Page 13 of Watered Down

She got the room number and headed up to the observation ward. She checked in with the clerk and walked down the hall where the walls were clear. They weren’t kidding about observation. Emgoth was sitting with Ariget next to him. They were both speaking earnestly to three guardians.

The uniforms were familiar.

Emgoth spotted her and waved carefully.

Heads turned, and she sighed and walked to his room. Once inside, she looked at him. “Well, aren’t you pretty colours?”

Emgoth laughed. “Funny. Who did you get to work with you?”

“My brother. He and I have cooked for masses before.”

“He’s good for a few more days?”

“Yeah, he starts his interviews next month, so for now, we are good.”

“I have three days’ worth of supplies on order. If you hit the greengrocer tomorrow morning, you can pick the produce and get the meat set aside at the butcher’s.”

She nodded. “I figured. Why are we so fussy?”

“Because we have loyal customers and good-quality food makes them happy.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

The nosey guardian said, “I think I am going to get a complex. You aren’t even looking at us.”

“You aren’t the one I am here to visit.”

Ariget chuckled. “She’s keeping the business afloat, Em. Cloudy, thank you.”

“You are welcome, most gracious wife of that person who lacks brains. So, Emgoth, you got roughed up by some organized crime?”

He grimaced. “Yeah. I was looking for an expansion site that isn’t in our current area, and apparently, there are some very single-minded men around there who wanted half of the gross.”

“That kills our profits. We would be working for free.”

“That is what I tried to tell them, and that is when the hitting began. You didn’t have any trouble today?”

“No. All was serene, but that might have been the peacekeepers swirling around.”

“Right. Well, stay on alert because I think they want to make you an offer, directly.”

“That won’t go over well.” Cloudy smiled. “I am cranky.”

Emgoth made a chuffing sound. “I know. I have met you.”

The nosey guardian touched her arm and said, “May I speak with you?”

She nodded. “Sure.”

They walked out of the room, and he led her to a small family room down the hall. He sat her down. “The threats are very real.”

“I believe it.”

“You aren’t worried?”

She wrinkled her nose. “Not particularly. I am stronger than I look.”

He sighed. “They are bringing out the roughest deep-sea Vecchin and some high-land Vecchin. You are in danger.”