Free Irona 700 by Dave Duncan

commission currently has six or seven abodes it can offer you at purely nominal fees, but Podnelbi’s place is quite modest. Some of us live like emperors, as you know, in mansions of a hundred halls. Other go the opposite extreme and are too frugal to uphold the dignity of their office. But Sebrat would suit you very well.”
    She knew the house, and it was certainly humble compared to most.
    â€œI would feel like a ghoul, storming in there to loot before his corpse was cold.”
    â€œHe has two children.” Ledacos always seemed to know everything. It was a very annoying habit. “His daughter is already safely married off. His son is a trainee lawyer, I believe, and betrothed to marry the daughter of a very rich silk merchant, but of course both of those arrangements will go by the board now. Their mother is a freedwoman, Velny Lavice. The moment 681 stops breathing, she will be given two days to get out, and there will be guards on the door to make sure nothing is removed except the smock on her back. The same goes for his entire staff, about ten of them, I think. A very modest establishment.”
    Trodelat had twenty.
    â€œWhat are you suggesting, patron?”
    â€œPlease never call me that, 700. They will all be out in the street. I am suggesting that tomorrow morning you inform the Property Commission that you are interested in taking over Sebrat House as is. Or I can tell them for you, if you wish. I have some influence there.” He must have clients everywhere. “Then, as soon as it is practicable, you interview Velny. She would make an excellent housekeeper for you.”
    The drums and trumpets continued, the disks slid away down the chute, but Irona was not seeing the choosing ceremony now. A ready-made establishment was a dazzling prospect, almost too good to be true. But she had already learned to analyze every word the clever Ledacos 692 uttered.
    â€œHow old is the son?”
    â€œAbout your age, maybe.” Ledacos shrugged, implying a lack of interest in young men.
    Irona swallowed. There were more hints and clues floating around this conversation than gulls around a fishing port. She had met Podnelbi’s son at social functions. He was a year or two older than she was and fabulously handsome. “Are you suggesting that I take over the son as well?”
    After a pause, Ledacos said softly, “Gods forbid that I should even dream of it.”
    Her heart jumped. She was not sure when sex had appeared on the agenda, but probably when he came to stand so close that she could almost feel his breath on the back of her head. It was certainly there now.
    She spun around. “I was not aware that romance was part of our arrangement.”
    The inquiring smile vanished. His face hardened. “Nor was I.”
    â€œGood,” she said. “Almost the first thing my tutor told me was that sex and politics do not mix.”
    â€œMine told me the same thing, ten years ago.”
    Nice try, though.
    She nodded, hoping he would not grab her and kiss her, because she did not trust herself to resist. She would certainly not scream for rescue. Once she had been fascinated by Sklom Uroveg’s harpooner muscles, not understanding that Sklom was stupider than the seals he slew. Ledacos’s arms were adequate, if a little on the hairy side. As were his legs.
    Feeling her face flush scarlet, she turned back to the window.
    â€œI would be very grateful if you would drop a word to the Property Commission about Sebrat House, Ledacos.”
    The crowd roared, trumpets and drums …
    â€œAlready?” He joined her at the window. A boy—a barefoot child in a dirty rag—was standing on the bridge, petrified with horror. Komev 701 was striding out to greet him, seeming to grow taller with every step.
    â€œThat?” Ledacos whispered. “He has rickets! Truly the goddess is blind.”
    â€œWas she blind two years ago?”
    â€œShe was insanely