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)
But she found that having Lx Sambla’s dark eyes crawling over her flesh made her feel uncomfortable. There was some expression on his face she couldn’t quite name. It seemed to be a mixture of sexual hunger and something else…but what? Greed? Anticipation maybe? But anticipation of what?
Addie didn’t know—she only knew she was relieved when the little display was over and Sambla was tucking her arm into his. From the corner of her eye she could see Drago looking like a thundercloud again. She wondered if it would make him feel any better if he knew that displaying her assets to the Vargan ambassador had made her feel weird and creeped out. Probably not.
“Let me lead you to the place of honor,” Sambla was saying to her as he led her to one end of the long table. “You and I are seated by the Council of Aged Ones. I know you’re going to make a wonderful impression.”
“Oh, er, thank you.” Addie did her best to smile brightly. She had to put the feeling of being naked and exploited somehow out of her head, she reminded herself. The Council of Aged Ones was going to determine if she could participate in the Choosing Ceremony where the Queen of Night was crowned. Not that she really wanted to participate—she’d be happy if they just let her observe. But either way she needed to make a good impression.
The chairs were high and wooden with crimson cushions to sit on. Because Addie was short, Sambla courteously asked one of the servers for a second cushion and then helped her get seated.
“There you are, lovely one,” he said, as Addie finally got settled.
She smiled at him.
“Thank you for the extra cushion.”
“But of course! I always do the same for my sister, since she’s about your height.” He nodded at Sparki, who was sitting a few seats down on the other side of the table.
“You two must be very close,” Addie remarked.
“Yes, extremely close.” He nodded gravely. “She’s my responsibility, you know. And she brings a great deal of joy into my life.”
“She’s got a bubbly personality—she’s my favorite of the ladies-in-waiting you assigned to me,” Addie confided. She did not add that the other three, Teeza, Leeza, and Peeza, seemed more interested in getting into her Protector’s pants than actually waiting on her.
Speaking of Drago, he was seated beside Sparki, who was trying to make conversation with him. But the big Drake Kindred was barely paying any attention to her. Instead, he was glaring at Sambla like he wanted to reach across the table and strangle him. What was wrong with him, Addie wondered? Why was he suddenly so jealous of her when he'd never shown the least interest in her at all before this mission?
She shot her Protector a warning look but before she could mouth something like, “Behave!” Sambla was tugging her elbow to get her attention.
“My dear Addison, I’d like to introduce you to the Council of Aged Ones,” he said, pointing discretely.
Addie looked over and saw three old ladies. They were small and bent, all seated together on a padded bench at the end of the table. Their faces were netted with wrinkles but their eyes…
How are their eyes still so young? Addie wondered as she nodded politely at the old women. Their eyes looked clear and bright and they were staring sharply at her.
"Please let me introduce you, Lssa Addison," Sambla said. "This is Ls Tissa, Ls Hissa, and Ls Prissa. And this is Lssa Addison of the Kindred Mother Ship," he added, speaking to the three women. "She is our honored guest and she hopes to be allowed to participate in the Ceremony of Choosing. In fact, I invited her here just for that purpose, so I hope you'll approve my invitation."
“She seems a good enough sort of girl,” the old lady Sambla had introduced as Ls Tissa remarked.
“Her skin is lovely and pale,” Ls Hissa added approvingly.
“I’m not convinced. Show us your teeth girl,” Ls Prissa demanded.
“My what?” Addie was sure she’d misunderstood.
“Your teeth, your teeth!” Ls Prissa said impatiently. “Open your mouth and show them!”
“Oh, er, all right.” Addie nodded quickly.
Feeling somewhat awkward, she opened her mouth and bared her teeth for the three older women. To her consternation, Ls Prissa actually leaned across the table and ran her thumb over the top row, paying special attention to the small points of her canine teeth for some reason.
Unsure of what to do, Addie just sat there and allowed it. She didn’t want to be rude and she realized that different cultures had different ways of greeting each other, but still, this seemed to be beyond the pale. Was she at a feast or at the dentist?
Thankfully, it was over soon. Ls Prissa sat back and nodded solemnly.