"Let us sit. Here, you take the honored place."
Moreau escorted her to the head of the long table and seated her on a plush-covered stool with no arms or back. Olivia bent her knees to the side in a rather awkward position in order to slide them under the low table. She felt trapped.
There's no way I'm going to make a quick escape out of this room. I'm farthest from the door, and I'm sitting in a yoga position.
To her chagrin, Moreau left her side and took a seat on the far end of the table. She shot him a puzzled look, but his distant expression indicated he was miles away both mentally and physically. The others broke off their conversations in time and drifted to take seats on either side, leaving one large orange-upholstered ottoman open along the middle side facing the fireplace. All eyes seemed to fall to the open seat awaiting its occupation. This person had to be important.
Olivia caught her breath. There's only one person who could command such respect and anticipation in this household. I hope I'm wrong, but I know it can only be her.
A loud knock forced their attention to the heavy double doors at the far end of the chamber. They swung open with no apparent effort and the Alphan High Priestess entered, her dark eyes flashing, her long black locks pulled back in a headband styled tiara encrusted with a myriad of autumn-hued stones, her long orange-red silken gown train trailing behind like an bubbling river of molten lava.
Drucinda. Wonder if she's still angry with me about threatening to blow up their hidden spaceship and then snitching on the Alphans' big secret to their neighboring clans?
Drucinda floated along the stone floor and alighted on her tuffet with grace and practiced ease. She nodded and smiled at her kinsmen each in turn and then rested her gaze upon Olivia.
I'm Lauren. I'm not who you think I am. We've never met. I take it you're important because everyone seems to defer to your judgment.
Olivia returned the nod and smile, and Drucinda's focus drifted away as she began chatting with her table mates on either side. Olivia assumed the older handsome couple to Drucinda's right were Moreau's parents, but she had not been formerly introduced to anyone yet she realized.
Odd, you'd think if she were to become a part of their family they would have wanted to introduce themselves? Maybe it was the lack of translator devices? Yes, that had to be it. As far as she knew, Moreau alone could speak an Earth language.
Olivia smiled and nodded while two young teen boys acting like butlers served dinner. Did Hernando ever work in the dining room like these boys? The large platters of various vegetable dishes were passed about once they were delivered to the table, but she noticed no one took very large portions.
Olivia's stomach growled, but she didn't want to stand out. She took small bites and chewed with great care. The Alphans may have skimped on the quantity of food but the quality was first rate, and the wine was excellent. BloodDark's version of the grape yielded quite a good vintage.
Fifteen minutes into the meal and the quiet chatter dwindled. Moreau put down his chopstick-like instruments and his dining companions did likewise. With a flash of red-orange silk Drucinda stood and clapped her hands. Everyone jumped to attention. Olivia was almost halfway through her plate, but she dropped her sticks and struggled to her feet. All eyes fell upon her. Was it time for Moreau to go down on bended knee and give her a diamond solitaire?
Drucinda’s dark eyes glowed in the candle-light. Her long black hair glistened like a dark waterfall down her back. The high priestess walked with a proud air toward Olivia. Okay, it's time for a friendly handshake with the family's spiritual advisor? A blessing of sorts?
Olivia took a deep breath and tried to relax. There was nothing to fear here. She was in disguise, and she knew for a fact Drucinda had never taken a good look at her when the priestess banned her to the farm on the sunlit side of the planet. Drucinda had been far too angry and distracted by Murnau's stupidity to take any real notice of her. Since Murnau their slave procurer was dead, there was no way he could have ratted her out. As long as she played it cool, she was safe.
Drucinda paused and considered Olivia for a long moment, scanning her features. An intense frown knitted the priestess's sharp features together. Then the sniffing began. Drucinda struck a deliberate pace, circling her several times, sniffing high and low.
Oh, no, please not the sniffing! I don't think I'll ever understand how an intelligent species such as the Pure Bloods use their sense of smell more than their other senses. They're more like wolves relying on instinct than intelligent bipedal creatures.
Yes, wolves. You could say we're in touch with our primitive nature.
Olivia froze. She swallowed a scream. Who was reading her mind? Who was speaking into her thoughts? Valori and Hernando had sensed only general feelings from her before, but this person was reading her actual thoughts.
Her eyes darted to Drucinda's face, but the priestess's pale countenance appeared calm and focused upon her ritualistic sniffing. Olivia looked down the long table toward Moreau. He smiled.
Is it you? Or am I just imagining this?
It is me.
His expression didn't change, but the glimmer in his eyes was there. His eyes confirmed it. Olivia took a deep breath to steady her nerves and directed another thought to him. How do you do it?
The wine helps heighten our natural abilities
