(eng) Martin Millar - Kalix MacRinnalch 03 by The Anxiety of Kalix the Werewolf (retail)

Author:The Anxiety of Kalix the Werewolf (retail) [Werewolf, The Anxiety of Kalix the]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 87

The Fire Queen made her first foray into the room outside, where she immediately encountered her rival.

“Kabachetka! How splendid to see you here. I had no idea you would be attending.”

“Really?” replied the Empress very civilly. “I am the sponsor, you know.”

“I had not noticed.”

“Perhaps the Queen is tired these days, and does not notice things so well.”

Malveria kept smiling. “I do notice that my former adviser is lurking behind you, Empress, though I hardly recognize her in a dress. How fare you, Distikka? Have you been busy since you tried to overthrow me?”

Distikka bowed to the Fire Queen. “Greetings, Fire Queen. The attempted coup was terrible, was it not? An insane idea by General Agripath. I tried my best to dissuade him.”

“Very likely, I’m sure. Despite having no involvement, you felt the need to flee to Kabachetka?”

“No doubt because I am more generous,” said the Empress.

“The Fire Queen is famous for her lavish generosity,” said Malveria.

“Generosity of her hips, perhaps.”

“What did you say? Why, I’ll . . .” The Fire Queen stepped forward angrily. She felt herself delicately restrained by a hand on her shoulder. Dominil stepped forward, not wanting a fight to erupt that would interfere with her plans for espionage.

“Ah,” said the Empress. “One of Thrix’s singular models.”

“Thrix’s show was a great triumph, was it not?” said the Queen.

“I favored another designer,” said the Empress sniffily.

“But the audience did not.”

“The audience may have been swayed by the collection of strange and freakish models. The clothes were very ordinary.”

“Thrix’s clothes are most superior, as you have learned to your cost.”

“I believe I’ve seen you before,” said Dominil to Distikka, interrupting the Fire Queen and the Empress.

“That is unlikely,” replied Distikka.

“In the Courtauld Gallery.”

“Ah. That would be possible. And you are?”

“Dominil MacRinnalch.”

Distikka nodded, as if recognizing the name.

Dominil indicated a vacant table. “Would you care to discuss the gallery?”

Distikka looked carefully at Dominil for a moment or two. “Why not?” she replied. They sat down together, leaving the Fire Queen and the Empress to insult each other in their politest voices.

“So you are Dominil MacRinnalch,” said Distikka. “I’ve heard several things about you. I understand you’re not the most popular of werewolves.”

“That’s true.”

“And you’re intelligent and scientific.”

“Yes.”

They paused while a waiter arrived. Distikka accepted two glasses of champagne from his tray and gave one to Dominil. Around there was a bustle of activity as preparations were made to auction the clothes that had been on display.

“Isn’t it strange, being scientific and also being a werewolf?” asked Distikka.

“What do you mean?”

“As I understand science on your planet, it doesn’t believe in werewolves.”

“It does not,” agreed Dominil. “But no doubt there is a scientific explanation. We just haven’t found it yet.”

“And Fire Elementals?”

“Likewise.”

Distikka laughed. “I doubt that the scientists at CERN are ever going to find an explanation for the Empress Kabachetka and Queen Malveria.”

“No doubt all these beings can eventually be explained,” said Dominil.

“Perhaps as part of a grand unification theory,” said Distikka.

“I didn’t expect to meet a Fire Elemental with a knowledge of particle physics.

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