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I wanted to deny everything he said, couldn’t. “Yes. You can’t deny the other things in life are important too.”

“Such as?” For once his focus seemed less fierce.

“Family, friends, being happy with simply being somewhere wonderful. Helping others.” It was difficult giving a summary of life on the spot.

“I see.” Yes, his eyes were gentler. Perhaps the drug was working. “I’ll give you another half tick. Two out of four. So, it’s a draw. Tell me about your family.”

“I...can’t.” Wouldn’t. As if. He hadn’t made this a command. I could feel the difference, always.

“Pick another topic then.”

I blinked.

“The Incans. Football. Politics in Ireland. I don’t care. Pets.”

Bizarre. How strange to have a conversation with him, but this was better than being poked or mocked or made to do almost anything else he’d wanted me to. I ventured conversation about animals, and we talked, until dessert was eaten and he’d drunk the champagne. I was a little drunk myself.

Hope was rearing its head.

He’d swallowed every drop.

“I have to do this...” Isak stood, his chair grating across the floor as he pushed it back. “I have an announcement!”

The room fell silent; people turned their chairs to see. Though Vitor stared at me not Isak.

His face...Isak’s eyes shone with tears and I watched as one overflowed and made a shining path down his face.

Something was wrong. This room was like a picture two degrees off-center.

If I put my hand up and stopped him?

He’d cut it off.

“Red and I were discussing life. What do we all value in life? Money? Sex? Power? I value trust and I’ve discovered that a guest of mine has violated that trust. The guest of honor in fact. The lady we are here to farewell.”

To farewell. Me?

A joke. Tentacles of unease crawled my insides. He meant me, I could tell, especially when he stretched out his arm and unfolded his fingers toward me.

“Red.”

Something was terribly wrong.

The room teeter-tottered. Darkness ate the walls. My vision shrank until he was all I saw clearly, though I could hear the titters of laughter. I hadn’t eaten much but it was possibly about to be thrown up all over the table.

“What did you do wrong?”

“I...” I should not say. Whatever he intended to do would happen anyway. Being guilty wouldn’t help. Maybe he didn’t know what I thought he did.

“What did you do?” Rhetorical, not a command.

He picked up his goblet and swirled the tiny amount of remaining liquid.

I said nothing. Soon the scythe would fall.

“Vitor told me. I substituted while you looked away. I should tie you down and let them all screw you.” A flicker crossed his face. His eyebrow raised as eloquently as a courtier’s, then he lifted his head and shouted. “Everyone out! Fucking out! You!” He thrust a finger at me. “Will stay.”

I waited, glued to that chair as they filed out, most of them grumbling, some laughing. It was noteworthy how he had dominance over this varied audience. His house, his rules, maybe. More than that though, the walls had vibrated with his anger when he shouted.