had a date.
Mr. Blue called her at six. “Styra, he is waiting for you at the Artuth.”
“Um. Okay.”
The screen went from audio to video. He looked at her with concern. “Are you all right?”
“A little off balance. This hasn’t happened before.”
He cocked his head. “Would it be acceptable to consider it a scenario?”
She smiled and shook her head. “That wouldn’t be fair to either of us. No, I am going to see him, and we will see where things go.”
Mr. Blue smiled. “Good attitude. You look lovely, by the way.”
She nodded. “Thank you. Getting my hair up was a nightmare.”
He frowned. “Is your arm bothering you?”
“Fennor worked me over today. He does good work, but he doesn’t spare the tissue.”
“Ah. Well, have a nice evening, and if you feel you can trust Yr-el, do it.”
She smiled. “I guess that is what it comes down to. Right. I had better go. Thanks, Mr. Blue.”
He sighed. “You can address me properly.”
She winked. “I am not calling you Grandpa. It feels weird.”
He laughed, and they disconnected the link.
She looked herself over in the mirror. The dress was similar to the one she wore in the scenario. Her bodice was a crisscrossing of lacing, the dress was three layers of filmy material that just managed to hide the colour of her nipples, and the sandals were practical. Her sleeves covered most of her scars and were open from the elbow down.
She had fought her hair into a coronet, and she felt reasonably attractive. With a deep breath, she headed out of her quarters and took a few of the gliding sidewalks to the Artuth. It was a lovely restaurant, and she wished that she could do the meals justice. Ah well, she could taste them.
Styra walked into the restaurant, and she didn’t even have a chance to explain who she was meeting when she was guided through the tables to a private room through an elaborate archway.
The door was opened for her, and the captain was there, dressed in a manner very similar to what he had been wearing in the scenario. Oh, fuck.
He smiled slowly and walked over to her. “Styra, you look... amazing.”
She nodded. “You look terrifyingly attractive yourself.”
He took her hands in his and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. When he raised his head, he smiled. “It seemed appropriate.”
She looked down at her own dress and up again. “Same here.”
He squeezed her hands. “Come and have a seat. I have arranged a meal to be consumed over the next three hours.”
She stared at him. “Three hours?”
“I got details about your condition from Mbrak, so I spoke to the chef, and we worked out a plan so that you can enjoy your evening.”
Styra needed to get to work early in the morning, but if she was careful, she might be able to get enough sleep before tomorrow morning and her routine of injections and painkillers.
He walked to a sliding wall and escorted her to a second chamber with a low table and cushions on the floor. She knelt on one of the cushions, and he didn’t sit across from her but sat next to her. The server came in through a panel that was barely visible and set a tea set out as well as a small carafe of wine with a large glass and a small glass.
She looked at it and grinned. “This looks like it is going to be fun.”
He smiled. “I certainly hope you enjoy it.”
The first course emerged, and it was one small item on a very small plate for her, and a larger version of the same for him. Styra chuckled and dove in. It was a once-in-a-lifetime meal and her first proper date. She wasn’t going to let the opportunity to enjoy herself pass her by.
Chapter Five
After the second hour, Styra was giggling with every question. She really shouldn’t have had the third thimble of wine.
“I see that I forgot to ask Mbrak about your alcohol tolerance.” Yr-el shook his head.
She blinked. “Oh. I have an excellent tolerance, just not when I have had to use injectors just so I can move.” She wrinkled her nose. “Huh. I wasn’t going to tell you about that.”
He snorted. “Well, if that is all it is, I can fix that, but it might hurt.”
She stared at him, not sure if she had heard him correctly. “You can fix what?”
“Your injuries. The pain. My particular bloodline has a regenerative skill. I believe that is why Mbrak lured me