The Professor shrugged. “Yes. The return of magic has awoken some of the surviving nagas, but most don’t interact with humans from what I understand.”
“Great. Magical snake creatures might be guarding this temple?”
An odd look crossed his face for a moment. “No, there are no nagas in the temple. There shouldn’t be at least.”
She didn’t like the use of the phrase “at least.”
“Okay.” Shay frowned. “What are you getting at? Don’t hold back on me.”
“There shouldn’t be any nagas there, but if there are, they will try and kill you. You don’t need to exercise restraint against them.”
“You’re saying some nagas are looking for this figurine?”
“Perhaps, if not now, they will be sooner rather than later. That’s why it’s important to get our hands on it now.”
Frog dudes and now snake men? Kind of missing the Warlocks now. They almost seem tame in comparison.
“What’s the big deal about some figurine? I get that it’s magic, but what does it do?” Shay held up her hand to catch the waitress. Might as well drink a beer and keep him company. Not that he was asking.
A huge smile appeared on the older man’s face. “What would you say if I told you, you didn’t need to know?”
“I’d say you can take your money and stuff it up your ass.”
Shay held her breath, realizing she might have gone too far.
The Professor burst out laughing and slapped a hand on his knee. “Aye, that’d be a good response.”
Shay spread her hands out on the table, relieved as she let out the breath. “When my life’s on the line, I need to have all the relevant information.”
“It’s a key, Miss Carson. It has the potential to control a vimana.”
“You mean one of those old-school Hindu god chariots?”
“Some are associated with the ancient gods, yes. A true vimana is much more than a chariot. In this case, think more like a flying magical palace with magical weaponry. The descriptions in epics like the Ramayana are not to be dismissed as mere myth.”
Shay stared at the Professor for a good ten seconds before talking. “Are you saying you have a flying castle parked somewhere, Professor?”
“Not on this planet.” He smiled as he took another drink. “You’re only being tasked with finding the key. That is information you don’t need to know one way or another. Let me say, though, that sometimes the best way to stop a drunk driver is take away his keys.” He winked and raised his glass.
“You’re the drunkest person I know and apparently lack irony.”
“Then it should terrify you that I’m worried about someone else.”
Even with all the wonders and terrors of magic that had returned to the world, Shay found it hard to believe that anyone might be flying around a magical palace, but hard to believe wasn’t the same thing as impossible.
It also didn’t matter what she believed. The Professor was willing to pay her a lot of money to get a figurine. Shay believed in what money could buy, for sure.
“You’re paying me a lot for this job. A lot more than you did for the Peru job. Makes me think you do have the vimana tucked under a lake somewhere or hidden in an arctic Fortress of Alcohol.”
“Perhaps, Miss Carson, but in truth, the premium for the job is for a far different reason. One you already highlighted.”
Shay furrowed her brow, not liking the confusion settling over her. “What are you getting at?”
“The temple is in use. This is a theft of sorts, even if a necessary one. I’m hoping the information I give you will allow you to recover the artifact without encountering resistance from innocent people.”
Shay’s stomach tightened. She didn’t like where this conversation was going.
“And if I encounter resistance?”
“I’d strongly prefer if you didn’t kill any humans. The people who control the temple might not be doing the best job in protecting all their treasures and artifacts, but they also aren’t bad people, and don’t deserve to be harmed by random tomb raiders.”
Shay rubbed her temple as the waitress put a glass down in front of her. She waited till the waitress had walked far enough away and leaned in to whisper. “And what if they try to kill me?”
“Be creative. Use your sense of humor to distract them. Try some feminine wiles. I hear those are still in vogue. Whatever it takes. Just no killing of innocents.”
Shay smirked. “How would you even know if I killed anyone, innocent or otherwise?”
An amused glint appeared in his eyes. “Oh, I have my ways. Though I have a more practical solution that will help you, should you encounter not-so-innocent resistance.”
“What?”
The Professor held up a hand while he took another sip. “There are plenty of bounties in the city hosting the temple and the surrounding state. It’d be easy enough to get James to go with you…”
“No,” Shay snapped.
The Professor’s brow rose. “No?”
“No Brownstone on this one. From what you told me, I’m going to be avoiding people, and you don’t expect magical trouble. That means the chance of a problem I can’t handle is low. I don’t need a babysitter, let alone a big-ass one. Let’s not make it a habit.”
“And what if I said I insisted?”
“I’d say you can find yourself another tomb raider.” Shay gave him a thin smile. “And you’re the one on a tight schedule.”
She didn’t object to the idea of Brownstone. She knew the man could kick ass and keep it professional, but she also needed to make the Professor understand she didn’t always want someone else tagging along. Getting too used to the man would be a bad habit.
Having barbecue with him and heading out to help with Harriken meant she was already opening herself up to the dangerous man way too much.
“Very well, Miss Carson. Fair enough. I won’t force you to take James this time. But be aware that doesn’t mean I won’t ask again.
