mean to do something for them, too."
âMost of those damn holes should have been plugged long ago,â Trent said, scowling. âThe place is nothing but a big, drafty fun house."
âDo you realize how much power it would take to keep all the aspects sealed up? Keeping the particularly nasty ones shut up uses enough already."
Trent chewed his cigar. âWell, I'm no expert on castle magic.â He took the cigar out and tapped the ash into a ceramic tray. âSo, you say it never occurred to you to find out what happened to me."
âI'm embarrassed to say that although I certainly wondered, I always thought you could take care of yourself in any situation."
âI see.â Trent's smile formed a small crescent. âActually it was years before I discovered the gateway had skedaddled. I like it here, as you knew."
âOne of the reasons I never really worried about you."
âWell, you were never very solicitous of my welfare."
âNor you of mine, Trent."
Trent grunted. âLet's be frank. We were rivals for the throne. Dad favored you, and that's all there was to it.â Trent tapped out the cigar. âLook. We have lots to talk about. Let's drive out to my place. We'll have dinner, hash over old times. What do you say?"
âSounds friendly."
âIt is, Inky. Wait a minute.â Trent got up, parted the curtain, and called out: âI'm leaving early. I'll drive. Get a cab home."
âYes, Mr. Trent."
Trent unhooked a camel's-hair overcoat from an antique coat tree and pulled it on. âLet's go."
The car was a blue Mercedes sedan, meticulously polished and parked next to a sign that read ABSOLUTELY NO PARKING.
âHell of a nice car to leave on the street,â Incarnadine remarked.
âI have a few friends on the police force who look after it for me."
âNice to have friends."
They got in and Trent started it up and headed east.
âI'm surprised you still have the old shop. Still need a front?"
âNah, not really. You were very lucky to find me there. My employees open the place up maybe two, three days a week. Most of my business is strictly legitimate these days. Real estate, stocks, the usual. The shop's still a good write-off, though.â He chuckled. âI've been depreciating the same inventory for decades."
âStill deal in art?"
âMy old hobby. I own a gallery on the West Side. Keeps the creative juices flowing.â Trent honked at a taxi that cut in front of him. âTell me this, why the hell didn't you try to stabilize the aspect from the other side? Why did you risk coming through and getting stranded?"
âI tried everything I could think of back home, but nothing worked. Something's changed. The stresses between the two universes have shifted over the years. It's not the same. Probably why the old spell failed."
Trent nodded. âI see.â He made a series of lefts and rights, then turned north on First Avenue.
They were in the midtown tunnel when Trent asked, âDo you think you can tunnel back?"
âI'm going to give it the old college try. If I flunk out ... can you take on a new employee?"
Â
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Ice Island
Â
Snowclaw had been kneeling all day on an ice floe, waiting for a huge sea animal called the jhalrakk to come within range of his
âYou were lucky. Still, I wonder why you risked it."
âWe've been getting a lot of Guests from here in the past few years. Some of them would like a way back. I'm here to see if I can establish a permanent gateway again."
Trent's pale brow rose. âYou did it for the Guests? Those losers?"
âIt's the least I could do. I would have seen to it long ago, butâone, I've been busy. Two, most of the Guests like the castle and want to stay. But some don't, and I thought we owed them."
âHow about all the rest?"
âSome have stabilized gateways. The others ... well, someday I mean to do something for them, too."
âMost of those damn holes should have been plugged long ago,â Trent said, scowling. âThe place is nothing but a big, drafty fun house."
âDo you realize how much power it would take to keep all the aspects sealed up? Keeping the particularly nasty ones shut up uses enough already."
Trent chewed his cigar. âWell, I'm no expert on castle magic.â He took the cigar out and tapped the ash into a ceramic tray. âSo, you say it never occurred to you to find out what happened to me."
âI'm embarrassed to say that although I certainly wondered, I always thought you could take care of yourself in any situation."
âI see.â Trent's smile formed a small crescent. âActually it was years before I discovered the gateway had skedaddled. I like it here, as you knew."
âOne of the reasons I never really worried about you."
âWell, you were never very solicitous of my welfare."
âNor you of mine, Trent."
Trent grunted. âLet's be frank. We were rivals for the throne. Dad favored you, and that's all there was to it.â Trent tapped out the cigar. âLook. We have lots to talk about. Let's drive out to my place. We'll have dinner, hash over old times. What do you say?"
âSounds friendly."
âIt is, Inky. Wait a minute.â Trent got up, parted the curtain, and called out: âI'm leaving early. I'll drive. Get a cab home."
âYes, Mr. Trent."
Trent unhooked a camel's-hair overcoat from an antique coat tree and pulled it on. âLet's go."
The car was a blue Mercedes sedan, meticulously polished and parked next to a sign that read ABSOLUTELY NO PARKING.
âHell of a nice car to leave on the street,â Incarnadine remarked.
âI have a few friends on the police force who look after it for me."
âNice to have friends."
They got in and Trent started it up and headed east.
âI'm surprised you still have the old shop. Still need a front?"
âNah, not really. You were very lucky to find me there. My employees open the place up maybe two, three days a week. Most of my business is strictly legitimate these days. Real estate, stocks, the usual. The shop's still a good write-off, though.â He chuckled. âI've been depreciating the same inventory for decades."
âStill deal in art?"
âMy old hobby. I own a gallery on the West Side. Keeps the creative juices flowing.â Trent honked at a taxi that cut in front of him. âTell me this, why the hell didn't you try to stabilize the aspect from the other side? Why did you risk coming through and getting stranded?"
âI tried everything I could think of back home, but nothing worked. Something's changed. The stresses between the two universes have shifted over the years. It's not the same. Probably why the old spell failed."
Trent nodded. âI see.â He made a series of lefts and rights, then turned north on First Avenue.
They were in the midtown tunnel when Trent asked, âDo you think you can tunnel back?"
âI'm going to give it the old college try. If I flunk out ... can you take on a new employee?"
Â
Â
Â
Ice Island
Â
Snowclaw had been kneeling all day on an ice floe, waiting for a huge sea animal called the jhalrakk to come within range of his
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