Page 36 of Indentured Companion
“You’re doing it. Trust me.” She sighs and nods her head to the side to indicate the busy ball room. Lots of people are dancing, music is playing, and gossip is circling. “I heard quite a few people on the way over that need their mouths washing out with soap.” I snort in the back of my mouth at her mildly unhinged grin. “And I didn’t shout at any of them.” She nods dramatically. “Not even the one that called me your fang whore. I’m doing well.”
“Yes you most certainly are.” I chuckle with her, and just like that, we’re both at ease again. “I am so pleased you are here.” I don’t let on that I heard far worse than that, and had to restrain myself from showing them what a real ‘gut ripping throat chewing monster’ looked like.
“Because you wouldn’t be here without me?” She cheekily counters.
“That may be true, but I meant you specifically. You, Miss Stone, are excellent and distracting company.”
“As are you, Mr. Dynast.” She wriggles happily in her seat. “Oh, why don’t we people watch?”
“Oh, yes, I adore this game.” I clear my throat and sit side by side with her to look out at the rest of the party. Valerie taught me this game once when we had to sit outside of a theatre and wait for a taxi, because customers complained about my presence, and had me removed from the audience. It passed the time, and proved to be quite fun. “What about her?” I whisper to Valerie and nod to a Sacron female. She is draped in a silver catsuit, far too many necklaces and rings, and her yellow frills hang over her shoulders with blue tips painted onto each spine. Her lower hands are braced on her hips and the upper set gesture as she entertains a group of women she’s talking to. Most are fellow Sacrons, but there are some humans and Prelka there too.
“Frill and tit enlargement. Probably to compensate for her fella banging the nanny.”
“Oh my.” I titter with mirth and we giggle like naughty children at the back of a lecture. “Your turn?”
“Okay.” She hums and looks around the hall to pick someone for me to put an amusing, if not scathing backstory to. “Him.”
“Who?” I lean closer to her and try and search the crowd with my lilac eyes. Most people who catch me looking gasp and huddle away.
“The guy walking right towards us. The guy with wings.” She chuckles under her breath at me, and my heart sinks. Walking towards us with purpose was a Qeknian. He has pale white skin, red rounded glasses on today to match his red and black pin stripped suit. His thick black hair was combed back, and his long feathery white antennae arched backward over his head. His blue, black, yellow and green wings were folded down his back, and he walked with a cane at pace to cross the dance floor to get to us.
“Why, that would be Ninthor.” I sit more upright and put a polite smile on my face. “Councillor of the Qeknian, and not especially a fan. Prepare yourself. He’s heading for us with purpose.”
“Shit.” I nip at my tongue with one last bubble of amusement at Valerie’s manner, and we are both posed in readiness when Ninthor comes to a stop before us.
“Well?” He braces his hands on top of his cane and regards our polite smiles for a moment. “This is my charity Gala, and since you’re here and gunning for the next spot on the council, you should join the rest of us upstairs, don’t you think?” He doesn’t sound like this was his idea. Almost like he’s been told to come and invite us to join them. I wonder, by whom?
“We would be delighted to accept your invitation.” I bow my head and keep my voice as soft as I can make it.
“Yes. Well, I’ll tell the security guards to let you both into the VIP section. We’re all up there.” He half turns and points with his cane to an upper level. “And I mean,allof us.”
“The council?”
“And various other heavy hitters, yes.” There is something like a warning to his tone. “Don’t keep us waiting Dynast. Dinner will be served soon.” He turns and leaves, and I feel ice in my veins.
“Dinner, he says?” I whisper bitterly. “A trap if I ever heard one.” Valerie tugs my hand to get my attention.
“Why is it a trap?” She asks innocently and I look down into her warm brown eyes.
“Because they have invited me to join them fordinner.”
“I don’t see-”
“Fordinner,Valerie.” She still doesn’t follow, so with a sigh I quickly fill her in. “A very social meal, whereIwill be the only one at the table whoisn’teating.”
“Mother fuckers.” Now she’s caught on.
“They will make a spectacle of me.” I sigh and chew my lips a moment. “It will make mydietary needsa focal point for everyone there, and no doubt the topic of conversation.”
“Which in turn draws attention tome.”She scowls and if she could have, smoke would have spilled from her flared nostrils. “So it’s not an invitation. It’s a roast.”
“It’s a double sided sword. If I refuse to accept the invitation, I have slighted the council and these ‘heavy hitters’ Ninthor is referring to. I could lose vital support with the up-coming bill meeting. If we go, we will need to be on guard the whole time and prepare for verbal dissection.” I did not want that for Valerie. This was not the plan. We were to be seen here, not put on display.
“Then…let’s beat them at their own game?” She glowers defiantly. “After all? If theytryand draw attention to the fact you can’t eat with them as yourdietary needsare different, letmeanswer their questions. Like we do in interviews.”
“…are you sure?” I worry for her. “This isn’t the same as an interview. The people we are about to sit with do not fear repercussions in the same way as a reporter might?”
“Am I going to enjoy this? No.” Valerie stands and like a real Queen, she summons me to follow her with a single look. “Do we need to get this done? Absolutely. If anything, we might be able to win some people over, right? If they see that A, I’m healthy and happy as your feeding companion, and B, messing withmewas aterribleidea.” I chuckle at her ferocity.
