Page 156 of Night's Fall
He gave me a squeeze with his arm.
I watched him walk up the stairs to change.
ThenIpoured myself another coffee.
Chapter25
Night God
The door closed behind applicant number four.
I turned toAllain. “Whatdid you think?”
“She won’t bemyaide,” he replied.
This was number four of the refrains of these exact two sentences.
“Okay, yes, she’ll be my aide,”Isaid. “SheandIwill be a team.ButI’malso a team withAleksei, and you’re onAleksei’steam, so we’llallbe a team.SinceAlekseiisAleksei, and he’ll want whoeverIwant,Ineed you to weigh in soIknow you feel comfortable working with whoever is chosen.”
Given permission,Allaindidn’t hesitate to share.
“I think she’s stuck in her ways.Shehas a good deal of experience, but she andIwill butt heads, because she’s older than me, and even thoughI’vebeen in this role with the prince for six years, and she has not ever been a royal aide, she’s the type of female who thinks she knows everything, and always will.”
I got the same impression.
“So, she’s out,”Imuttered.
“And the first one was more interested in meeting the prince, or any of the princes, than she’s interested in working for you.HerCVwas exceptional, but the entire interview, she kept looking at the door, as if his royal highness would walk through it at any second, and she couldn’t wait.”
I’d noticed that.
“She’s out too,”Isaid.
“The second one would work,Isuppose.Therewas just something…”
“Not right about her,”Ifinished for him.
“Indeed.Andthe third?—”
He didn’t finish because the door flew open,Germainebarged in, and the door slammed closed.
By the by, in these hallowed halls, the doors were so old, they weren’t automated.Youhad to open and close them yourself.Theydidn’t sense you and had no audio commands.Theentire compound had historical designation, and as such, these modernizations were illegal to make.
It was kind of mega.
Especially coupled with the fact the administration area was done up in genteel good taste with a massive dose of expensive.
If the admin area looked like this,Iwas excited to see thePalace(andAlekseiwas coming to pick me up when we were done, and he said he’d take me on a tour before we left—Icouldn’t wait).
Allain straightened, andIdid too, asGermainebore down on the seating arrangementAllainhad set up with rather comfortable, plush side chairs with tables positioned to rest drinks and digi-pads.
“Have you lost your mind?” she demanded of me.
“Excuse me,”Allainhuffed.
“Shut it,” she snapped at him, his whole body jerked in affront, and she came back to me. “Youwent toNaylynBiggerstaff’sritual?Withthe prince?”
“I—”
