Sub Rosa by Amber Dawn

Author:Amber Dawn
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook, book
ISBN: 9781551523613
Publisher: Arsenal Pulp Press
Published: 2010-10-06T16:00:00+00:00

XV

It was a real charade having to smile and amuse guests for the rest of the party. It was worse to witness First’s forced cheerfulness as live ones talked and grabbed at her. It was enough to make me want to slap them away with phantom hand. But, exhausted, I barely had the concentration to see phantom hand in front of my own face. My ring finger was numb. When I could, I buffered her from the men. I’d crawl into the lap of the live one sitting next to her. I cut in on her dances. I vied for the attention I knew she didn’t want.

Meanwhile, the news of Second’s departure spread from Treasure Anne to the triplets, from the triplets to the House of Klime, from Klime to the Daddies, the Daddies to the Glories, and lastly, I saw Ling slink over to the Diamond Dowager. I was embarrassed watching gossip telephone around the room. At least it brought the party to a quicker end. Glories cleared the room by dragging live ones back to their apartments for nightcaps. Diamond brought a half dozen men to her house, the group of them looking like death’s wedding as they paired up with the orphans and marched away in their matching black dresses and dinner jackets.

Shirley and Al killed the music after they left and the Daddies escorted the remaining partygoers out, shaking hands and speaking in their business voices as they went. Finally, First and I had peace. The ballroom was spent: costume feathers floated in the air unsure of where to land; dyed carnations were stamped into the dark wood floor. We helped Shirley and Al pull down the floral garlands. Old Maggie pushed a squeaky-wheeled cart around, collecting wine glasses. Although no one expected her to, First couldn’t stop herself from tidying up. By the time we left, the expensive cars had all cleared out, except Arsen’s.

“Stay,” First asked him. And I knew what that meant. I told them that I’d take the sitting room sofa. I was too mad at Second to sleep in her bed. First kissed me goodnight at the front door; her forehead clunked against mine and her lips missed me entirely. They retreated to our room, and I stood, for a good while, a heap of tiny gift boxes collected in my arms. I’ll open them tomorrow, I assured myself. I’ll wake up to a bounty.

In the morning, a squad car was parked on the city side of the Smoke Shoppe. Ling had woken early to clean the stray cigarette butts and party favours from her track patch. She was just about to re-bless it with almond oil and rose petals when she noticed red and blue siren lights ricocheting against the alley wall for a few seconds, long enough to scare her into keeping watch for over an hour. The cop car’s nose inched forward and blocked Advent Alley, and Ling ran straight to our window, screaming.

The bulky white bumper and a bit of royal blue trim on the hood were all that we could see from the Sub Rosa side of the alley.

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