8. Addie

8

ADDIE

" W ell, lovely one—shall I help you to the Room of Sighs? You appear to be a bit, er, unsteady," Lx Sambla said as he pulled out Addie's chair and offered her his arm.

"Oh, thank…" She hiccupped. "Thank you. That's sho nishe of you."

But as she reached to take the ambassador's arm, Drago was suddenly there between her and Sambla.

"I don't think so," he growled, slipping an arm around Addie's waist possessively. "I can take her from here."

Sambla took a step back, a look of mild amusement on his sharp, handsome features.

"Oh? And do you know the way to the Room of Sighs where the Ceremony of Choosing is to be held?"

"No, and I don't need to know," Drago said shortly. "Because Addie isn't going anywhere near your fucking ceremony!"

"Drago!" Even halfway drunk—(okay, maybe more than halfway)—Addie was horrified. "Don't you dare shpeak to our hosht that way!" she slurred angrily. "Of coursh I'm going to the cermernony. I mean the ceremony. The Council of Old Ladies, I mean Aged Ones invited me to partishipate."

Drago tightened his grip on her waist.

"You're not going anywhere or participating in anything. You're drunk," he growled.

"Am not!" Addie protested, glaring up at him. "I jusht a lil' tipshy—that's all!"

"You can't make good decisions in this state," Drago argued. "I sat there watching you through the whole dinner—you barely ate anything but you had three full glasses of that liquor they were serving—liquor strong enough to put a full-grown warrior under the table. I don't even fucking know how you're still standing!"

"I'm fine." Addie pulled away from him and straightened up to her full height. She looked down her nose at the big warrior—well, she tried to anyway. It wasn't easy since he was seven feet tall and she had to look up to see him. "I'm fine," she repeated. "Now excushe me. I promised to attend the cerminony and that's what I'm going to do!"

"You will not!" Drago reached for her but Lx Sambla inserted himself neatly between the two of them.

"Please, Commander Drago—I don't think you understand. Our lovely Addison has already been approved to attend the Ceremony of Choosing by all three members of the Council of Aged Ones. If she backs out now, it will cause a great scandal."

"Shee?" Addie peered around the tall ambassador's narrow shoulder. "If you don't be careful we're going to cause a sandal. I mean a schadal. I mean we're going to make a scene ," she finished, pleased to find a word that was easier to say than "scandal."

"The lovely Addison is correct. Now that she has been approved by the entire Council, she must participate," Sambla said smoothly.

"Bullshit," Drago growled. "I don't give a Goddess-damn about causing a scandal. If you think I'm going to let you take Addison off somewhere to do whatever you fucking want with her?—"

"Excuse me?" Lx Sambla's dark eyes narrowed. "Are you accusing me of attempting to sexually molest Lssa Addison?"

"I'm saying I know your type," Drago snarled. "And I don't fucking trust you alone with Addison—especially when she's fucking drunk!"

"You wound me, Commander Drago." Sambla put a hand over his heart and widened his eyes sincerely. "But even if I wished to molest the lovely Addison, I could not. For I am sworn to Sheelash's service and that means I am also sworn to celibacy."

"Shellibacy?" Addie looked at him in disappointment. "Does that mean no nookie ever?"

"If by ‘nookie' you mean sexual relations, then I am afraid so, my lovely one." Sambla gave her a sad smile. "Though I must say, your beauty tempts me to break my vows. But I cannot. Sheelash is not kind to those who leave her service without permission."

"Oh, well…" Addie wasn't sure what to say to that. She'd been hoping that the dashing ambassador would want to start some kind of relationship—why else would he have invited her here to Crimson Moon? But now it turned out that was a complete impossibility because he had taken a vow of celibacy to honor the Spider Goddess. It was all very disappointing.

"But I can lead you to the Room of Sighs where you can attend our Choosing Ceremony," he continued. "Would you like to come?"

"Yesh—I mean yes , I would!" Addie straightened up and took a deep breath. She looked at Drago. "I'm going to attend the ceremony," she said, speaking slowly and distinctly, hoping it made her sound sober. "It's the whole reashon— reason —I came here."

"You can follow along behind us as I walk the lovely Lssa Addison to the Room of Sighs," Lx Sambla said to Drago as he tucked Addison's arm into his own once more. "Beyond that, however, neither of us may go. The Room of Sighs is a females-only area—no males allowed. At least, not during the Choosing Ceremony."

Drago's face was still dark but at last, he nodded.

"Well, if it's females only I guess it should be all right."

"It is—no male dares to step foot in that holy space during the Choosing Ceremony," Sambla assured him. He turned his attention to Addie. "Come, lovely one—let us go."

"Yes, let's." Addie smiled up at him. Though she was still disappointed that he was celibate, at least she still got to observe the ceremony.

She had no idea what she was getting into.