As if that was even a question! “The Starsong Privateers welcome anyone with a song in their hearts, sir.” Dolce shook a tentacle in his hand and grinned. “Welcome aboard.”

*********************

[i]Finally.[/i] She was beginning to think that she’d never put her down. Do you know how hard it is to graze a link in a chain when somebody won’t stop jerking it around? Now if she could just...a little lower now, and-no, no! Lower that hip at once, do you hear her?! Stop-Ugh. Still couldn’t get a clean shot. Why did everything have to come hard today?

Vasilia marched a slow, easy arc around the room. Never getting closer, no. That would be just too satisfying for the poor dear, wouldn’t it? Not an inch closer. If she wanted to continue this tantrum, she’d just have to move herself. “Oh? Don’t fancy me saying [i]Redana?[/i] That’s quite alright, we can talk about someone else, [i]Bella.”[/i]

A light, lazy smile stretched across her face. “It is you, isn’t it? Don’t look so surprised, we know alllllllll about you. You should have heard the things [i]Redana[/i] said about you. She couldn’t talk about Tellus without bringing you up. Her beloved maid. Her faithful servant. Her [i]best[/i] and [i]only[/i] friend. Never in so many words, of course, but why else would she have gone to you that night?” As if there was any other night she could be speaking of. “Out of everyone in the palace, all those people at her beck and call, she chose you to share in her plans. She [i]trusted[/i] you.”

“And you betrayed her.”

Alexa? Anytime now? There’s a wonderful distraction here for you to take advantage of, whenever you’re ready?!

“Did you ever think about what that night meant to her?” She covered her mouth, and yet somehow, the laughter still bubbled out. “What am I saying, of course you didn’t; all you had to do was be there for her, and you couldn’t even manage that. Gods forbid you should have to [i]think.”[/i] Her footfalls rang out in the empty throne room. Over the sound of engines, they sang, they echoed! [i]Fool! Traitor! Brat![/i] “Allow me to pick up your slack.”

“It’s simple, really. Redana [i]must[/i] be a stupid child. Redana [i]must[/i] not know what’s best for her. How else can you feel good about yourself when you tear her heart out? You get to pretend that what’s best for [i]Bella[/i] is what’s right, and if anything tries to soil your comfortable, [i]selfish[/i] life? It certainly won't be [i]your[/i] fault.”

She bared her fangs, and from the vitriolic depths of her stomach, she growled like the coming thunder.

“Wake up and smell the ashes, darling; you’ve already lost her.”