she’d take this personally. “You know what these men will do to her. How they’ll use her. We’ve all seen it before.”
“Hey,” said a Miner. “Not all men—”
Ash backfisted him in the nose and continued like he hadn’t spoken. “The girl is not a thing to be bargained for.”
The bloody-nosed Miner started forward. Ash reached for her sword.
“Oyamenasai!” None of Stepmama’s girls were fluent in her native tongue. They didn’t have to be. The tone translated perfectly.
Drawing steel—or glass, in this case—in another gang’s guild house meant war. A brawl was probably inevitable, but if Ash and the Miner could work it out without killing each other—
“Knock it off!” Doc glared at his Miner until the man backed down. “Sorry about that. Grouchy’s always been a bit of an ass.”
Stepmama frowned. The Miners were known for never walking away from a fight.
“I’m a businessman now,” said Doc, as if reading her thoughts. “There’s no profit in letting your girl and my man bust each other up. Have a seat. The princess makes a dish with limes and scallops that’s to die for. Takes a while to prepare, but it’s worth it.”
Tension choked the air like smoke. Goldie looked bored, which meant she was about ten seconds away from punching someone. Or setting something on fire. You never really knew with her. Ash was pacing, fists clenched.
The Miners looked as angry at Doc as they did with Ash. They didn’t understand why he had interfered either. Stepmama swore silently as the pieces fell into place. “You’re stalling.”
Doc gave her a too-broad smile. “What are you—”
“That note you gave Smiley. That wasn’t a list. You told him to send word to the queen.” She flicked four fingers downward, and the other Red Hoods moved into formation.
“Why would he wait until now to tell the queen about the princess?” asked Legs.
“The queen would have paid to get Snow White back.” Weariness and disappointment filled her words. “She’ll pay more for me.”
“Like I said, I’m a businessman,” said Doc.
“That’s a shame. You used to be a man.”
She didn’t bother going for the crotch kick. Doc was experienced enough to anticipate that. He shifted his hips to protect his groin the instant she drew back her foot. So she slammed the reinforced toe of her boot into his left shin. He cursed in pain, and then she rammed her knee into his stalk and beans.
A golden padlock snapped out to strike another Miner in the forehead. Legs took a punch on the jaw, blocked the follow up, and threw herself bodily onto her attacker.
A fist struck the side of Stepmama’s head. She stumbled sideways, arms raised to ward off the follow-up. Nobody had drawn blades yet. She prayed everyone would continue to show restraint, at least long enough to get Snow and the Red Hoods out.
A table flew through the air. That would be Goldie or one of the Miners.
Doc and another of his boys started toward Stepmama. “You knew the risks of coming into her kingdom,” he said. “Especially wearing those colors. That’s a death wish.”
So was fighting against these odds. Stepmama ducked another punch, twisted to take a kick on the armor of her hip instead of the gut, and searched for Ash.
There was a loud clunk. Doc stiffened, blinked at Stepmama, and toppled forward. The closest Miners paused to see what had happened. Snow White stood behind him, a greasy skillet gripped in both hands.
“I’d like to go with you, please,” she said timidly.
“Ash!” Stepmama’s shout sliced through the chaos. “Call Pumpkin.”
Ash wiped her bloody lip on her sleeve and nodded. Moments later, the door smashed inward, and Ash’s mare trotted into the guild house.
Doc on the floor and a horse on their side made for much better odds. Stepmama used the confusion to grab Snow and regroup with her girls. “Your boss ratted us out to the queen,” she said, hoping to forestall another round. She scowled at Doc’s unconscious form. “When he comes to, tell him we took the girl in payment, and we’re square.”
“Not quite.” Ash grinned and whispered under her breath. In response, Pumpkin stepped into the middle of the guild house and proceeded to relieve herself.
Some things never changed, and Ash’s warped and often gross sense of humor was one of them.
“Why would the queen want to get her hands on you?” Ash demanded as they rode toward the edge of town. The other girls looked equally upset. Even Snow, who was riding double behind Ash.