Total pages in book: 159
Estimated words: 149470 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 598(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149470 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 598(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
But Dru’silla wasn’t listening to me—she was too busy spewing venom.
“Of all the clumsy, stupid, brainless things to do!” she raved.
“Do not speak that way about my pet,” Sir said, his face like a thundercloud. “Her actions were accidental, I assure you.”
“Her actions were idiotic!” Dru’silla spat back, glaring at me.
“Dru’silla, please!” her husband, Azz’lx pleaded, still dabbing frantically. “Please, just relax—I’ll buy you another gown! I’ll buy you a hundred gowns if you like.”
“Get away from me!” She shoved her husband in the chest, nearly knocking him off his chair. “I knew it was a mistake accepting this invitation to dine with off-worlders tonight! What will our social circle say if they find out we were fraternizing with such scum?” She pointed at me and narrowed her eyes. “You’re nothing but a hsh’frux—an off-worlder dirt-blood,” she hissed venomously.
“My father was a hsh’frux.” Baron Vik’tor’s voice was quiet but deadly cold. “He was Braxian, you know,” he growled.
“Oh, hey, Vik’tor…” Azz’lx face had gone even paler than the usual Naggian white. In fact, he looked nearly translucent and his forehead was sweating. “Dru’silla didn’t mean it,” he told the Baron. “You know she didn’t! She’s just upset because this is a new gown, that’s all.”
“Yes, I did!” Dru’silla snapped. “I meant every word of it—these people are off-worlder scum and I don’t know why we’ve been forced to keep company with them!”
Azz’lx looked up at his wife and glared at her. “Sit…down,” he hissed and then risked a glance at the Baron who had a stony look on his face. “If you value your life and mine, Dru’silla, shut up and sit down right now!”
I stared at the angry Naggian couple and then at Baron Vik’tor in surprise. I had thought that Azz’lx was just worried about losing his job, but now it sounded like he was afraid if his wife offended his boss, the Baron might have them both killed. Was Baron Vik’tor a successful businessman or a Mafia Don? Or maybe he was a little bit of both?
“I think maybe it’s time this dinner concluded,” Baron Vik’tor said abruptly. “It’s too fucking bad—I had raw, frozen y’mesh flesh on the menu, followed by t’mpkin bile soup, and some classic mixed-blood sorbet for dessert. But I think maybe we’ve all had about enough for now.”
He spoke calmly but his pale blue eyes blazed in his white face and I noticed his fangs were showing—they seemed very long and sharp.
“I’m sorry that little one’s mishap with the last dish ruined your social event,” Sir said to our host. “But I’d still like to speak with you, Baron. Maybe we could continue our conversation in another part of your building?”
“Yes. Yes, of course.” Baron Vik’tor took a deep breath like a man trying to calm himself and I thought that maybe his eyes blazed a little less brightly and his fangs didn’t look quite so long and sharp and scary afterwards.
“I’d like to be included, too, Baron,” Azz’lx said hesitantly, clearly trying to do damage control. “I’d like to get to know Sir Bart better. Maybe it would be a good idea for the males to go to your study for some of that delicious Braxian brandy you had imported the other day. Meanwhile the females can retire to the living area and get to know each other better.”
Dru’silla cast him an incredulous look and I could read on her face what she was thinking—she had no wish to spend one minute more with the off-worlder scum—aka, me—who had ruined her dress. But one furious, tight-lipped glare from her husband and she shut her mouth and looked sulkily away.
“I don’t know…” The Baron gave Dru’silla and me an appraising glance. “I’m not sure the two ladies would get along.”
“I’m sure they’ll be fine.” Sir gave me a measured look. “Won’t you, little one?”
“Of course, Master.” I nodded calmly—I had no intention of spending a single minute with that stuck-up bitch, Dru’silla. I was going to excuse myself straight to the bathroom and stay there the whole time he was with the Baron and Azz’lx. So it was no skin off my nose if we parted for a while.
“I—” Dru’silla began.
“Yes, my dear?” Azz’lx gave his wife another hard look and she pouted some more.
“Fine. Everything will be fine,” she muttered.
“Well then…” Azz’lx clapped his hands together. “That’s settled—right?” He looked at the Baron anxiously.
Baron Vik’tor paused for a moment, but nodded at last.
“All right. Gentlemen, please come with me,” he said to Sir and Azz’lx. And the servants will show the ladies into the living area where they can relax and sip liquors if they want.”
He stood up and so did Azz’lx.
Sir turned to me and murmured,
“Little one, are you certain you’ll be all right? Our talk is apt to take some time.”