A Dark and Starless Night

Chapter Eleven

Ali

The party was well under way by the time Ali, Eve, and May arrived. They had decided to get ready at Ali's apartment, enjoying the privacy and her stash of summer wine. The two girls had sent a servant of Ali's to collect the clothes they wanted from their houses. Lin was incredibly reliable and had gotten the exact outfits the girls had wanted without forgetting a single item.

Eve had climbed into Ali's bath the minute Lin had returned with her things.

"That's why you always smell like roses and coconut," Ali had laughed, watching as Eve had rubbed coconut oil over her skin, followed by rose-scented perfume dabbed behind her ears and on her wrists.

"Damn," Eve had said, slipping on a borrowed robe and looking out the window into the city. "Trade secrets are out. Promise not to tell anyone?"

"I promise."

Ali knew she didn't have romantic feelings for Eve, but the girl was utterly beautiful. She had felt guilty for taking advantage of Eve's trust to get a glimpse at her glowing skin. She knew Eve had a crush on Rik; it was blaringly obvious to everyone except Rik, but that was because when it came to love he was hopelessly stupid.

It was endearing, how desperate he was to be with her. But she really didn't want anything more than the few sexual encounters they'd had. Rather she didn't want more than the friendship and alliance they had. It had been curiosity that had driven her to his bed, and guilt that had made her fake her climax. He was attentive, if a little fumbling, but the whole thing had been, well, anticlimactic. The other two times had been to make sure she wasn't dismissing it before it began. But, still, they'd had the same outcome.

"Whose party is this?" Eve asked, looking around the room with her eyes wide.

"Oen's," Ali said, wincing a little at Eve's expression. "Let me explain. It's just what the doctor ordered. We won't even see him."

"And it's the only reason I was allowed, remember?" May said, giving Eve a pleading look.

Eve sighed. "All right, but I don't want to be left alone with him or any of his little cronies."

"That's a deal," Ali said, linking arms with her. She was about to slip her arm into the crook of May's elbow when Fox, May's current courter, appeared.

He was plain looking, and much older than May, but he was exactly the kind of prospect her mother wanted. Luckily for the fair-haired man, he was a decent human. He smiled warmly at May, kissing her cheeks in greeting. May didn't even blush, which boded well for the lord turned city guard. If May was beginning to become comfortable around him, it meant he was doing well to put her at ease.

"Evening, ladies," he said, dipping his head to both Ali and Eve in turn. "Do you mind if I steal some of May's time?"

"Not at all," Ali said, smiling pleasantly at him. "But please get her back to us before she has to go home."

"Those are agreeable terms," Fox said, offering May his hand.

"I am able to speak for myself, you know," May said, chastising Fox as they headed towards the back of the building.

Ali and Eve shared a look, a laugh bursting out of them.

"That is the most adorable thing I've ever seen," Eve said, following Ali to the kitchen were food and drinks were being served.

"Isn't it? I'm happy for her. I really hope he's enough to impress her mother."

"Well, I'll always say this: if the woman can learn to like me, she can learn to – one day – accept a flawed human being as her future son-in-law."