“Yes, it’s delicious,” Lucy said honestly. She had bitten into a flaky pastry that was filled with some kind of salty meat paste and was really enjoying it. She just wished she could share some with T’zaren, but even if that had been acceptable, his mouth was otherwise occupied.
It was strange, but she was actually getting used to feeling his tongue lapping her softly and slowly as she ate and talked. Reaching under the table, she caressed his rough cheek and ran her fingers through his hair with the hand that wasn’t holding her pastry. In response, he gave a low rumble of contentment and pleasure—it really made her think he was enjoying his role as her manservant, as strange as that sounded. Then again, maybe he was just a really good actor…
“I’m so glad you like the pastry! And you have such adventurous tastes!” Mistress Shin’dara said, breaking Lucy’s train of thought and giving her a malicious smile. “It’s not everyone who likesbittabeetle paste!”
“Uh…beetlepaste, did you say?” Lucy put down the pastry abruptly.
“Oh my yes! They’re an insect species that live on the chasm walls, don’t you know,” Mistress Shin’dara said. “Quite as big as your head, crawling up and down the rock face all day and night, though they can flatten their bodies to fit into almost any crack when you try to catch them.”
“They…they can?” Lucy took a gulp of the hot cinnamon drink, feeling sick as she pictured the giant insects the other woman was describing. In her mind’s eye, they looked like roaches—reallybigones. Disgusting!
“Oh yes, they can! Of course, their antenna and all those legs are no good for eating—too tough and chitinous, you know. But once you break open their shell, the guts inside are quite tasty.” Mistress Shin’dara’s smile widened as she imparted this knowledge.
“Wow…that’s…really interesting.” Lucy chugged more of her drink. Had she really eaten a pastry full of bug guts? The idea was revolting!
“I’m so glad you find it mentally stimulating. But…you’re not eating any more of your pastry?” Mistress Shin’dara gave her a look of mock-concern. “What’s wrong, my dear?”
“Oh, it’s just that I’m still full from last night,” Lucy lied. “I, uh, ate quite a lot offleur’igansoup with your Other Half—with Lady Twa’linda at dinner. Where is she, by the way?” she added, hoping to change the subject. “I mean, where does she go when you’re here?”
Mistress Shin’dara gave an ugly laugh.
“Now wouldn’t you like to know? Maybe you’ll even find out—if you stay long enough.”
“I’m staying until I get thedimriel,”Lucy said, lifting her chin. If she had to play the hard-nosed businesswoman to get what she wanted, well, she was willing to do that. More than willing—she refused to let the Mother Ship and all the people depending on her down!
“Very well.” There was a look of respect in the other woman’s eyes and she nodded thoughtfully. “Then if you’re serious about staying and dealing with me, you can come to the Throne Room after breakfast and witness the Loyalty Ceremony.”
“Loyalty Ceremony? What’s that?” Lucy frowned.
“It’s where the guards and staff pay obeisance to me and swear their undying loyalty—reaffirming their commitment to serve me,” Shin’dara explained. “It’s necessary, considering how long my fool of an Other Half kept me under wraps!”
Her eyes flashed with anger and Lucy was terribly gladshewasn’t one of the hapless guards. They were all going to be in for a bad time from now on until Mistress Twa’linda came back.Ifshe ever came back, that was.
“I’d be pleased to attend and witness the ceremony,” she said smoothly. “Thank you for inviting me.”
“Oh, don’t thank me, my dear.” Mistress Shin’dara flashed another one of her malicious smiles. “You may be sorry you attended.”
What’s that supposed to mean?Lucy wondered.
The Twainer’s words gave her an uneasy feeling, though she kept her face impassive. Probably Mistress Shin’dara was just alluding to the awful things she was going to do to her guards during the Loyalty Ceremony. If she was going to abuse them all like she had the one who had come in at the beginning of breakfast, it really was going to be hard to watch.
She hoped that was all it was, but the lump of unease growing in the pit of her stomach said otherwise. Still what choice did they have? She had to attend if she was going to have a chance to get thedimriel.
“Well, I must go if I’m to make certain those idiots my Other Half hired as guards don’t botch the ceremony,” Mistress Shin’dara said.
As she spoke, she rose from her seat and Lucy was finally able to see what she was wearing. Earlier, she’d thought it was just a tight black top with the nipples cut out. Now she saw it was a black cat suit which seemed to be made out of some shiny material like vinyl. Also, it wasn’t just her nipples that were showing, the crotch of the suit was completely missing, which meant her pussy was on display. Black leather boots with sharp, stiletto heels completed the outfit.
Lucy noticed another detail too—the white veil that covered the back of the Twainer’s hair fell all the way down to the floor. It swirled around her ankles as she strutted from the room. When she got to the door, she turned back for a moment.
“The ceremony is in about thirty solar minutes, so you just have time to finish breakfast before you come to the Throne Room. Enjoy!” she said.
And she left the Banquet Hall looking, to Lucy at least, like a queen who had only recently returned from exile and who had decided that this time she was going to stay and rule with an iron fist.
THIRTY-EIGHT
LUCY
“Whew…” Lucy sank back in her chair and then reached under the table to tap T’zaren on the head. “She’s gone—you can come out now.”