Page 141 of Godslayer
They press their lips together. Lilika takes a sip of her wine. Maelis looks down into her lap, wringing her hands.
Things get quiet.
But it only lasts a moment, and then they are all talking again as they reach into their bags and pull out the book we’re to be discussing called, The Season of Lilies and it’s about… us.
Us. That’s what Elsha says when she starts explaining the book to me. A group of high-society women in RhoXi, their friendships, responsibilities, and aspirations. And when she’s done, she reaches for my hand, giving it a squeeze, and tells me, “You’re one of us now.”
Then they all say it.
“Welcome!”
“You’re one of us!”
“Every girl group needs a five!”
And that’s that, I guess.
I’m number five.
The rest of the day is filled with fascinating conversations about the city, and what I can expect here, and how, if I truly donot have a man—this comes from Lilika, who clearly knows I’m lying—she will set me up with one.
I don’t come clean, not yet. I hold Finn close. A little possessive about him. I don’t know these ladies. I’m sure they’re nice and everything, but my story is… strange. And I don’t want to get into it. Not yet. Not today, maybe tomorrow.
Because therewillbe a tomorrow. I know this for sure because they helped me buy an outfit for ‘fitness day’, which is what’s on this group’s schedule for tomorrow. Apparently, these women meet every day at the same time. They have tea, go shopping, meet for book club, go to painting classes, or do these things called power walks—which is what we’ll be doing tomorrow.
I like it. But it’s hard not to get pulled into my past as I think back on them. Because I had a group of friends like this once. I was part of a group of five in my past life.
Britley, Lucindy, Harlow, and Ceela.
Poor, poor Ceela.
Burned to charred nothingness because she never understood her power.
How strange, in a fortunate way, that I now have Elsha, and Lilika, and Maelis, and Veyra.
We’re even neighbors. We all live in the Observation Tower.
So even though I started this day guarded and suspicious, I feel all that slip away as I slide into this new world like I really belong here.
I can picture it—a life in RhoXi.
Having the baby here, marrying Finn here, getting a little house, maybe?
A girl can dream.
Later,after it’s already been darkfor a couple of hours and I’ve been sent a dinner, courtesy of Xi, Finn returns to our room. He looks happy. Smiling. Kisses me. Takes a shower. Falls into bed and is sleeping before I can tell him anything about my day or ask him a single question.
But I don’t even care.
I love it here.
And tomorrow, I will tell my new friends all about Finn.
31 - FINN
Iwake up unsettled. Jittery. Like I’m supposed to be somewhere, but I forgot. Then I hear the soft breathing of Jasina sleeping next to me, and everything slows back down.
It’s the next day. Not quite morning from the dark skies on the other side of the massive windows, but it’s not far off either.
