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I stretched s and looked back at Skinny Ji, apparently very interested in a water stain

“Would youme some tea?”

He looked startled, glanced over his shoulder, then stared at me “Tea?”

“You know, hot water, bag with dried leaves? Usually turns brown after a bit”

“I knohat tea is I don’t work for you”

“No, but you work for the man that’s obsessed with me, so I think it’d be smart to be kind”

He hesitated then rolled his eyes “Michaels,” he barked, shouting toward the back “I need you on duty”

Cards ca “I was up three hands”

“The girl wants tea” Skinny Jim sneered at me “Watch her for me”

“Steep it for five minutes, please,” I called after him “I hate when it’s weak!”

Cards grinned at me and adjusted his belt He held a rifle under his arm and whistled softly to himself as I studied him for a few quiet moments

He was rough around the edges His clothes were rumpled and he needed a shave He was older than the others by a decade at least, and he was in the worst shape The other guards all treated hied to keep a smile on his portly face

“How long have you been working for Kaspar?” I asked, shifting to face him

He stared ata lot today “A few years”

“Is he a good boss?”

He snorted “Ask someone else”

“That’s not a great answer, but I can’t really blame you”

“Please stop talking to me”

I sighed and tugged at et you in trouble I didn’t want Kaspar to hurt Scott”

“Scott was a fool”

I tried not to smile and didn’t look back “Why do you say that?”