Page 192 of Gates of Tartarus

“Let’s add the bastard to the short list.” I blow out strongly through my nose. “Ugh. All right, better carry on.”

We circulate for another hour before deciding to take a break and checking in with the others. On the landing, we bump into Kailani and Jonah. Kailani’s looking drawn, dark circles bruising her eyes. The press of people must be getting to her.

“I’m going to take a few minutes,” she says.

“Garden?” I suggest sympathetically. “Should be fewer people there.”

She nods, “Back in a bit,” and Jorge and I make our way to the Livery Room. The place is packed. There must be seven hundred people here, drinking, talking, laughing. There’s definitely a buzz. I spot Kavi and Emlyn in the crowd and wave.

“How goes it?”

Emlyn shrugs. “As well as can be expected. Not sure how much intel we’ll get, but Seef is taking pictures.”

“I thought you plebs weren’t allowed to bring in mobile phones,” I cock my head.

“Har, har, har. Why do you think Seef is wearing his fancy prosthetic?”

“No, really? It has a built-in camera? Ooh,” I say excitedly. “So, he reallyisJames Bond.” I make a show of fanning myself.

“Yes, my little colonial. We Brits can teach you Yanks a thing or two.”

“Meh,” I hop about on my heels. “When can we blow this joint?”

Emlyn looks at Kavi: “You can dress them up, but you can’t take them out.”

“Too true,” Kavi says ruefully.

I whack him on the arm. “Ha, bloody ha. Now, who’s going to get me something to eat? I’m famished.”

“Tough,” Emlyn observes. “You’re on assignment.”

I glare at him. “You seriously do not want to see me hangry.”

“Hangry? Is that a thing?”

“Yes,” I snap, hands on my hips. “So, unless you want me to channel the Exorcist, chop, chop!”

Ten minutes later, I’m licking my lips. “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: puff pastry is delicious! Hang on: is that goat’s cheese and walnut?” I snag a canapé off a passing tray.

Kavi snickers: “You’ve already tried that one. Have a spiced meat and… spinach?”

Walker wanders over, looking gorgeously tousled but a little worried. “Have you seen Kailani and Jonah? Hideo can’t find them.”

“Yeah, they went to take a break, maybe, twenty minutes ago? In the garden.”

“VIP-only? Oh, OK.”

The orchestra strikes up ‘Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye’, and I start to sway.

Jorge sends me a smoldering look: “May I have the pleasure?”

I smile coquettishly, taking his hand, and a server appears by my side.

The Queen and Her Crown

Saturday, 15 December – Kailani

Tonight has been exhausting. After touching base with the Brits, and a whirlwind tour of the premises by Fallon, we’ve been, for the most part, left to our own devices. Occasionally Elizabeth will drift in with “Doctor So-and-So” or some massive asshole/donor, and I’ll be on display, smiling prettily, trying (and usually failing) to look suitably awed by whatever bigwig I’m meeting. Elizabeth shoots me knowing looks and slight smiles after, as she takes them away, and I shrug as if to say “you knew what you were getting with me.” Honestly, there’s a huge part of me that hopes we’re wrong, that I misread something, that Maela misheard something, and that Elizabethison our side. Despite everything, I can’t help but laugh a little at her subtle eye rolling or tight smiles as she suffers through mansplainer after mansplainer telling her what direction she should take her foundation, where to invest, or how to go public. I could be friends with this version of her.

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