“Summer parties might really be where Cereus house shines,” thought Aliks.
The flowers were in full bloom and their perfume was intoxicating in the garden. This had been the first event that Petrea had helped plan since her return and she could tell that Aimee was finally relaxing back into her old self.
Not that she wanted to ruin Aimee‘s reverie, but Petrea’s absence had made some things incredibly obvious, so Aliks walked over to Aimee.
“Aimee my dear, I know last year was challenging for you and I do not think either Petrea nor I want a situation like that to ever happen again. The truth is that I’m not immortal and one day someone will have to be Dowayne after me, and Second after Petrea. I would like to think that you would come after her and I would like to know if you would consent to begin shadowing her and learning a Second’s craft.”
Aimee mulled it over. “May I have some time to think it over?”
Aliks smiled and said, “Of course, this is not a decision that needs to be made today.”
Aliks continued to wonder through the garden party, smiling at this patron and that adept, enjoying overhearing the gossip and nibbling on small dainties. “Truly, this is Naamah’s Service at its height,” she mused.
She was walking past a group of adepts from Cereus and Heliotrope house and patrons when she over heard a man comment on Cereus house’s choice to continue to use silver platters for its fêtes.
“Oh no, my lord,” she said, feigning distaste, “this is not silver. In fact there is no silver in this garden at all. If you notice all the adepts are wearing gold finery today, and what you mistook for a silver platter is actually a new material called aluminum.” She waved a server over and asked for the platter he held then held it out to the patron.
“See how light it is, my lord, no silver platter could possibly be so light.”
The patron took the platter and his face took on a momentary look of shock, “By Elua, it’s as if it were made of parchment. Where did you acquire such a thing?”
The Dowayne smiled, happy to flaunt her find, “The silk dyers my lord, thought their method of refining and manufacturing the material was a closely guarded secret.” With that she returned the platter to the server, thanked him and continued to weave through the guests.
“Very nicely done,” a voice whispered in her ear. Aliks turned to find her lover, Waldemar nó Mandrake and gave him the kiss of greeting.
Their affair was something of an open secret, as it was unseemly for the Dowayne of Cereus house to go be flogged at Mandrake, but Elua had said “love as thou wilt.” And she did love him, so no one begrudged her the affair.
“I didn’t think you would make it,” she noted.
He smiled, and inclined his head toward a tall woman with dark hair. “My Dowayne requested an escort.”
“Of course she did.”
“Have you a moment to talk?” He asked, uncharacteristically shy.
“For you, I have several.”
The two of them walked to a niche at the far end of the garden. They did not touch as they walked, but the string between them felt so strong she was certain all could see it.
“Aliks, I love you. I did not want to have this conversation until things were settled with your Second, but Petrea has returned and I feel it is time. You have achieved everything you ever told me you wanted. You are Dowayne. You are a pearl among courtesans, and Cereus House and the Night Court shine brightly. But there is something I have always wanted for my life that I have yet to achieve.”
He pulled out a parcel and handed it to her. She gently opened it to find a single beeswax taper on a silk cloth.
“I want to have a child with you.”