They got into their private levi-car, which was in the valet parking area, before they came home. Gahariet was careful to sit on the edge of the seat. They were more than wealthy enough to have two levi-cars, but their father was tight with his money. There was only one for the two of them, and Gahariet didn’t want to get red wine on the seats. They’d be able to get it out of course, but they wouldn’t be able to escape their father’s lecture about wastefulness.
Gahariet sighed. Olivier’s body was loose and relaxed. His head was back and he looked about twenty seconds away from sleep.
Gahariet, on the other hand, was wide awake. Funny how chilled wine in your pants kept you alert.
Soon, their levi-car was taking them to their door. It came to a stop outside of their home. Gahariet shook Olivier’s shoulder. Olivier woke up enough to shuffle from the levi-car. He wasn’t too steady on his feet. Gahariet realized that Olivier must’ve had more to drink in the brief time that they’d been apart.
“How much did you have?”
“Couple body shots,” Olivier slurred. “Pretty girl.”
; Gahariet just shook his head. “You’re going to have a killer hangover tomorrow.”
“Be fine,” Olivier protested. “Gotta live.”
“Let me get you back into your suite.”
Gahariet put his hand on Olivier’s upper arm and guided him into his own room, where he flopped on the bed.
Gahariet touched the glow pad to turn off Olivier’s lights. The rest was up to him.
Gahariet went into his own room.
As hard as he had worked to convince Olivier that the prophecy was a stupid sham, it was definitely possible that something was coming. Something big. Something that they didn’t understand.
Gahariet didn’t like not knowing what was happening. But he’d drunk just enough alcohol to make his eyelids heavy, so he fell asleep in his bed, still dressed in his damp pants.
6
Perfect Dress
Phuong
Phuong was sweating, but it wasn’t because of the heat. She’d lived here her entire life. The Draka were cold-blooded, and they could only survive in warm climates or ones that were artificially kept warm.
The Insa coins in her pocket were heavy. Xuan wanted her to buy the perfect dress, but she felt like she had a spotlight on her as she walked through the Draka boutique row.
There were immaculately beautiful and very wealthy ladies walking around with their friends.
Phuong stood out because she was walking around solo. Her clothes didn’t cost what a middle-class family paid for food for a year.
The Draka were all about deeply individual clothing; Phuong had mass-produced beige clothing that was made for the Yore. Anyone could see at a glance who was part of the upper class and who was part of the working class.
She’d never been in this part of the city. It wasn’t meant for people like her. The Draka nobility shopped here.
Outside of the city, the wilderness with unseen wild beasts went right to the city walls. And while she wasn’t keen on meeting any of the wild beasts that she could hear calling at night, she’d rather take her chances out there than right here in the heart of the Draka section.
Phuong wiped her forehead and tried to ignore the people staring at her. She walked as quickly as she could as she made her way into Dalshan’s Dressing Hall.
The sound of the bells chiming when she opened the door startled her, making her widen her eyes. But she kept her chin up, as if she belonged here. Like her brother said, you have to believe it to achieve it.
A store clerk came up to her.
“Can I help you?” The store clerk was a stunning Yore girl with waist-length hair and huge eyes.
Phuong watched her sweep her eyes up and down Phuong, as if she were something a little strange.