A/N: Sorry for the whole fake chapter thing- but here's 18 in its full unedited glory... And also. Scrivener. *squeals*
Before she knew it, the week’s end was here again. It was again time to see Ukarie.
Araldia walked there carefully, as usual- there were lots of the cruel kind of people around Geraldine- and when she got to the brothel, she rapped on the door, three times, added a last soft knock- that was the code, wasn’t it?- and the door swung open, revealing Ukarie, in her all red garb.
Her mentor tilted her head. “Well, what’re waiting fer? Come on in.”
Araldia nodded and scurried in, feeling a great many pairs of lewd eyes on her back. The sensation made the hairs on the nape of her neck stand. Her skin crawled.
Ukarie started talking the moment the great wooden door swung shut behind them. Araldia had always liked how heavy that door it- it was really thick, and really sturdy, and it seemed to keep the outside away. But she shut away the relief of being away from the… outside, and turned her attention on her mentor’s words.
“‘Right, we’ve done reading people, lookin’ at places, and findin’ ways ta run. Today we’re lookin’ at guarding yer face.”
Guarding… my face. Right.
“Wha’?”
Ukarie made a clicking noise, saying, “Ya need to learn how ta look calm.”
Araldia nodded slowly and pieced her face into some semblance of neutral.
Ukarie shook her head. “No, not how we do tha’.”
The woman ushered her into one of the ground floor rooms. It was dark, really dark, so Araldia closed her eyes for a moment, letting them adjust to the darkness.
When she opened them again she was face to face with a bloodsucking leech.
She let out a slight squealing sound and backed away, nearly falling on her back. That thing… it was slimy and disgusting and it was right in front of her nose and…
Ukarie shook her head, impatient. “Honestly, it’s just a leech. But righ’, how does yer face feel like?”
Araldia took a tentative breath. “Uh, stiff.”
“So relax. Unclench yer jaw, smooth yer forehead- there ya go, nice and relaxed.”
Araldia frowned. “That’s it?”
“Righ’, and don’t blink.”
She stared at her mentor for a moment, receiving only a raised eyebrow.
Oh. Right. No emotions…
She wiped the frown from her brow and tried to stop herself from blinking.
Ukarie gave a half smile. “Better. Next. The way ya talk- that’s got ta change.”
“What?”
“Precisely what I’m talkin’ bout. Keep yer tone flat.”
“Like this.” Araldia hoped the question didn’t quite show.
“Bit more… bored. But ya get the idea.”
Araldia nodded once again.
“Right, now try an’ talk ta me- tell me about, say… the Archheir.”
What? Isn’t that a little… risky?
Still she complied, trying to keep the expressionless tone.
YOU ARE READING
Reidier
FantasyIn the bowels of a city called Reidier, Mella makes a mistake. She loses her temper. To avoid the oncoming shit storm that results from that, she finds shelter- with the secret Incognita revolution. But their leader is missing, and tensions are high...
