Page 23 of The Star's Sword
She cocked her head, a smile spreading her lips easily. “I like that. Feisty. Maybe we’ll get along after all. Even though I’m going to beat you.”
I frowned, shaking my head as we walked away from the others, who were already discussing my next training as Simon went off to feed with Cayne.
Time to go see the animals with my bitter rival who was already making me feel murderously annoyed.
As long as she didn’t say anything about my friends, I’d do my best not to stab her.
My very best.
9
“Oh, Cleo, look at this,” Vasara said, clasping her hands in against her in that way that seemed to shrink her tall, willowy form into looking smaller and more submissive than she actually was. She straightened, gesturing to the enclosure. “Look at this. A forcefield made by the fae?” She reached out as if to touch it, then pulled her delicate fingers back.
She had nail polish on. Nail polish. It was light pink and I looked at it wistfully, wondering if it would make Sam like me more if I did the things she did. Put more effort into my aesthetic.
Back in the havens such things were attributed to human vanity, below the celestials and gods.
But Vasara wore more makeup and decoration than anyone I’d ever seen. Tiny, sparkling ropes of crystals so well-cut they had to be diamonds crisscrossed against the soft white fabric of the loungewear she wore, and white, soft leather boots covered her feet.
Her blond hair was back in an elegant, pulled-up style I didn’t know the name of, and her lashes were enhanced with something. She also had some kind of sparkles around the eye area—
“Aw, are you getting a crush, Cleo?”
I blinked at her. “No,” I answered honestly. “I’m just impressed. I spend way too much time fighting to look as pretty as you do.”
She pulled a lock of hair free from her bun and twirled it in her hand. “Aw, you think I’m pretty? That’s soo sweet of you. I don’t feed on women though.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Feed?”
She nodded. “I’m part vampire. But also, as a celestial, I only enjoy feeding on attention from men.” She looked at the enclosure. “Let’s see, are any of these males?”
I stared at the various mythical creatures. “Seriously?”
She shrugged. “Women have nothing to offer me.”
“Friendship?” I asked, coming to stand beside her cautiously. Someone who felt this way about other humans wasn’t someone I wanted to stand very close to. “I mean, just because you can’t feed on someone, they’re useless? That doesn’t sound very good.”
“Oh look!” Vasara said, interrupting. She didn’t seem to be listening to anything I said at all. “A unicorn! I can’t believe such a lowly sanctuary would have one! A rescue at that!”
My mouth was curling up in disgust but I decided to practice my diplomacy and try to suppress it. I wasn’t doing a very good job, but since she was disinterested in anything I said or did, it didn’t matter. “Is that such a surprise?”
I looked up to see the shimmering black fur of the unicorn as it tossed its purple mane and began to lower its iridescent purple horn ominously. It pawed the ground with one hoof, letting out steam from its nostrils.
I’d been intrigued from the moment I met it, but it had only ever tried to charge me.
“It’s too bad it’s so ugly,” Vasara said, making the unicorn pause its charge, almost like it understood.
“I think it’s gorgeous,” I said.
“I shouldn’t have said it so loud. Do you think it heard?” Vasara said. “I heard they can understand intentions.”
“Can they?” I asked.
Vasara nodded. “The most perceptive beings on earth, so I hear. Some of the most rare, mystical powers. There is only one herd in the celestial realms even, and it is closely guarded.” Vasara eyed the unicorn again. “I wonder what this one can do, given its odd mix of powers.”
“What do you mean?”
“I wander quite a lot, performing miracles, earning tithes, you know. Celestial things. I do see hybrid creatures. This one feels Drorren.”
