Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 66405 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66405 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Sparki frowned, looking confused.
“What other color could they be? You must wear black for the Choosing Ceremony. It honors both the Council of Aged Ones and Sheelash herself.”
“Oh, of course. I’m sorry,” Addie apologized again. “Though I’m not yet sure if I’ll even be allowed to observe the ceremony,” she added. “I know that Lx Sambla is going to try and get permission from the Council of Aged Ones but I don’t know if they’ll approve my presence there or not.”
“Oh, they’ll approve it,” Sparki said confidently. “They absolutely dote on Lx Sambla—and I’m not just saying that because he’s my brother.”
“He is?” Addie asked, surprised. Aside from the platinum blonde stripe in her black hair, she didn’t think that her new lady-in-waiting looked like the suave Vargan ambassador at all.
“Oh yes—well, he’s my step-brother," Sparki amended. "We have different mothers. Since Sambla’s mother was chosen as the Queen of Night while she was engaged to his father, he had to find a new wife. So he married my mother, who had been widowed in a previous year’s Milking."
“That seems complicated.” Addie frowned. “Why did he have to find a new wife just because his first one was chosen to be the Queen of Night?”
“Well because—” Sparki began but just then the connecting door opened and Drago came back in, followed by Teeza, Leeza, and Peeza. Addie thought the big Kindred’s face looked red, as though he was embarrassed for some reason.
“Why did you leave so quickly?” one of the skinny Ladies-in-waiting whined. “We were just getting started showing you the bed!”
“I told you, I must be near Dr. Hollister at all times,” Drago said, frowning at the three of them. “I am sworn to her service. Which means I don’t have any interest in having the three of you ‘show me the bed.’”
“Fine—be that way,” either Peeza or Leeza said and all three of them crossed their arms over their narrow chests and gave him pouty looks.
Sparki rolled her eyes expressively at Addie and turned to the other three.
“Why don’t you help me choose a dress for Lssa Addison?” she asked. “Or maybe you could find some feast clothing for her bodyguard? Do we have anything in his size?”
This got the three skinny ladies-in-waiting excited again.
“Oh yes—we have to find him some feast clothes! And help him change into them!”
They left the room, arguing with each other about who was going to get to undress Drago. Their absence was a vast improvement, in Addie’s opinion. She already disliked the three identical Ladies-in-waiting who reminded her of the clique of mean girls who used to roam the halls of her high school many years ago.
“There—that takes care of them,” Sparki said brightly. “Now what about you? Which dress do you like the best?”
“Why don’t you pick one for me and I’ll try it on in the bathroom. Er, there is a bathroom, right?” Addie asked, hoping that there was an en suite somewhere close so she could get away from the sight of the spider having its meal—which was still twitching from time to time.
“If you mean a place to relieve yourself and bathe, of course!” Sparki said brightly. “Here, let’s take these three feast gowns with us and I’ll show you.”
“I’ll come with you.” Drago started to follow them, but Addie held up a hand.
“Whoa—I need privacy to change,” she pointed out.
“Well…” Drago frowned.
“I’ll be fine,” Addie told him. “It’s just me and Sparki—right?” she looked at her favorite lady-in-waiting who nodded firmly.
“Absolutely. Just the two of us.”
“And no, er, silkies in the bathroom?” Addie asked cautiously. She wanted to be forewarned if she was going to have to get close to another giant spider.
“Not in the bathing chamber! They wouldn’t like the heat from the hot water and the steam,” Sparki explained. “Come on.”
“I’ll wait here then.” Drago pushed the black netting aside and sat on the side of the bed. “Just don’t take too fucking long,” he added, cutting his eyes to the door that opened out into the hallway. “Who knows when they might get back and want to ‘dress’ me?”
Addie had to suppress a smile at the hunted look on his face. It might be petty, but she couldn't help liking the fact that the big Kindred seemed to derive no pleasure in the obvious way the three skinny-minny ladies-in-waiting were throwing themselves at him. She could have told them it was a waste of time flirting with the big Kindred. After all, she'd tried getting under his skin almost from the minute she met him but it didn't do any good—Drago was all business.
She followed Sparki through a sliding door, which was made to look like part of the wall, and found herself in a vast marble en suite bathroom. The color scheme was black and white—the same as the bedroom. Addie wondered if all the guest suites were decorated the same way. If so, the designer had a definite lack of imagination.