Page 118 of Gemini Queen
His icy eyes veer to mine. “Oh, do be assured I’m hardly the only levitating anti-monarchist on this island who despises you, darling. Your amorous poodle can make you a list.”
“Hey.” Neo lowers his fork and frowns. “You can’t talk like that to Zara.”
That’s typical Neo, rushing to my defense and completely ignoring that the person Vasili actually just insulted is Neo.
And I guess I know now where I stand with Vasili.
He just said he despises me.
Which means the Goblin King’s still my enemy.
Suddenly my yummy pancake is a soggy mess in my mouth. I swallow my mushy mouthful and glare back at Vasili. “Never mind me. Stop swiping at Neo, you asshole. What are you, twelve?”
“Now, now, children, no fighting at the table.” Racetrack leans across to steal a crispy strip of bacon from Ronin’s plate over his indignant objections and pops it into her mouth. “Hey, Master Aries, we still having the Janus Dance tonight? Or will the Dean cancel it over the weather?”
That’s Racetrack for you, crunching noisily through Ronin’s bacon, seemingly unperturbed by the perennial shitstorm that swirls under this roof, yet capably deflecting the combatants before we all come to blows.
She doesn’t seem all that conflict averse to me, but I’m sensing Dez doesn’t like it when we fight, so Racetrack soothes the storm for her sake.
“It’s an important tradition at this Academy, so I imagine the dance will go forward,” Lucius murmurs. “Unless we lose power, of course, as we did during the last big blizzard—”
The old-fashioned ring of the landline rotary phone in the kitchen gives me a jump, because that contraption is ancient and I haven’t heard it ring since I got here. Lucius touches his linen napkin tidily to his lips and gets up to answer. But I’m still focused on the last thing he said.
Great. I still have to go to that fucking dance with Vasili as his fucking date.
Clearly sharing the sentiment, Vasili eyes me over his coffee cup. His glacial gaze narrows dangerously. “Do tell, darling. Have you found a frock to wear?”
Of course, that rattlesnake’s more worried about how I’ll look on his arm tonight and whether I’ll tarnish his trendy image than he is about the nasty threat just made against my life.
I barely resist the urge to flip him the bird.
“Neo had my suitcases sent from Singapore.” Under the table, I give Neo’s muscled thigh a grateful squeeze, which triggers his slow sexy grin. “I have some club clothes in there. If they’re good enough for a Singapore nightclub, they’re good enough for you.”
“Dear God, are you insane?” Vasili lowers his cup and looks appalled. “The Janus Dance is a formal affair. You can’t turn up on my arm looking like a manga character from a comic book.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, did you think I was asking your permission? You don’t get a vote on what I wear, Goblin King.” This time I do flip him the bird. “How about you and I just nix this whole dating concept? Anyway, I’d rather go to the dance with Neo.”
Vasili’s pupils dilate and his nostrils flare, which for a cold-blooded reptile like him is the equivalent of a temper tantrum. “Oh,that’sa lovely notion. You’ll make me an obvious liar in front of Bucephalus Zerxes, who happens to be the warlock on this island who’s most capable—aside from yours truly—of making anyone’s life a living hell.”
I’m in the middle of formulating a snarky takedown, but the thought of unleashing a vengeful Master Zerxes on anyone (even my snake of a housemate) does give me pause.
My hesitation gives Dez an opening. “No worries about the dress, cobber. I can loan you one of mine, yeah?”
Dez is a total sweetheart for offering, though her tastes run to girly pastels, which would make me with my hair look like an Easter egg. Besides, she’s tall and slim, while I’m short and curvy.
I’m trying to formulate a graceful escape, but Vasili beats me to it. “That won’t be necessary, Desdemona. Never fear, I’ll arrange something suitable for the little queen.”
Which sounds like he’s planning to bash me over the head and hide my body in the attic.
I lob the thought at him, taking advantage of all that telepathy I’m practicing, and he gives me one of his irritating smirks. “My, my, we’re paranoid. I meant something for you towear, darling.”
“Don’t bother.” I toss my linen napkin over my empty plate and glare at him. “I won’t wear anything you give me.”
His mouth crimps with annoyance.
Now it’s Neo who steps in. “If the weather lets up, maybe the supply plane can land. This was supposed to be a surprise for you, babe, but guess what? All your stuff’s coming. I closed out your lease in Egypt and had everything shipped.”
On my other side, Ronin groans softly and raises a hand to cover his eyes.
