Page 9 of To Quench Her Thirst

I never thought I’d have to share my room with a giant spider,she thought, looking into the shadowy corner where the silky was now feasting on the poor little squeaker. It had wrapped the fuzzy little animal up in a silk cocoon and wascurrently sucking it dry. The sight was equal parts revolting and terrifying, as far as Addie was concerned.

“Hey, don’t you want to look good for the feast tonight?” Sparki demanded, sounding slightly impatient. “The Choosing Ceremony to pick the Queen of Night is a big deal, you know.”

“Er, sorry! Yes. Yes, of course,” Addie said quickly, dragging her eyes away from the gruesome sight of the spider having dinner. “It’s just that all these dresses you’re showing me look kind of alike,” she added apologetically. “I mean, they’re all black and they all have long sleeves and deep necklines…”

Sparki frowned, looking confused.

“What other colorcouldthey be? You must wear black for the Choosing Ceremony. It honors both the Council of Aged Ones and Sheelash herself.”

“Oh, of course. I’m sorry,” Addie apologized again. “Though I’m not yet sure if I’ll even be allowed to observe the ceremony,” she added. “I know that Lx Sambla is going to try and get permission from the Council of Aged Ones but I don’t know if they’ll approve my presence there or not.”

“Oh, they’ll approve it,” Sparki said confidently. “They absolutely dote on Lx Sambla—and I’m not just saying that because he’s my brother.”

“Heis?”Addie asked, surprised. Aside from the platinum blonde stripe in her black hair, she didn’t think that her new lady-in-waiting looked like the suave Vargan ambassador at all.

“Oh yes—well, he’s mystep-brother," Sparki amended. "We have different mothers. Since Sambla’s mother was chosen as the Queen of Night while she was engaged to his father, he had to find a new wife. So he married my mother, who had been widowed in a previous year’s Milking."

“That seems complicated.” Addie frowned. “Why did he have to find a new wife just because his first one was chosen to be the Queen of Night?”

“Well because—” Sparki began but just then the connecting door opened and Drago came back in, followed by Teeza, Leeza, and Peeza. Addie thought the big Kindred’s face looked red, as though he was embarrassed for some reason.

“Why did you leave so quickly?” one of the skinny Ladies-in-waiting whined. “We were just getting started showing you the bed!”

“I told you, I must be near Dr. Hollister at all times,” Drago said, frowning at the three of them. “I am sworn to her service. Which means I don’t have any interest in having the three of you ‘show me the bed.’”

“Fine—bethat way,” either Peeza or Leeza said and all three of them crossed their arms over their narrow chests and gave him pouty looks.

Sparki rolled her eyes expressively at Addie and turned to the other three.

“Why don’t you help me choose a dress for Lssa Addison?” she asked. “Or maybe you could find some feast clothing for her bodyguard? Do we have anything in his size?”

This got the three skinny ladies-in-waiting excited again.

“Oh yes—we have to find him some feast clothes!Andhelp him change into them!”

They left the room, arguing with each other about who was going to get to undress Drago. Their absence was a vast improvement, in Addie’s opinion. She already disliked the three identical Ladies-in-waiting who reminded her of the clique of mean girls who used to roam the halls of her high school many years ago.

“There—that takes care of them,” Sparki said brightly. “Now what aboutyou?Which dress do you like the best?”

“Why don’t you pick one for me and I’ll try it on in the bathroom. Er, thereisa bathroom, right?” Addie asked, hoping that there was an en suite somewhere close so she could get awayfrom the sight of the spider having its meal—which was still twitching from time to time.

“If you mean a place to relieve yourself and bathe, of course!” Sparki said brightly. “Here, let’s take these three feast gowns with us and I’ll show you.”

“I’ll come with you.” Drago started to follow them, but Addie held up a hand.

“Whoa—I need privacy to change,” she pointed out.

“Well…” Drago frowned.

“I’ll be fine,” Addie told him. “It’s just me and Sparki—right?” she looked at her favorite lady-in-waiting who nodded firmly.

“Absolutely. Just the two of us.”

“And no, er, silkies in the bathroom?” Addie asked cautiously. She wanted to be forewarned if she was going to have to get close to another giant spider.

“Not in the bathing chamber! They wouldn’t like the heat from the hot water and the steam,” Sparki explained. “Come on.”

“I’ll wait here then.” Drago pushed the black netting aside and sat on the side of the bed. “Just don’t take too fucking long,” he added, cutting his eyes to the door that opened out into the hallway. “Who knows when they might get back and want to ‘dress’ me?”

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