I guessed that was to be expected as one of the few Phorasti in the city. My mind turned to all the delicacies I’d picked up yesterday. Excited, I asked, “Did you see the haul of exotic foods I picked up?”
He looked up at me and smiled, though he still seemed distracted. “Ah… what? Oh… yes, I did.”
When he didn’t elaborate, I asked, “Do you think you could make something special for dinner tonight? I have two new jobs and I’d like to celebrate!”
“Oh! That’s great, Dizzy!” His smile deepened, caramel brown eyes sparkling. “I’m happy for you. Yeah, I’ll see what I can do.” He rose, dusting off his hands.
“You’re amazing! Thanks,” I said, grinning ear to ear. I drew him into a tight hug and, after a moment he seemed to relax and return the gesture.
He seemed well enough. I wasn’t sure why I’d been worried. He hadn’t been avoiding me. He was just an important and busy man.
“Whatever you need, I’m… here for you,” he whispered, head beside mine, pulling me just a little tighter into the embrace.
I sighed. Everything was right with the world again. “I know,” I said. “I’m here for you too. That’s what family is for.”
CHAPTER 7
Tisera
That afternoon,I put on one of my new dresses. It was dark orange-red, with long flaring skirts which ended mid-calf. It had good leg mobility and enough skirt to easily hide a long dagger strapped upside-down to each thigh. It showed a lot more of my chest than I was comfortable with, but that was the style of the day, a square-cut neckline, low enough to show the tops of my breasts.
Oh well.
Daz caught sight of me as I left and stared, stunned.
I grimaced. “Is it that bad? I know I don’t wear a lot of dresses, but?—”
“No,” he whispered. “It’s… perfect, you’re perfect. You’re beautiful.”
I may have blushed then. Though perhaps as my brother, he had to say things like that.
“Thanks, Daz.” I slapped him on the shoulder and he seemed to snap out of his reverie.
“Ah… don’t get me wrong,” he stammered. “You’ve always been perfect and beautiful.”
Yeah,thatwas too much, definitely something a brother had to say. Still, it was nice to hear. I laughed, feeling just a bit lighter as I left.
The walk to Veora’s house gave me time to get a feel for the new garments. The wide skirt gave full range of motion with my legs and the half-sleeve meant nearly full range of motion with my arms, though I was certain I’d tear the shoulders if I did anything too rough in it.
When Veora came out to meet me, she seemed a bit surprised and looked me over quickly. She smiled and laughed when she saw my feet. “We need to work on your footwear,” she said softly. “Most women don’t wear heavy boots like that.”
I blinked.
My boots?
She wore sandals with souls of thick leather tied over light slippers. That was quite different from my tight, military-style boots, which came up to mid-calf. But I honestly wasn’t sure how I’d fare in footwear like hers.
“We’ll see,” I said skeptically. “I’m already feeling out of place in a dress. One step at a time.”
She laughed at that and nodded. She wore another pink dress, this one darker in shade than the last, edging on purple. Her neckline was even lower than mine and showed off her ample bust. Again, I didn’t know if she was wearing a corset or not, but I was beginning to think not. She just had an ideal figure.
She looped her arm in mine, humming a pleasant tune before saying: “Come friend, let’s walk.”
We were about halfway to the city gate when she stopped her humming — it was a near constant thing for her — and spoke again.
“Well, if we are to be fast friends, then we must learn more about each other. I’ll go first. Ask me anything you’d like.”
It wasn’t politic at all, but the thing I was most curious about was: “Why are you with Prince Victor?”
