Chapter 8

My blood ran cold as her words washed over me, and my veins turned to ice. A sudden throbbing awakened near the back of my skull, warning me of an even greater headache on its way.

Me. They wanted me, to… what?

In a flash, Elodie stepped forward and genuflected all in one motion. She bared her pretty teeth at the assembly, draping one leg somewhat seductively as she let one hand glide along her thigh.

“Lords and Ladies” she began a little breathlessly – something very unusual for her – “It would be my greatest delight to perform for you now, in all its sensuality, a dance known to the far west of here as– “

“Stow it, girl!” Madam Dro snapped, looking ready to bite. Her eyes were narrowed now to angry slits and she made no attempt at hiding her fury. “Step back in line with the others. I’ll have words with you later.”

Ellie flushed bright crimson, another rarity for her. But nevertheless she held her ground.

A strange sound rumbed throughout the chamber. The very tall man in the back was chuckling, a deep and gravelly sound that made the floors vibrate beneath my feet.

“Impressive” he said in a low voice. “Madam Dro, I should very much like to accept the girl’s offer, and watch her dance now instead of the boy.”

“Yes, but that’s not what was agreed” the man on the right snapped. “We can have her dance for us next, but right now, I want to see him perform!”

“Yes” Janite added in a far-off voice, still staring at me with a somewhat glazed expression.

I was stunned. This couldn’t be happening. They wanted to watch me perform? Over her? Were these people truly and honestly that stupid, or was this some kind of joke? Still, as I watched the scene unfold with my heart pounding, I was even more surprised that Elodie had stood up for me in this way.

Ellie had a kind heart. She always had. It was one of those things that I just took for granted, loving her the way that I did, but it was also true. As the eldest of our group, she was truly the big sister to all of us, ready to lend a hand – or a shoulder – whenever the situation called for it or she saw one of us struggling. Most of the time this occurred without anybody even asking for it; just her supernatural sense of empathy telling her when and where her comforts were needed the most.

And yet I’d often wondered: who would be there when Ellie herself needed comforting? She had to, right? I told myself that it would be me one day, perhaps… But for every day that went by and it was the rest of us who received aid from her, I think I’d gotten it into my head that Elodie was just indestructible somehow.

Always composed. Always kind. Just an infinite supply of nurturing and wisdom, ready to be dispensed in a moment’s notice when one of her chicks cried out to her for help. And suddenly, I felt sickened by the selfishness of our little group… and by my own greed the most of all.

Madam Dro’s face resembled that of a demon straight from the Depths. I felt certain she was about to snap, ready to leap forward and twist Ellie between her palms like some wet piece of filth. So I stepped forward as quickly and gracefully as I could, past Elodie and onto the very center of the carpet as Mylannes had done.

These were only people. Not demons, not the Fae; just regular, fat, ordinary people, intent on getting a quick thrill before crawling back to their estates and their fortunes like they no doubt did at every part of their lives.

I swept one leg grandiosely behind me, letting my toes trail the carpet while my arms worked in a series of gentle motions meant to entice the eye. While I was doing this I made sure to catch the eye of as many clients as I could, trying for a mischievous twinkle which ended up just being a wink in each of their directions.

They were interested. Fascinated even, in some cases; I had to bite back my disgust when I directed what I hoped was a sultry look at Jinete. Her cheeks filled with blush, and she actually reached out to me involuntarily before catching herself in the act.

‘If Ellie can do it, then so can I’ I told myself.

Madam Dro’s eyes were trained on me as well. She had a hungrier look about her than I’d ever seen a person wear before, ever.

“Beautiful” she whispered, and I felt a faint tingling sensation at the back of my neck as my hackles rose unwillingly.

The first other sound came from the man on the far right of the chamber. He leapt to his feet with a cry of excitement, practically jumping up and down as he applauded my entrance with vigor.

“Magnificent!!” he exclaimed. “Oh, Mistress; I daresay this one makes up for your embarrassment with the child earlier, and perhaps even for the other girl’s disobedience. I said it before, and I’ll say it now: this young man has the finest of forms. I should very much like to be the first to take up your suggestion of a more… closer inquiry.”

“That isn’t fair!” snapped Guren, rising also to his feet. “You can’t just steal away a promise made to all of us and keep it for yourself!”

“What, then?” challenged the man on the right. “You want us all to descend upon him like a pack of wolves, all jostling and fighting one another for a prime spot? Think of your standing, Lord Guren!”

“All valid points!” Madam Dro interjected effortlessly. All previous anger was now gone from her face, leaving no sign it was ever there; and back was the old Madam Dro, all aristocratic airs and measured warmth.

She flashed the two men an earnest smile and curtsied to each of them. “I can’t very well have you tear him up like a cut of meat, now can I? And he’s even still a few years shy of his prime!” A few tittering laughs at this. “I am a woman of my word, and my word is golden, like always. You each will get a turn evaluating the boy up close. I believe we will indeed begin with David, only – only! – because he was the first, and certainly the loudest to voice his interest. Lord Guren, that strikes me as rather fair, doesn’t it?”

“Then me next, me next!” bounced Jinete, finally finding her voice.

“I said there were no dibs” called Lucan gruffly, but she didn’t even seem to hear him.

A murmuring of agreement went through the assembly. A moment of silence followed as Madam Dro returned to her seat, during which all eyes were trained upon me most uncomfortably.

My palms had begun sweating again. I hoped that wouldn’t impede my performance. My expression felt to me to be somewhat frozen, and that would likely have to do, as there was no way in the Depths that I would be able to manage a genuine smile at this point. I hoped most of them would remain too entranced by my body to notice.

“Bite your tongue” I heard Zaevia whisper at me from behind. “Just stay calm and smile.”

Well, I could smile. That much was currently true, though for how long, I could not be sure.

Stepping forward lightly, I gave the Lords of the assembly one more, graceful bow, and fell into step with a dance taught me by the maidens.