Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 85108 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 340(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85108 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 340(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
A sound cut through her thoughts. Looking up, Andi saw that everyone in the large room was snapping their fingers. It seemed really odd at first, but then she realized that it was a form of applause. It took her a moment more to realize that the applause was directed at herself and Thrax—apparently they had put on a good show.
“That was a lovely act of submission and service—you two are already in favor!” Shanna said, coming to stand at Andi’s side. “In fact, Pantyitch herself is looking at you!”
She nodded to a tall, statuesque woman with light green skin and long black hair that had a white stripe running down the middle of it. The woman was standing beside a man who was about an inch shorter than her and looking in their direction. She nodded briefly when she saw Andi watching her and Andi nodded back, unsure what else she should do.
“Er, should I go and say hello to her?” she asked Shanna.
But the other woman shook her head.
“Oh, no! It’s very rude to speak to the head of the Ruling Collective unless she issues an invitation. However, wait until after Evening meal—as long as you do well there, I’m sure she’ll want to meet you.”
“When is the Evening meal?” Andi asked. Her stomach was growling at the very thought—she hoped that the Delta Salacions were good cooks.
As though to answer her question, a high, silvery ringing suddenly filled the air.
“Ah—that’s the signal now,” Shanna murmured. “I’m so glad we didn’t miss it. Pantyitch always serves an excellent spread. Come on!”
She took Andi’s arm and tugged her towards the back of the room, making her way between the milling party guests with a single-minded purpose.
Everyone else was going that way too, but with Shanna’s maneuvering, they reached the large, rounded archway at the far end of the room quickly and almost before anyone else. Another male servant in a frilly apron and short-shorts was standing there, clearly waiting for the guests.
“Hey, sweety,” Shanna said to him, giving him a grin. “I know you’re busy, but can you be sure my friend and I get to be close to Queen Pantyitch?”
The servant stiffened.
“Really, I can’t—” he began.
“Sure, you can. I know a pretty little thing like you can help me out.” Shanna slipped him something Andi couldn’t quite see—maybe a gold coin? Anyway, the bribe seemed to have the desired effect because the uptight scowl on the servant’s face smoothed out into a smile.
“Right this way,” he said, nodding at Shanna and Andi and led them into the dining room.
9
ANDI
The minute she saw the dining room, Andi understood why Shanna had offered the bribe—it was huge, with a table that looked like it could seat a hundred people at least. If Shanna hadn’t asked to be seated by the head of the Ruling Collective, they surely would have been lost in the crowd.
The servant in the frilly apron and short-shorts led them to one end of the vast table and nodded courteously at Shanna.
“Your seat, my Queen. Would you like some help to strap your male-wife in?”
“Yes, of course—I can’t strap him in myself!” Shanna said, looking annoyed. “Rux, sit!” she added, pointing to the chair the servant had offered her.
Rux sat at once and Andi saw that the dining chairs around the table were all extra large and extra deep. They also all had leather straps on the arms and legs. As soon as Rux sat, the servant went to work strapping his wrists to the chair’s arms and his ankles to its legs. When he was finished, he offered the chair to Shanna yet again.
“Your throne, my Queen. Would it please you to sit?” he asked.
“Yes, thank you.” Shanna seated herself on her male-wife’s lap and got comfortable. “This is lovely—now help my friend,” she told him, nodding at Andi.
“Of course, my Queen.” The servant turned to Andi and Thrax, who was standing right behind her. “If you would be so good as to have your male-wife sit in your seat?” he asked, indicating the chair right beside Shanna’s.
“Oh, of course. Thrax?” Andi looked up at her partner, only to see that Thrax was having a very strange reaction.
His golden eyes had gone wide and he was staring at the straps on the dining chair with something like horror. It was as though the servant had offered him a seat filled with deadly snakes.
“Thrax?” Andi went to him and put a hand on his bare chest, trying to find out what was going on. Her palm landed on the left side and she was suddenly aware that she could feel his heart—it was drumming at an incredibly fast rate.
She frowned. Something about this situation was freaking out her normally unflappable partner. Andi had never seen him look like this—there was a haunted, hunted look in his golden eyes that twisted her heart for some reason. What was going on?