Page 19 of To Quench Her Thirst

Addie thought that Ls Prissa was going to explode with anger. Her face turned nearly purple with rage but before she could berate the hapless Teeza, a loop of white silk came down from the ceiling and wrapped around the lady-in-waiting’s skinny neck.

Teeza gave a cry and reached for her throat but before she could even try to escape, she was whisked away—lifted straight up into the blackness of the ceiling far above.

“Hey!” Addie gasped. “What happened to her? What?—?”

A hand was suddenly slapped over her mouth and she was looking Sparki in the eyes.

“Shut your mouth! Do you want to be next?” her lady-in-waiting hissed, her eyes wide with fright.

Addie shook her head quickly.

“Good—thenbe quiet!”Sparki gave her a last warning glare and then removed her hand and stood back in her own space.

Addie stood there, feeling stunned. She wasn’t sure what was going on at all—had shereallyjust seen Teeza swooped up into the sky? Or the ceiling or wherever?

It was hard to say since the feeling of being high was growing every minute. Everything that moved seemed to leave trails of light behind it. She stared at her own hand and wiggled her fingers, amazed to see the rainbow swirls they left behind as they moved through the air…

“And now it is time for all of you to lay down and receive Sheelash’s Kiss,” Ls Prissa said. But her voice sounded like it had been slowed down—as though she was speaking in slow motion.

All around her, Addie saw the other girls lying down on the circular dais with their feet pointing to the center. She tried to do the same herself, but stumbled and would have fallen if Sparki hadn’t caught her.

“Easy, now,” she whispered to Addie as she helped her lay down. “Just relax and pull your skirt up—it’s almost over.”

“Pull my skirt up? Why?” Addie tried to ask, but the words came out like molasses—all thick and syrupy. She found herself laying down on the cold stone floor of the dais and somehow her skirt was pulled up to her waist.

“Bend your knees! Open your legs!” Ls Prissa was walking around the circle. She had a long stick in one hand and she was using it to rap the girls who weren’t in the right position. “Wider!” she exclaimed, smacking the insides of Addie’s thighs with the stick. “The agents of Sheelash will be here soon!”

Agents of Sheelash? What the hell is she talking about?Addie wondered as she spread her legs wider. She was vaguely aware of a cold breeze tickling the curls on her bare mound. The sensation seemed wrong, but whatever had been in thecup had made her feel so high she could barely move. So she just lay there, looking up at the dark ceiling and the candle flames around her. The flames all seemed to have grown to be a hundred feet tall and were reaching up into the blackness like golden rainbows—it was an awe-inspiring sight.

Her feeling of euphoria and peace was abruptly shattered when something bit her, high on her inner thigh.

“Ouch!” Addie gasped, reaching down reflexively to grab at her wounded thigh. Something bristly that felt like coarse hair brushed against her fingertips and from the corner of her eye she saw a black shape skittering away.

What the hell was that?she wondered woozily.Did that thing bite me?

She didn’t have time to consider it for long because the next thing she knew, Sparki was grabbing her by the arm and hauling her upright.

“Come on,” she whispered fiercely to Addie. “It’s over and we can go but we have to hurry!”

“Why?” Addie asked, but her lady-in-waiting didn’t seem to hear her—or else she just wasn’t in the mood to answer. She got Addie to her feet and rushed her quickly but quietly off the dais and towards the exit.

Before she knew it, Addie was stumbling out of the golden double doors, arm-in-arm with her lady-in-waiting. Apparently the Ceremony of Choosing was over. But who had been chosen?

Addie had no idea.

11

ADDIE

“Oh my goodness—what wasthatall about?” Addie gasped, as they collapsed at Drago’s feet. The big Drake Kindred had clearly been waiting for her. He had his arms crossed over his broad chest and a frown on his face as he stared down at her.

“Nothing! It’s over now.” Sparki was half laughing/half crying with what appeared to be relief. “It’s over and weneverhave to go back in the Room of Sighs again unless one of us is crowned the Queen of Night!” she exclaimed.

“But how do we know—” Addie began, trying to stand up. But the world started spinning around her and she sank to the ground again.

“The girl who is chosen will know—she’ll have the signs. And the Council of Aged Ones will confirm it,” Sparki babbled. “Come on—let’s get out of here!”

She dragged at Addie’s arm again, trying to get her up. But suddenly Drago leaned down and brushed the lady-in-waiting aside. He scooped Addie into his arms and lifted her easily, as though she weighed no more than a feather pillow.

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