Page 5 of Lochlan

“Alright, I’m going,” I mumble in irritation. The entire gathering watches us as we walk to the head table. I don't mind a crowd watching when I play volleyball. I'm not aware of an audience once the game starts. This is different; it's too personal and I have no idea where this night will end.

“Wonderful, you both look pretty in your frocks,” Poppy gushes.

“Thank you, QC,” Livi and I say in unison.

The three of us talk through the meal. I'm having a hard time ignoring the meal servers. They've added a jacket to their uniforms, but I can still see bare chests. I'm keeping a covert eye on the Viking, but he hasn't come near the head of the table. The bronze god who served Pru seems to be favored by Poppy.

“What do you think of the training?” Poppy asks.

I don't hear her, I'm too busy drinking and watching the servers.

“Kenzie!” Poppy's voice is insistent.

I turn to her, wondering what she said. She swivels in her seat. I look at Livi, but she's pushing food around her plate, ignoring everything.

“Oh, I understand now,” Poppy says, “it's the blond server. I saw your face when he offered you a glass earlier.” She studies the Viking. “He's new. Someone got sick a couple of weeks ago and he was the replacement. He's been working the parties ever since.” She eyes me. “I could find out if he's interested. Would you be willing to pay a retainer? The money is for him, not me. There are lots of rooms upstairs you could use, stay the night if you like.”

I pause in mid-drink. Were these men hired to be more than just waiters? Poppy chuckles at my expression.

“Sorry, I couldn't resist,” she says. “They're just servers, pretty ones, of course. Most of them are probably actors or models. I don't really know…Anabella hires them.”

“You don't know any of them?” I ask, now I'm openly looking at the Viking.

The bronze warrior arrives and takes Poppy's dinner plate away. She sighs, watching him walk away. “They're like art pieces. I enjoy looking at them.” She sounds lonely. Pru was right, I know nothing about her. She smiles, and the loneliness disappears. “We can talk more later if you like, but it's time for the main event.”

Poppy stands to address the assembly. “Sisters.” A few women in the tables near us pay quiet attention, but the back tables are still in conversations punctuated with roars of laughter. Poppy nods at Annabella, who holds up the cowbell and clangs the assembly into silence.

“Sisters,” Poppy says, “It's time to address the purpose of this meeting to initiate our newest members into the fold. Please join us in the next room.”

Poppy captures Livi's and my hand to walk down the center aisle through the tables. The other members file in behind us into a grand ballroom. Three huge crystal chandeliers glint above us, and there’s a polished wooden floor for dancing; it looks like something out of a Jane Austen book.

We walk through the center rows of chairs where the women file in. We continue our stroll until we reach the front, where a high-backed queen chair sits, crafted in blood-red velvet, edged in gold in the detailed baroque style. The two chairs on either side are smaller, less ornate, in pink velvet, but still baroque furniture.

Poppy sweeps her long gown into her throne while Livi and I take our seats. Nervousness twists my gut as we become a spectacle for the audience.

Poppy breaks the silence in her clear, cool voice. “I've been thinking of a fitting initiation for Kenzie and Livi. I'll admit after so many of you have gone through our initiation, finding the right challenge to fit these sisters wasn't easy. The two of you will have a choice of three challenges. Please stand and face your sisters. Each challenge will have a time limit. I will present them from the least to the most time to complete. Do you understand?”

We nod.

“Wonderful. Challenge one is to kiss a girl. Yes, tongues must be involved, not sweet pecks on the lips. This must happen here and now for ten minutes.”

A nervous titter races through the gathering. Livi flinches. “Poppy, am I to do this with Kenzie?” she asks.

I can't stare out into the sea of faces any longer. I glance at Poppy, interested in the answer.

Poppy frowns, resting her elbow on the arm of her chair, chin cradled in her palm. “What's the fun in that? I have volunteers you can select from. Kenzie, Anabella said she would be happy to help.”

Anabella stands in the shadows behind QC's throne, visible only to Livi and I. She's Poppy's assistant, who—I don't believe it—has just popped a Tic Tac in her mouth and is leering at me. She's 6'1” and has been trying to ask me out for a while. Even if I was interested, which I'm not, I wouldn't date someone on my same squad.

“Livi,” Poppy says, “Jenny and Rosie are up for a bit of a snog. You just need to tell us which girl you prefer or, if you don't want to disappoint either, I'll give you five minutes with each.”

I glance at Livi, who's pleading with me to make this nightmare stop. “What are the other challenges? I think we'd like to hear them all before making a decision,” I ask, glancing at Livi for conformation. She gives a tentative nod. I know she's just as uncomfortable as I am.

“Very well,” Poppy says, “You will have two weeks to complete this challenge. There's a community in the hills, a rather large facility that would like us to do an exhibition and a Q and A session after. I thought of you two.”

Livi and I look at one another, wondering what the catch is.

“The community is Blue Crest Ridge.”

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