Chapter Fifteen
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The most beautiful woman is the one who is loved by a real man.
“Don’t speak unless I’m by your side. Don’t touch anything. Don’t look at people directly in the eyes. Don’t drink, and for gods’ sake, don’t eat.”
Rui gave Ere a sideways glare as he rattled off his instructions.
He was right to be cautious, but she wasn’t a green fool. She knew they were wading into dangerous, shark-infested waters.
Why did humans think so poorly of sharks, by the way? She never understood the unnatural revulsion and fear.
They were such noble, attractive creatures, such sleek, strong swimmers. She might not keep up with human “television programs,” but she did like to watch one animated series when she visited friends who “surfed the Net”—Zig and Sharko. She bet Ere would tease her endlessly if he knew.
But she digressed.
“I am not an idiot,” she muttered beside him, keeping her eyes on the jovial humans all around her, drinking, laughing, dancing, being generally absurd.
She recognized many of the contestants in the tournament at the dining hall benches. Either stuffing their face with bountiful food, drowning themselves in ale, or reveling in the attentions of buxom serving wenches and scantily clad whores. And many partook of all of the above.
There were no “ladies” present, Rui noticed as they maneuvered through the crowds.
She supposed the men’s wives were kept at home, away from such bloody sports and raunchy entertainments. All men across all civilizations behaved this way when they had the opportunity, in Rui’s experience.
She wrinkled her nose in disdain.
Tasteless, weak-willed humans. Only her Wolfe had any sense.
“Keep an eye out for blank-eyed goons,” Ere continued with his dire warnings. “Have you noticed how Guinevere surrounds herself with them? Men who show no emotions, except for that eerie killer’s glint and a psycho smile or two.”
He shuddered, keeping his sharp gaze on their surroundings.
“Reminds me of Medusa’s minions.”
“Who’s that?” Rui asked. She couldn’t be certain, but she thought he might have mentioned this name before.
“Dead, that’s who,” he growled fervently in answer.
“But before she got dead, she was the mother of all evil. Guinevere is an amateur by comparison.”
He crowded her on the right, half behind her, half beside.
“Stay close.”
She shoved him away by a couple feet, needing her space.
“I am the warrior here,” she reminded him. “Staying close toyoudoesn’t help me.”
Ere sniffed.
“I have my uses. I can spot suspicious plots a mile away.”
He put an extra spring in his step.
“And I’m rhymin’ even when I ain’t tryin’. I’ve a way with words, you know.”
“You’re strange,” Rui declared.