MLTF outtakes -- Alix & Parry (Part 4 of 5)

The chapter I'm posting this week started on Monday and will conclude tomorrow. It features Alix and Parry who are referred to in MLTF, but never seen. Alix is Raine's best friend, and Parry is a Conclave emissary and Alix's lover.

And you still have until tomorrow to send me your questions for Raine. She'll answer your questions here on Saturday.

Preface to the Alix & Parry chapter: The following chapter (had it remained in the final version of MLTF) would have taken place immediately after Chapter 7 (which ends on page 109 of the final book). In the old Chapter 7, Janek Tawl asks Raine about a receipt he found in a box in Nigel Nicabar's bedroom. The box contained an elaborate and obscenely expensive mage robe. The receipt was from Alix Toril's shop. The date on the receipt was on the day that Nigel disappeared. Here's Part 4 of 5 -- enjoy!

"Sorry about that," I told Alix.

"About what?"

"About not being able to warn you."

"What's to warn about? I just made the robes. I may occasionally feel like killing a client, but I have yet to actually do it." She looked momentarily concerned. "He doesn't think I had anything to do with Nigel's death, does he?"

"No," I assured her. "Nigel gave someone else plenty of motive. And that's just one candidate. Like you said, the people wanting to get their hands around Nigel's neck makes for a long line."

"Were you one of them?" she asked me.

"I was lucky. I didn't even know the man."

Alix looked confused. "Then why were you. . .?" she gestured vaguely in the direction Janek had gone.

"Janek was questioning Nigel's neighbors, I was in the neighborhood, so he wanted to talk to me."

"Did he have a reason to?"

"A reason to what?"

"Want to talk to you?"

Alix knew me far too well. That, and she was guarding my rooms last night, and saw first-hand who else wanted to chat with me. I was sure an explanation from me wouldn't be unwelcome.

I grinned. "Not that he knew at the time."

"He knows now?"

"Some, not all. Enough to want to offer me protection, though."

"Did you take him up on it?"

I shook my head. "I didn't take Garadin or Markus up on it, so I didn't see any reason for Janek to be the lucky winner."

"That's why you weren't home last night to deal with your own mess," came a deep voice from behind me.

Not only did Parry Arne look like he had just rolled out of bed, he had the look of a man who wanted to get back there and resume what he had been doing--and the something that he had been doing had nothing to do with sleep. He towered over me by a good foot, and every time I saw him, his height, build, and mane of pale blond hair reminded me of a Myloran sea raider. I couldn't help but think that Parry should be wearing leather and furs, and not the midnight blue silks Alix had made for him. He nuzzled Alix's neck, then turned sky blue eyes on me.

"I had enough of a mess where I was," I told him. "By the way, I really appreciate you helping Tarsilia and Piaras."

"Glad to do it," he said. "You had a bigger mess than Khrynsani on your doorstep?"

I nodded. "And getting bigger all the time."

"How much bigger?"

"Conclave Guardians bigger."

Parry managed to smile and wince at the same time. "That could be nasty. Congratulations, girl. I always knew you had it in you."

My expression spoke volumes. "I've had a bad night, and my morning's not getting any better."

"Khrynsani and Guardians aren't the worst you could do," Parry told me. "I've had worse."

"I'm sure you have."

"Try waking up naked, chained to a stake, and smelling smoke--with a hangover. Now that's a bad morning."

The truly scary thing about Parry was that regardless of how outlandish the claim, they all turned out to be true.

Come back tomorrow for the conclusion of the Alix & Parry chapter. And be sure to visit on Saturday when Raine answers your questions. (I've gotten some really good ones so far.)