New Release: Dark Djinn by Tia Reed

Captain Edard deq Lungo really ought to know better than to propose that Lady Jordayne del Giordano not abase herself by entering the gentleman’s establishment. Really, did he think she was about to miss out on all the fun? When the ingenious scheme was her idea too! There was no limit to the cheek of these men. One would think their fathers raised them in patriarchal Verdaan instead of Myklaan.

 “But dear Captain,” she said, placing a manicured hand on the brass latch. “It cannot be that bad. I do believe there are a host of other women inside.” And with that she pushed open the freshly painted door and entered into a haze of smoke and billowing silks, setting a dozen bells jingling in the process. Inside, elaborate settees piled with plump cushions of exotic design lined the walls, a delightful place to wait for the attentions of the escorts if one could reach them without becoming entangled in the swags.

“There is, I suppose, no dissuading you?” Matisse said, trying, but not too hard, to prevent a smile breaking across his face. She would bet her entire forearm of gold bangles his tanned complexion and golden-brown hair attracted the first seductress out of the internal door.

“None, dearest,” she replied, patting his arm. “So you had best see to my reputation before Captain deq Lungo feels compelled to defend my honour.”

“This can only enhance your reputation, Jordayne,” Matisse said, with a throaty laugh, “though I’m not sure our uncle will feel mine is unsullied.”

“Big sister will own up to it being all her idea. But do see to the Captain, there’s a good boy. He’s going to give the game away before it’s even afoot.”

The Captain’s scandalised expression, accentuated by the hard, angular lines of his cheek and jaw, was intensifying by the second. Surprising really, given he sported the odd grey hair. His men, Vae’oenka bless them, supposedly the finest in the palace guard, looked like children in a candy store who faced a spanking if they touched. And not a female yet in sight, herself excluded. That did rather need to be remedied. They could not expect their quarry to walk in on a room full of guards, who despite their neat civilian clothing looked every bit the trained soldier, and take the bait.