Rebel's Quest (13 page)

“I disagree,” Andreia dutifully remarked. “You’re by no means old, Chairman. Merely wise.” She wondered if she had spread the honey-cream too thick. Another squeeze on her hand told her this might be the case.

M’Ocresta seemed to swallow it, though. “Thank you. Most kind. Perhaps I’ll see you inside? And you as well, Ms. O’Landha?”

“We’d like an opportunity to chat with you, ma’am,” Roshan said, the low purr in her voice not wasted on the older woman. “We can all learn from your example.”

They walked over to the entrance of the ballroom, out of earshot, and Andreia had to laugh when they both drew a deep breath.

“Too much of that, and I’d break out in a rash.” Roshan smirked with night-demons dancing in her eyes. “And if it hadn’t been for the fact that all the people around us were listening in, I wouldn’t have been able to pull it off. Disgusting.”

“Yes, that’s my sorry existence,” Andreia said, and made a wry face. “Disgusting is right. I’m well trained in flattering the right people, and it gets easier with time. I’m sure you’ve had to do the same.”

“Yes, and I hate it. Throw me into battle any time.”

People gathered around them, and soon food was spread out on the tables lining the floor. Andreia and Roshan circled the room with thermo-glass plates in their hands, neither of them very hungry, but they gave the impression of eating.

Several times, people were so interested in their presence, they literally bumped into them. Eventually, after two Onotharian politicians crowded her, Andreia stumbled backward right into Roshan, only barely avoiding falling in her thin-sole boots. By then, Roshan had obviously had enough. Taking the plate out of Andreia’s hands, she handed it to a servant.

“This is ridiculous. They’re obviously expecting us to perform, so why not? Let’s give them something to see.”

Breathless and confused, Andreia watched Roshan walk over to the head servant standing just inside the ballroom doors. They exchanged a quick word, and Roshan pressed something into his hand so fast that Andreia wasn’t sure if she actually saw it happen.
She’s bribing the servants? Oh, for stars and skies!

Classical music began streaming from its sources up under the tiered ceiling, five meters up. It was the customary Onotharian First Dance, meant as an honor to the couple opening the dance at distinguished social functions. Roshan crossed the floor in long strides, and Andreia wasn’t sure she liked the look on her face. She seemed determined and—spiteful?

“We can’t,” Andreia murmured. “There are protocols…regulations—”

“And what did I always say about regulations and protocols?” Roshan asked.

“If not break them, then at least bend them.”
How could I forget that?

“That’s right. May I have this dance,
veiled rose
?”

The unexpected use of their secret anagram,
love desire
, not to mention the teasing tone of voice, made Andreia stumble on her words. She hadn’t heard the phrase for so long, for obvious reasons, and now... “Mother will have a fit. The M’Isitors will hate me. Very well. Let’s dance, then.”

Andreia tried to sound casual, but nothing could have prepared her for what she felt when Roshan clasped her waist and began to walk backward. When they’d cleared the crowd of people and Andreia felt cool marble change into wooden flooring, Roshan’s steps turned into dance steps, moving Andreia flawlessly around the floor.

Andreia put one hand on Roshan’s right shoulder and the other one on top of Roshan’s left hand on her waist. Long steps swept them into the center of the floor, and the greater their distance from their audience, the further from Andreia’s mind they drifted.

Instead all she knew was Roshan’s familiar scent of soap and musk.
It hasn’t changed
. The dance dictated Roshan hold her at a certain distance, but for some reason Andreia found herself barely a hand’s width from Roshan’s chest.
Perhaps she’s also reminded of other dances like this?

Andreia looked up at Roshan, who gazed at her with an obvious darkness in her eyes. Roshan also seemed paler, and her grip tightened with every new step. Eventually her grip around Andreia’s waist bordered on painful, making her pull closer as she tried to ease it. “Ro?” The old nickname was over her lips before she realized it.

“Hm?” Roshan blinked and looked down at Andreia with smoldering eyes, now also a bit dazed and less dark.

“You’re hurting me,” Andreia whispered. More couples followed their example, and she didn’t want anyone to overhear them.

“What? Oh, Gods, I’m sorry.” Roshan almost let go completely, and only Andreia’s determination to keep dancing kept her from losing her grip on her dance partner.

“Don’t worry. I’m okay.”

“You are?” Roshan danced away toward a remote corner, away from the food-covered tables. “Of course you are.”

Andreia closed her eyes for a moment and relaxed. “Yes, and I think we’ve established ourselves not only as a couple of sorts, but a gutsy, slightly stupid pair, who don’t give a damn about etiquette.” She frowned. “Perhaps they’ll blame it on our ‘newfound attraction’ and make excuses for us.”

“I was acting in haste again, wasn’t I?” Roshan sighed. Her eyes, wide and cautious, found Andreia’s. “Newfound attraction?”

“From their perspective, of course.” Andreia spoke quickly. “Some things never change. You always were the wild one, Ro.”

“And you were always the one keeping me in check. In a manner of speaking.”

“I was?” Andreia remembered sometimes feeling like the perpetual killjoy. Roshan would go on her crazy spur-of-the-moment adventures, and Andreia would reluctantly tag along, dreading the potential outcome, but refusing to abandon Roshan.

“You always looked out for me.” Roshan sounded almost surprised at her own words. “You tried to talk me out of my more insane ideas, and the times you couldn’t, you went with me, even with the risk of getting caught hanging over your head. And your fear of displeasing your parents.”

“More so, annoying Trax,” Andreia added.

Roshan’s face became solemn at the mention of Andreia’s brother. “Yeah, that handsome, sociopath of a brother of yours. No wonder you were afraid of him.”

“I was not!” Anger filled Andreia, and she pulled back as she tried to hide it. “He wasn’t an average person in anything he did, and as much I would’ve liked to see him choose another career…” She clasped Roshan’s hand tightly, inadvertently betraying her rage.

“Joining the OECS was hardly a mere
career move
.” Roshan’s voice sank to a low, hissing murmur. “It was a political decision and, given their methods, a way to fulfill sadistic tendencies.”

“Well, it should please you that my brother paid for his faults with his life!” Andreia struggled to keep her voice low and out of earshot.

“I don’t mean that. But if your people hadn’t attacked my homeworld—”

“You forget.
Our
people.
Our
homeworld.” Andreia’s fingers were ice-cold, and she realized Roshan must feel the chill. They still had opposing opinions, despite their mutual goal, and Trax’s political stance, assuming that death and destruction were an acceptable means to an end, had reignited the animosity between them.

“Yes, so you say.” Roshan was obviously not about to give in.

Andreia glanced around, relieved to see that nobody appeared to have overheard. This was too careless. “Let’s don’t ruin this chance to make people think we have a relationship.” Andreia squeezed Roshan’s fingertips. “We can’t allow ourselves to get personal.”

Roshan remained rigid against Andreia for a moment, then relented. “You’re right. You usually are.”

Surprised, Andreia knew her features softened. “Thank you. I know that’s not easy for you to say.”

“It isn’t.” Roshan glanced at the crowd. “Is it just me, or are they dancing closer to us?”

“I think they are. Perhaps they’re trying to get the scoop on why we’re here together.”

“Then let’s give them something to make it worth their while.” Roshan smiled faintly. “We can call it a…diversion.”

Andreia didn’t know what to expect. “Diversion? What are you talking about?

Roshan pulled her closer and tipped Andreia’s head back. “This.” She leaned down and brushed her lips against Andreia’s forehead. “And this…” she murmured, and pulled Andreia close, body to body, as they kept dancing.

“Oh, for stars and skies,” Andreia whispered. “What are you doing?” Roshan’s lips were like velvet against her skin, and Andreia leaned involuntarily into the caress. Still, such behavior wasn’t only madness; it was also highly inappropriate at a function such as this. Right then, her parents passed them, and to Andreia’s surprise, her mother smiled and winked at her.
Oh, please. She thinks I’m playing Roshan. H’rea deasav’h!

“Diversion,” Roshan breathed. “And a way for them to think we’re being unconventional because we’re in the process of rekindling our relationship. You know, pheromones.”

“Pheromones! Now that’s presumptuous. And besides, they don’t know if we have anything to rekindle!” Gasping, Andreia resented being so defenseless against Roshan’s caresses. “Who’d remember anything so insignificant?” She knew she sounded scornful, but it was the only way she could manage not to give in to her stampeding heart and breathlessness.

“Oh, they’ve been gathering information about the two of us ever since we entered the ballroom. Your parents have their channels, and so does the chairman. They’ve obtained more than one report throughout the evening, unless my knowledge of Onotharian perfection fails me.”

“You’re probably right,” Andreia said, reluctantly. “But it doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to let anyone think we’ve rekindled anything. Especially since there’s nothing to revive!”

Roshan looked down at her with smoky blue eyes in the muted light on the dance floor. “You say that with such conviction. So our friendship meant nothing to you? I should’ve known. You dropped me and what we had…could’ve had very quickly, after the invasion. Guess I didn’t fit your plans to become a local hero, did I?”

“Of course we were friends!” Andreia could hardly believe her ears. “We were best friends, even. How can you question that?”

“Twenty-five years of damn hard work with my ‘best friend’ nowhere in sight says I can.”

“I worked every bit as hard as you, risking just as much, during that time. I was busy!”

“I know. Your lovers were reported in the media with tedious punctuality.”

Andreia knew she paled and her hands grew even colder. “Exaggerations. For appearance,” she muttered, suddenly numb.

Roshan stared at her with frosty eyes for a moment; perhaps there was something in her expression, because Roshan’s face mellowed marginally. “Maybe. I have no way of knowing, do I?”

“You have my word.” Andreia stared up at Roshan as their feet moved automatically with the music.

“But how much is your word worth?” Roshan said. “Trusting you could be the very last thing I do.”

*

Roshan looked down at the dark beauty before her. Andreia’s eyes glimmered gold and amber, and Roshan realized her words hadn’t helped mend fences.

“You have some nerve,” Andreia said slowly. “First you insult me, only to question my honor.”

“You don’t understand—”

“Oh, but I do. I understand that as long as I’m useful for your quest, your cause, you can force yourself to be in my presence. You don’t see this as
our
cause at all, do you?”

“I’m not used to sharing my comings and goings with anyone.” Roshan’s lips felt rigid, and she hated how stiff she sounded.
Where did my ease go?
She only knew she lost it at the sight of Andreia, in the light of her golden eyes.

“Well, get used to it fast.” Andreia pulled back from Roshan’s strong grip. “You’re not calling the shots here, remember. I am.”

The truth was bitter medicine, but at the same time, Roshan felt oddly relieved.
Perhaps it’s a good thing, not to be alone in this.
“I know.” She still had to force the words across her tongue.

The music quieted, and Andreia seemed eager to step out of Roshan’s arms. “I need something to drink.”

“Allow me.” Following protocol, Roshan guided her dance partner off the floor by offering her arm. Andreia took it, but let go as soon as possible. She walked up to the bar at the far end of the ballroom with Roshan in tow.

“Black Reyera
wine, please.” Andreia told the woman serving them.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Thank you.” Andreia took the glass and sipped it immediately. “Oh, mm. Very nice.” She turned to Roshan. “Want some?”

“No, thanks.” Roshan watched Andreia shrug and take another sip. The wine moistened Andreia’s lips, and a sudden hot, dark feeling weighed in Roshan’s abdomen. Furious at how Andreia affected her, Roshan focused on the people around them, nodding to a few familiar faces. The women were all dressed expensively and displayed rare jewelry, which made Roshan grind her teeth, since the indigenous people could have bought a year’s supply of medicine for an entire family for the price of one of their bracelets.