“Jasmine,” I told her, smiling tentatively.
“Heya, Jasmine.I’m Deidre.”
“Nice to meet you–”
“Yes, yes.”She waved her hand dismissively.“You’re probably scared shitless and wondering why I’m talking to you.But let’s pretend you like my company for a moment.”
“O-kay.”I wasn’t scared, but I was starting to wonder whether I should be.
“You’re one of the gardeners.”
“Yes, I suppose–I care for the vegetables and flowers–”
“Even if there was another task humans carried out around here, I’d still guess what you help us with, Jasmine.”She nodded at my muddy feet.“Now I know the answer to my first question: why Karim didn’t let you past the threshold.”The she-elf snickered.“If there’s one thing that can make him leave a female out in the street, it’s mud.”
Karim–the name suited the elf who’d brought me here.To thisstreet.Hah.Only in this world would a cave’s corridor be considered a street.
“My second question is why did he bring you here in the first place?”Deidre continued.“Karim summoned me and my bow, so the answer concerns me directly.”
That made two of us.“I’m not sure.He asked me questions about flower transplantation?”
“Curses.”She huffed.“He’s going to do something stupid–again–and get me killed.Over a flower!As valuable as any plant is, my life is more precious, mind you.”
“Of course–”
“How long has Karim been in there?”Deidre’s gaze shifted from me to the door behind me with a calculating look.
“I can’t really tell.Five to ten minutes, maybe–”
“I’m going in, then,” she said confidently and headed for the door.Reaching for the curtain of greenery, she looked at me over her shoulder with a mischievous smile.“Let’s hope he hasn’t finished getting dressed yet.”She winked.
A giggle burst out of me.What a strange day.When I saw theZombie Outbreakemergency broadcast eight months ago, I expected to die, not end up in an underground world where a she-elf would be joking with me about men.
Deidre had just stepped through the doorway when someone collided with her, pushing her backward.I scrambled to get out of the way, but she regained her footing immediately, as quick and agile as a cat.
“Katsia?”she exclaimed, sounding stunned.
Both of us watched as a tall she-elf in a bright-red gown exited Karim’s home with the air of royalty.
“What an unpleasant surprise.”Deidre’s tone was as sharp as a blade.
The she-elf said something polite-sounding in Elvish, but her black pupil-less eyes were throwing daggers at Deidre.
Being behind her, I couldn’t see Deidre’s expression, but I bet she was responding in kind.“Sorry, Katsia, I’ll stick to English.I know it bothers you a lot,” she said mockingly.
That was when Katsia’s gaze shifted to me.Her murderous glare made me take an involuntary step back and wonder whether her dark-red hair was dyed in human blood.
Deidre motioned for me to stand closer to the wall.“Run along now,” she told Katsia.
I gladly provided enough space for the she-elf to pass as far away from me as possible.
She shot another nasty look Deidre’s way, then walked slowly down the corridor.Her long, silvery fingers gathered her dress just enough to keep her from tripping on the hem, like some court lady.The way she spat “Filth,” as she walked past us was anything but lady-like.
She hadn’t disappeared from sight yet when Deidre called, “Filth is what you are, tramp!”
I couldn’t help it–I giggled again.
“What?”Deidre turned my way, anger lacing her words.“You think this is funny?She had no business in Karim’s home!”
