Free Broken Glass (Glass Complex Book 1) by John Hindmarsh Page A

and move away; then something changed his mind, perhaps a reflection of wistfulness or perhaps a desire on his part to ease his loneliness.
    “Very well. I need a guide who knows the city. What will you charge?”
    After a brief haggle, they settled on a fee acceptable to both.
    “What do you wish, oh young sir,” queried the alien. “Nice girl human, or something more exotic?”
    “No, thank you. First, I need to find my hotel.” He provided the name of a hotel where the purser on the incoming star liner had reserved his accommodation. “Then a tailor and perhaps a short tour of the city. All right?”
    The alien held him back while it wheezed and clicked to itself, then it spoke aloud. “Lordling human sir, that hotel not good is. Tziksis will show. It unsavory reputation has, not good for young sir. Come, Tziksis show. Come.”
    Tziksis moved ahead to the pavement edge with a scurrying rapidity that almost tugged Steg off-balance. He gave a shrill whistle and Steg watched with interest as a roving autocab pulled in and its wide passenger access door opened. They climbed aboard. After punching in a series of destination codes, the alien turned to Steg. “You see. Your hotel and two others, your choice take after inspection.”
    Steg nodded his agreement and sat back in the comfortably cushioned seat while the alien crouched, its legs folded up under its body. The autocab maintained a hectic pace through the traffic and after a moment or two of viewing a seemingly endless string of almost impossibly close near misses, Steg turned and gazed instead at the speed-blurred buildings and pedestrians. From the little he was able to see, he thought the buildings were drab and grime coated, their designs monotonous and lacking flair or appeal. In contrast the pedestrians were a bewildering mixture of shapes, sizes and colors, in perpetual movement, weaving and dodging as they hurried on to their destinations.
    The autocab eventually turned off the main thoroughfare and traveled down a nearly deserted street dotted with scattered garbage. Then for a while each street was progressively worse than the one before.
    “See,” wheezed his guide when the autocab stopped after they had traveled for another ten minutes. “Hotel is. Your choice human sir, not good is. Street not good is. Human probably not survive. Lucky daylight still, otherwise Tziksis not come. Now other hotels visit.”
    Steg silently agreed with the criticisms voiced by the little alien. As the autocab had slowed he had seen a wrecked vehicle being ransacked and he was certain some of the damage to buildings adjacent to the hotel had been caused by laser fire. While he had intended to occupy a hotel room for only a few days, he did not wish to run a gauntlet of thieves and gang fights every time he left or returned to his accommodation.
    “I think you may be correct, Tziksis. You can find a better hotel?”
    “Oh yes, your kindness.”
    The alien’s eyestalks bobbed up and down as he spoke and Steg struggled to resist the impulse to move his head in unison.
    “Not difficult is. Some sectors of city very dangerous be. Others, safe are. Can walk at night without death, if lucky. Here more than magic sword and hidden shell needed is.” A small claw dug gently at Steg’s chain vest as the autocab accelerated out of the street, towards their next destination.
    Steg was moved to protest. “My sword is not magic.” He was concerned the suggestion might encourage someone to steal Ebony. “My sword is old, yes, and well cared for, but not magic.”
    “Magic sword.” The alien was firm. “Magic for you but no one else. Secret safe is. Tziksis silent keep.”
    Steg was curious but disinclined to pursue the subject. How could the alien detect a relationship between him and Ebony, he wondered. He dismissed the question and relaxed as the autocab traveled in more pleasant surroundings.
    Eventually they stopped in front of another hotel and Steg was reassured to