Page 46 of Defiance
Guei was a regal woman with a crest decorated in gold leaf like a crown. Despite her advanced age, the fan above her head still hadn’t split, looking as supple and well-nourished as an ingénue preparing for her first spawning. Novak flattened his nostrils, offended by her innate charisma, good health, and expensive oils.
He’d never seen her as a neolate running through the halls of HIXBS headquarters on Huajile with Vindilus, but he’d smelled her. Herchemiahaunted the conference rooms and auditoriums. It hadn’t been a striking or noteworthy part of growing up a lab orphan, but as an adult it soured his memories. Novak knew what sorts of programs she’d greenlit. Threshold experiments on children, sterilization trial runs, bilong breeding farms, all kept confidential because of their “sensitive” nature.
Many of Vin’s scars were from those experiments.
“You must be Charlotte Halloway,” Guei said, sweeping towards the table. Charlie stood again, cheeks red, heart hammering. She bled cortisol into the air like it was perfume.
“Oh! Aye. Yes. Pleasure to meet you, Councilwoman Guei.”
Guei held out her palms, expecting Charlie’s hand. She swallowed, brow creased, then offered the woman that had stolen her genetic code her hand.
“I’ve only just arrived from Helion,” Guei said, brushing her thumbs lovingly across Charlie’s knuckles. “So… has the oldryhidonbeaten me here then?”
La?we stood up slowly, a terse smile pressed into his thin, wide mouth.
“No, Councilwoman. I don’t believe Ferulis, hm, will be attending.”
Guei blinked with mild surprise. Several other people at the table, mostly HIXBS staff, made varying noises and expressions of displeasure. Novak’s ear twitched at that. As far as he knew, Ferulis had never received an invitation.
“Oh, that’s a shame, hm. I expected him to be here, but I suppose his office is quite disorganized. It’s a wonder he still holds stewardship over our protected colonies.” She tsked, then slid her smile back into place. “No matter. I’ll be happy to send him a report.”
“Chairman Ferulis has been a staunch protector,” Charlie stated loudly enough for the room to hear. “So much so that perhaps mundane tasks have fallen off his radar. Opening the mail, attending fancy dinners… But his old, belligerent heart’s in the right place.” Her expression was a beaming challenge as she slid her hand from Guei’s clutches.
Novak smirked. She really was a terrible actor, but not from lack of social grace. The woman just couldn’t help herself.
Guei smiled slowly. “I am very glad to hear it. Have you been to any of the galleries? Keuduk in the Southern Quarter would gladly, hm, open early for us tomorrow.”
“Apologies, Councilwoman,” La?we cut in, brushing his hand across Charlie’s back. The move was possessive, setting Novak’s teeth on edge, but the envoy was stiff. The agent’s ear twitched. “Ms Halloway, yes, is predisposed tomorrow morning.”
“Oh?” She tilted her head and Novak felt her attention split, eyes observing their faces and La?we’s hand at the same time.
“We’ve a, mm, private brunch on the dunes. To observe Tailu outside of the city.”
La?we stood his ground graciously, bowing his crest, though without the proper flutter of his hands. One remained behind Charlie while the other hung loose. It wasn’t a snub exactly, but it meant he wasn’t apologetic either. Novak opened hiscolearafully, focusing in on La?we’s bitter scent beneath the powders and perfume. Their envoy was angry. He didn’t like Guei quite as much as his colleagues.
Perhaps because Charlie was the one standing next to him and not a different human he cared less about.
Novak’s red pupils narrowed. La?we knew something unsavory about Guei and he didn’t want Charlie near her.
“In that case, don’t let an old art enthusiast stand in the way, yes, of such a special treat. We will have many opportunities to get to know each other, hmm?”
Guei turned towards the door, raising her arm to call someone inside. Her venomous gaze landed on Novak. Of course she knew who he was. Her smile remained, but her glare was hateful as she spoke over her shoulder.
“Pioden, come.”
Novak’s pupils dilated, ears swiveling to the door in surprise. A fellow advenan walked in, hard gaze scanning the room as he breathed in deep to absorb the scents. Their eyes met—Novak’s red for his yellow—and his plume mail shivered in a bronzy black cascade down his thick neck and tail in territorial displeasure.
Novak nodded to the man named Pioden without emotion, then trained his eyes on the table as Director Caher guided Guei to a seat at the other end. He was stocky with stacked muscle hardwon through rigorous training. His ears were shorter than Novak’s but straight and proud. He wore a thin gold merit collar that would no doubt stun him if he “behaved poorly,” but the concession to his freedom was common among the few advenans that served the upper class with more privilege than lab orphans from Huajile like him.
He’d applied for one before Ferulis picked him up but was denied due to his “uncertain past.” In order to qualify for work in private security firms like the one that probably employed Pioden, he’d have to have one. Their contract would then stipulate that they gain full access to its features. Citizen number, live location, vitals, and a proverbial kill switch.
Novak thought it was worth it when he was younger. Maybe a merit collar would gloss over the uneasy looks and erotic disgust. Maybe he’d be a better role model that could negotiate for his guildmates’ contracts with more legitimacy. He poured every cent of his income into the guildhall so that they kept their noses clean.
After Charlie, that delusional dream faded. She hadn’toncelooked at him like an animal. None of the humans had. He was just another man that didn’t look like them. A visitor, a brother-in-law, an uncle. Someone they trusted.
Someone they trusted.
Hundreds of sex-trafficked women saw him and feltsafe.His heart pounded at the realization. No merit collar could ever compare to that.
