Aladdin Sins Bad Read online

  “I understand, which is why I’ve brought this.”

  And with that, the little man emptied onto his palm a dozen or so golden nuggets that looked, at least to my untrained eye, very real. Dubi said, “I trust this will be enough to retain your expert services?”

  “Is that...?”

  “Gold? Yes, Mr. Quigley, and there’s more where that came from.”

  My mouth, inexplicably went dry, because I was certain—dead certain—that it was real gold. Real, honest-to-God gold. And tens of thousands of dollars worth of it.

  “Sweet Jesus,” I muttered.

  “Your realm’s deity, I assume?” asked Dubi.

  “You assume correctly,” I said, and did my best to get a handle on the situation. I sat back and crossed my arms over my chest. “So who set you up? Rick? My brother maybe?”

  “Neither ‘set me up,’ or directed me to be here. I am here by the princess’s directive only.”

  “Princess,” I said. “Who’s right outside the door?”

  “Yes, with the others.”

  I stared at Dubi. He stared at me, smiling politely. I stared at the gold in his open palm. Then I pushed myself off the desk, and marched past the little man, who turned and followed me.

  I stepped outside...and was not entirely prepared for what I saw...

  * * *

  The summer sun was high in the sky, baking the mostly empty parking lot. Mostly empty, since it was presently filled with six massive horses and four riders. Three men and one woman. Three heavily armed men, with broadswords that reached well below their boots. Even more weapons hung from various scabbards along the saddles.

  They all regarded me curiously, especially the woman. I blinked in the bright light, trying my damnedest to comprehend what I was seeing, but I couldn’t. For the life of me, I couldn’t get a handle on what I was seeing: six horses, three warriors and a woman. Here in the middle of LA. On horseback.

  And not just any woman, either. A stunning beauty who took my breath away—and who regarded me shyly.

  I realized my mouth had dropped open, but I didn’t care.

  I was dreaming, of course. Or this was a seriously elaborate joke. Or I had lost my mind.

  “I can see you’re confused, my good man,” said Dubi, coming up behind me. “I do not doubt that you are. Truth be known, this is a new experience for us all, too.”

  “What’s going on?” I asked, still staring at the horses, at the weapons, at the stunningly beautiful woman sitting high above me.

  “We’re here to hire you, Mr. Quigley.”

  A very troubling thought suddenly occurred to me, one that made me doubt my sanity and to immediately swear off another drink: this is real.

  “What, exactly, do you need me to do?” I heard myself ask.

  “We need you to help us find a killer. An assassin, actually.”

  “An assassin?”

  “Yes.”

  “And who did he assassinate?”

  “The king, of course.”

  “Of course,” I said. “The king. That makes perfect sense. And the young lady...?”

  “Is his daughter.”

  I nodded, trying my damnedest to wrap my brain around what was happening to me...and couldn’t.

  “So why me?” I asked.

  “We can explain that on the way,” said the little man. “Really, we don’t have much time to lose. The killer is getting away as we speak.”

  I felt dizzy. “I need to sit.”

  “We have provided you a horse, Mr. Quigley. We understand you are an expert rider.”

  “I...I feel sick.”

  “I am an expert at curing ailments, my good man. Please. We must hurry. We have a killer to catch. Will you help us?”

  I looked at him, and looked at the horses—the beautiful horses. I longed to be astride such a beautiful creature. And then I looked at the princess. I sensed her sadness, her grief. Had her father actually been murdered? Assassinated?

  And then she did something that warmed my heart and caused all doubt and confusion to melt away. She smiled at me.

  “Yes,” I said, barely able to believe the words that were coming from my mouth. “I will help you. I think.”

  “Very good!” said Dubi, clapping me on the shoulder and striding past me. “Then we must hurry. We haven’t a moment to lose. Your mount awaits.”

  Dragon Assassin

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  About the Authors:

  Piers Anthony is one of the world’s most prolific and popular authors. His fantasy Xanth novels have been read and loved by millions of readers around the world, and have been on the New York Times Best Seller list twenty-one times. Although Piers is mostly known for fantasy and science fiction, he has written several novels in other genres as well, including historical fiction, martial arts, and horror. Piers lives with his wife in a secluded woods hidden deep in Central Florida.

  Please visit him at www.hipiers.com for a complete list of his fiction and non-fiction and to read his monthly newsletter.

  J.R. Rain is an ex-private investigator who now writes full-time. He lives in a small house on a small island with his small dog, Sadie, who has more energy than Robin Williams.

  Please visit him at www.jrrain.com.