Free Silver Shark by Ilona Andrews Page A

could tell him. He wouldn't betray her. She could "I feel at ease with you," he said. "Your mind is so calm. Every day I deal with people whose minds are a source of constant noise. When we work together, I can finally relax."
    She almost screamed in frustration.
    "You understand the way I think. I want you to know that I value that greatly. I promise, I won't put you into a harm's way again. It took courage to handle it the way you've done. You stood by me. Not many employees would in your place. I won't ever forget that."
    Employee... That's what she was, an employee. She shouldn't have deluded herself.
    "Did I say something unpleasant?" he asked.
    "Not at all. I just realized it's late. I should be getting home." He would never see her anything else. She was Claire with a quiet mind. That was her value to him. She had mistaken his friendliness and concern for something deeper.
    "I'll walk you to the ground floor."
    She rose. "It's alright. I know the way."
    Ven got up. "Let me walk you down."
    She turned and looked at him, keeping her voice flat. "It's not necessary. Thank you for the meal."
    Claire turned and walked away.

Chapter Five
    "One blue pepper, cut into strips," the Artificial Intelligence announced.
    Claire surveyed the small heap of ingredients on her kitchen island. "Define blue pepper."
    "Blue pepper: pungent fruit of a Moloccy species rich in lycopene and Vitamin C. Flavor: sweet, slightly bitter. Appearance: dark blue, cylindrical shape tapering toward the tip."
    The picture of a blue pepper ignited on the kitchen's digital screen. Claire plucked the pepper from the bunch and placed it on her cutting board. "Demonstrate."
    The AI opened a frame showing a woman deftly chopping the pepper into five millimeter wide rings.
    Claire watched it for a few seconds, picked up the knife, and chopped the pepper.
    It was Saturday morning and she had woken up with a sudden need to prove to herself that she could cook. Immigration had fully stocked her refrigerator with raw ingredients, so she set them out on the counter and had the AI run a comprehensive analysis finding a combination that would result in a beginner-level recipe.
    "One peeled compa, cut into strips."
    "Define compa."
    "Compa: fleshy fruit of Karlovskaya species, rich in Vitamin A. Flavor: sour, with sweet aftertaste. Appearance: red tetrahedron with rounded corners."
    Claire picked out a rough pyramid-looking red fruit. "Demonstrate peeling."
    The woman on the screen scraped the compa with some sort of implement that did not look like a knife. Claire pulled open the kitchen drawers, rummaging through until she found a similar looking tool.
    A soft chime rang through her apartment.
    "You have visitors," the AI announced dutifully.
    Venturo. Her heart hammered. Her mouth went dry.
    "Visual," she said.
    The screen ignited. Claire's heart sank. Tonya stood at the door, accompanied by an old man and another that looked in his early forties.
    She clenched her teeth, furious with herself. This obsession with Ven had to end. It was turning her into an nervous wreck, catapulting her from one emotional extreme to the next. Enough was enough. Claire exhaled, finding calm.
    "Open," she said.
    The door swung open, and Tonya and the man in his forties bowed, letting the older one through the door first. Claire wiped her hands on the kitchen towel and walked up to greet them.
    The older man examined her, taking her measure. Age whitened his hair, and he walked leaning on a cane, by the eyes that looked at her from under the thick eyebrows remained sharp. He was carrying a satchel. The other man hovered protectively over him. She didn't recognize either of them.
    Tonya approached. "Retainer Shannon, we are sorry to call on you so early in the morning, but our need is great. This is Doreem Nagi, our Building Elder, and Charles Monn."
    Claire inclined her head, touching her forehead in a sign of respect. "Thank you for looking after my mother."
    Doreem nodded to her.
    "We