Page 18 of The Tribes of Magic
“Of course I am. That’s why you like hanging out with me. Deep down, youwantto be wicked.” I linked my arm in his, and we marched side-by-side down the stairs. “So what will it be, Kato? Dropping itchy bugs down the back of the General’s jacket? Or maybe something more sinister, like hiding glue packets in the upholstery of his chair so they burst when he sits down, pasting his butt to his seat?”
He glanced sidelong at me, the tiniest hint of humor twinkling in his eyes. “You’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how to prank the General, haven’t you?”
“Actually, I’ve spent most of my life thinking up ways to prank my brother.” I placed my hand over my heart. “But I swear to you that Dante totally deserved it.”
The doors at the bottom of the stairs were thrown wide open, giving me a full view of the grand ballroom, complete with champagne and chocolate and a string orchestra. The ballroom was gold and white, and it sparkled—just like Kato’s fancy cape.
The Court delegates were even fancier. They wore silk suits and satin sashes and gowns that twinkled like the midnight sky. There were even a few crowns in the crowd. And a hennin or two or three. That was actually kind of cool. I’d only ever seen the cone-shaped headdresses in books. The women of Gaia hadn’t worn them since the Middle Ages. Maybe the fashion trend would make a comeback, now that we were in the second Age of Knights.
“So, what will it be, Kato?” We paused under the staircase just outside the ballroom. “Itchy bugs or glue packets?”
“Neither. I fear the time has come. I must face my fate.” As the orchestra started playing a fast waltz, Kato set his sights on the ballroom.
Supernatural VIPs continued to stream inside, each one more glamorous than the last. A man in a suit that shimmered like it was made of black diamonds stood at the entrance, announcing every new arrival in a loud, crisp voice that cut through the background music. It reminded me of a scene out of a fairytale ball.
“Last chance to change your mind, Kato. There’s the General now.”
A tall, unpleasant man in a stiff black uniform entered the ballroom. The guy at the door did not announce him.
When I commented on that, Kato said, “The Court delegates don’t see us as equals. But that will change if we’re accepted as members of the Court.”
“What does being a member of the Court even give us?”
“The other realms have a lot of resources and a lot of experience with magic.Milleniaof experience. The Government thinks they could help us understand magic better and maybe even help us find a cure to the Curse. But they aren’t just going to help us out of the kindness of their hearts. They’ll want something in return. They need us to show them we can offer them something as valuable as what they can offer us.”
“It’s kind of hard to convince someone of anything if they’ll barely talk to you,” I pointed out.
“That’s why the General forced me to come: to show them Gaia would be valuable allies because we have a Polymage.”
“You.”
“Yes, me. To be honest, I think the General is overestimating how much the other realms care about me and my magic. But he’s stubborn and insists I come along to this really boring Summit, where no one likes us and everyone ignores us.”
“I can see why you look so happy to be here.”
He winced. “Yeah.”
“Hey, at least you have an important job. Look at me. I’m thehelp.” I waved my hands down the length of my body, indicating my waiter uniform.
The look he gave me was almost envious. Which was weird.
“The most important thing I can hope to accomplish today isaccidentallyspilling sparkling grape juice all over Prince Fenris’s pretentious satin sash.”
Kato’s eyes narrowed.
“Don’t worry. I won’t do it. I’ll just be daydreaming about doing it.”
“Be mindful of your daydreams, Seven. Some of the delegates are telepaths.”
Great. Wasn’t that just fantastic? Not even my thoughts were safe. This Summit was even less fun than I’d thought.
I ground my teeth together. “Fine. Then I’ll just have to settle for serving the delegates pretentious mini desserts andnotfantasizing about throwing my shoe at them when they snap their fingers at me, calling out,Girl! Girl! Fetch me some more wine and don’t dally!”
“It’s better than being paraded around the Summit like an exotic zoo animal, Seven. Trust me on that.”
A man with a white beard, white hair, and a white suit strode into the ballroom. I recognized him immediately from his many news appearances. His name was David Stout, and he was Gaia’s current President.
The guy at the door didn’t announce his entrance into the ballroom either.
