Part 36 (1/2)
”Can we have my party at your place?” Tannin asked me Friday morning. ”Please. I'll owe you.”
”Let me guess. Lord Zhane couldn't host it at his club?” I asked.
He shot Daeva a glance, his eyes softening. ”He dotes on her, so I didn't even try it. She's his only niece.”
”Why don't you just cancel your party?” I asked.
His expression grew pensive, then he shook his head. ”Nah. She'll know why I did it and things will get weird between us.”
”Then combine your parties and use an open s.p.a.ce like Rocky Beach,” I suggested.
”Sir Malax will never give us permission to use it at night. He's convinced Guardians could use water as camouflage and attack us.”
”Leave him to me.” Sir Malax didn't like being hounded, but I kept telepathing him until he gave his permission. By the end of the afterschool training, Tannin had convinced Daeva to have one large beach party together.
The work on the beach started that evening, but I joined them on Sat.u.r.day morning and grinned when I saw senior Earth Primes. Tannin introduced me to his cousin and her friends. He also pointed out some prospective employers. At the pace the group was going, it would take two, maybe three weeks to fix the entire beach. I spied several security guards keeping watch. I was sure they were reporting to Sir Malax.
We were still working when the Subsixers started arriving on the beach. They watched us work, the children interrupting us with questions. Since my Earth powers were the weakest, I played with the kids and kept them away from the others, who were surprisingly nice to the kids. Most of them, anyway. A few were still not used to treating Subsixers as equals.
Word must have spread, because representatives from a few companies stopped by to ”see” our progress. I was sure they were scouting out prospective employees. By the time I left, Rocky Beach was a lot less rocky.
I started getting ready early. Bran had promised he'd be there, so I wanted to look nice.
What are you wearing? Katia telepathed me.
I studied my reflection in the mirror and frowned. I couldn't make up my mind-pants or dress. Right now? Panties and a bra.
Katia giggled. To the party, silly. He's going to be there, isn't he?
Who?
The one who makes you have that dopey smile at school.
I do not have a dopey smile. I tried to be indignant, but I ended up laughing.
I've learned to differentiate between your Princess-smile and your talking-to-Bran-smile.
I blinked. You know his name?
There was silence.
Katia? Have you been eavesdropping on my conversations?
No, I haven't. Gavyn told me. He wanted to know if I've seen a guy fitting Bran's description with you. Then he told me he's his younger brother.
Oh. That's okay, then.
There's something else. Promise you won't be mad?
I made a face. What did you do?
I told Gavyn about the party tonight. He'll be there to talk to Bran.
That wasn't going to be fun. No, I'm not mad. I'll see you in a few hours.
I took forever to decide on what to wear and how to wear my hair, but I was happy with my choices-a white-and-blue parachute maxi dress, hair down and held with a simple platinum head chain with a teardrop diamond.
Katia loved the dress, Lottius the head chain. ”Very boho,” she said.
As usual, Lottius was dressed in black-miniskirt with thigh-high, leather boots, white top, and black jacket. Katia wore patterned blackand-white leggings and a white dress s.h.i.+rt.
The expanded part of the beach was alive when we arrived, modern technology meeting angelic powers. Large CC crystals projected images of popular human bands in the air, and music pulsed from speakers connected to an expensive audio system. Some crystals shot strobe lights in the air while others flashed colored disco lights.
The students were everywhere. When Tannin had said he'd invite the entire student body, he hadn't been joking. Junior and seniors mingled. Some students were in the water, and others lay on blankets on the beach sipping drinks from plastic cups, but the majority of them were dancing in the wider section of the P-shaped beach. Ruby had carried several blankets from the castle and spread them out for us.
”This is amazing,” I said.
”About time something fun happened around here,” Lottius said. ”See you, ladies. I'm going to find my man.” She ran to the dance area. We settled on the blanket and watched dancers move in a frenzied trance on the sand.
”Is he here yet?” Katia whispered.
I did a psi scan. ”No. Gavyn?”
”He said he'd be late.” She rolled onto her stomach.
We watched the dancers. Couples not dancing made out on the blankets around the beach. Some sneaked away from the dance area for some privacy.
”Gavyn said you and Bran knew each other when you lived with the Guardians. Do you remember him?” Katia asked.
”No, but he followed me here.”
”Ooh,” she said. ”That's romantic.”
”What's romantic?” Bran asked, and I looked up, my heart thumping and warmth unfurling in my stomach. He looked amazing in black. He wore a baseball cap.
”You following me to the island,” I said, sitting up.
Bran c.o.c.ked his eyebrow.
”She didn't tell me, if that's what you're thinking,” Katia said.
”I wasn't,” Bran said. ”I know about you and Gavyn.”
Katia blinked. ”Oh. Well, uh, he's coming tonight to talk to you.”
”I don't want to talk to him,” Bran said rudely.
Katia rolled her eyes. ”He said you would react like that. He's coming anyway.” She jumped up. ”Do you guys want a chaperone, or should I go dance?”
”Go,” Bran and I said at the same time. She took off and he replaced her.