Page 183 of Gates of Tartarus

Kavi’s quick on the uptake. “Absolutely. Gorgeous, really.”

“Exquisite.”

“Stunning.”

“Sexy.”

“Sultry.”

I roll into a seat as they pause for breath. “You can stop now.”

Jorge looks at me, head cocked. “Why do you doubt yourself? You handled Ratko; you’ve handled your visions; you can handle Elizabeth. And you’ve been working with Kavi and now Seef every day for over a month. You’re not weak.”

I pause a moment. “Well, it’s just… I’m anEnglishmajor, damn it, not an Olympic athlete. I wasn’t very sporty growing up; I always had my nose in a book. That doesn’t really prepare you for going undercover. My definition of brave is taking spiders out of the bathtub without whimpering. And now I’m going to take down an international crime empire? Puh-lease.”

Kavi makes a sympathetic face and then, in a truly awful accent, asserts, “Wall Aaah think you’re one gutsy li’l lady.”

I place my hands over my ears and groan. “NotallAmericans sound like John Wayne. Or Scarlett O’Hara, for that matter. Honestly, do I try-to-do In-dian imp-re-ssions?” going for the subcontinent but ending up somewhere in Wales. He merely grins at me and shakes his head, looking so ridiculously cute my heart turns over.

Jorge, meanwhile, is looking puzzled. “Gutsy?”

“Brave,” Kavi informs him. “Fearless, bold.”

“Spunky,” I add.

It’s Kavi’s turn to grimace. “No, Maela. Notspunky.”

“It’s a synonym,” I counter, twirling my braid. “Plucky, gritty, spirited. You know, like, when you say, ‘she’s full of spunk’. She’s fiery, gung-ho. It’s a compliment.”

He visibly winces. “Stop. Just… stop. And wipe that word from your vocabulary. You seriously do not want to say that anywhere outside of your benighted country. Some words don’t travel.”

“We gave the world hamburgers,” I tut. “So,” I muse, “spunk is like rubber, is it? Or pants. Or, orfanny.”

Jorge’s still looking confused, but Kavi glowers at me. “Yes, my filthy-mouthed little American. Now, I think it’s time for yoga, don’t you?”

“It doesn’t count if it’s in a foreign language,” I say primly. “And I’m going to practice on my own today. You’re too distracting. Go on. Shoo.” I flap my hand at him, and he and Jorge get to their feet.

“Well,” Jorge observes, “at least she’s feeling better,” and he heads towards the door.

“Ten sun salutations,’ Kavi orders me. “And some core work.”

“Shush,” I say. “I’mmeditating.” And I close my eyes.

Migraines and Mayhem

Friday, 14 December 14 – Kailani

“So is Officer Shotridge accompanying you?” Elizabeth asks with a knowing twinkle in her eye, and I force a grin back, which I hope doesn’t look as strained as it feels. Looking around her office, I shrug, seemingly embarrassed.

“Stooop!” I grumble like a petulant teenager. “I’m not even sure what it all is yet. It’s new. We’re still… we’re working it out.”

It’s been a long morning of paperwork and planning. We’ve discussed everything from salary (which, evil plot to take over the world aside, istemptinglygenerous), to home base of operations, housing, and a company car. Raising a knowing, elegant eyebrow, Elizabeth shakes her head, smiling. “That man would marry you yesterday if he could, Kailani. I’ll have Fallon add him as your ‘plus-one’.”

“Is that necessary?” I ask, confusion clear in my voice. “I thought the entire team was invited?”

Smiling a little wider now, she laughs lightly. “Of course they are. Butyou’reon the VIP list, you and Maela. You don’t think I let everyone just wander everywhere, do you? Good heavens.”

Laughing again, she makes a note on the paperwork in front of her and calls instructions to Fallon over my head, as I frantically race through what we’ve been told about the Gala tomorrow night. No one, and I meannoone, mentioned anything about separate VIP areas.Shit. Shit, shit, shit. “How do you have it all divided up?” I ask curiously, probing gently for any information. “Like, paper plates for the paupers and gold chargers for the upper class?”