“Hm, understandable,” Rachel said, grimacing slightly, then shrugged. “Either way, at least he is in custody for now. I’m sure that Iceland will put him in a very nice prison cell and try to keep him from escaping again.”
“With any luck, they’ll succeed,” Blooming Orchid said, her anger at the villain simmering again. Fortunately, neither Circe nor Rachel replied to her comment. Instead, she waited for a minute, then asked. “So, how have things been going for you now that you’re back? I know you weren’t sharing that many details about what happened to you, but I got the gist of things from you, and Circe helped me read between the lines.”
“It’s… complicated,” Rachel said, her expression falling slightly as she paused, glancing back at Circe, then asked. “Would the two of you keep this to yourselves? Unless it’s actively dangerous, of course, but it’s more of a personal thing than anything else.”
“Of course,” Blooming Orchid said, and Circe nodded.
“I am willing to do so,” the android said quietly.
“Alright. So, you know that Shadowmind screwed with our heads, specifically removing our feelings where Lilith was concerned. It was… unpleasant, figuring out that much. We’ve cut her off, and with Madison’s help we’re pretty sure that all the changes are gone, but the damage was done. Lilith… moved on, mostly. It doesn’t help that from her perspective, we were gone for a huge chunk of her lifetime,” Rachel said, grimacing as she merged onto the freeway heading toward the city. “It isn’t a good situation, I think. If she hadn’t started dating, then maybe things would’ve just settled back to how they were before, but she was. Gina and I had a… discussion with Archon and Spark, and we came to terms, after a fashion. Well, more like we figured out what we wanted, and now all of us are trying to gain her affection, since I don’t think that anyone except Gina and I can coexist with others in a relationship with her.”
“That…” Blooming Orchid began, only to let her voice trail off. She wasn’t sure how to react to the revelation. Oh, she’d heard about Archon carrying Lilith into a Halloween party, but she hadn’t been sure how serious it was. She didn’t know a lot about Archon, after all. But having multiple people competing for Lilith’s affections… that concerned her, and Blooming Orchid thought back to her conversation with Lilith and frowned. After a few seconds she asked. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? I mean, I don’t know Lilith as well as you do, but I don’t think she’ll like the idea of people fighting over her.”
“She won’t,” Circe agreed instantly. “While I may not have a great deal of knowledge that my originator possessed, I was not deprived of that which is related to Lilith. In the lessons that had her interacting with multiple people trying to compete for her attention, she showed a degree of distress.”
“I… well, what else are we supposed to do?” Rachel protested. “If we can’t get along with one another, are we supposed to just bow out?”
Blooming Orchid opened her mouth, paused, looking at Rachel for a second, then let out a sigh, shrugging helplessly.
“I don’t know,” Blooming Orchid admitted, smiling at her sadly. “I just wanted to say something. Maybe you should talk to her about it?”
“I’d like to, but with her living with the Sentinels, it’s not as easy as it used to be,” Rachel said, then firmly shook her head. “Anyway, on a different subject, what do you plan to do while you’re here? Anything exciting?”
Blooming Orchid paused, but decided to let the subject drop, since Rachel obviously didn’t want to dwell on it. Instead, she shrugged. “Not really, no. I intend to do a little shopping, visit a couple of the museums… I also have an old classmate who teaches at the university, so I’m going to visit them as well. Not a whole lot, but I think I’ll manage to occupy myself.”
“I’m sure you will. Either way, let’s just hope that we have a few more days before someone decides to attack the city,” Rachel joked, and Blooming Orchid couldn’t help a soft laugh.
She wasn’t wrong, after all.
Chapter 7
Tuesday, November 18th, 2031
Guardian Compound, Paragon City
“Blooming Orchid, right? It’s good to meet you,” Shade said warmly, though his voice was somewhat distorted by his voice modulator. He offered his hand to Claire and she smiled, taking it and giving it a firm shake. It was fascinating how the light died as it entered his hood, almost completely hiding his masked face.
“That’s right, though you can call me Claire. Thank you for letting me come over,” Claire said warmly.
“Not a problem! Let me show you up to Lilith’s room, then I’ll get out of your way. I have a patrol ahead of me anyway, so I can’t take too long,” Shade said, releasing her hand and taking a step back. “I take it this is Circe Beta?”
“That is correct. It is good to make your acquaintance, Shade,” Circe said, giving a precise bow, but the android didn’t move to enter. “Please convey my thanks to your team for taking care of Lilith. It is my primary purpose, beyond being designated to assist Blooming Orchid.”
“Ah… you’re welcome,” Shade said after a moment’s pause. “Are you not coming in?”
“No. While I appreciate the gesture of trust, I believe that such would be contraindicated until your technology specialist has had a chance to ensure that he’s prepared for me to enter. I would not wish to have him wonder if everything was secure enough for an AI to go through your halls,” Circe told him, folding her hands in front of herself as she straightened, a slight smile on her face. “While I look forward to seeing Lilith again, I believe that I should also ensure that I do not discomfort those who are guarding her safety when I am away.”
“…That explanation was far more complicated than I think it needed to be,” Shade said after a moment, starting to reach for his chin, but stopped halfway, lowering his hand. “Either way, I’ll let Decarin know what you said. Your concern is appreciated.”
“You are welcome,” Circe replied, and looked at Claire. “I will guard the car while you are here, Blooming Orchid.”
“Thank you, Circe,” Claire said, smiling warmly in return, then she stepped inside.
Shade closed the door behind her, then gestured down the hall as he started moving. “It’s right this way. I have to say, though… I’m startled at how human Circe looks. I thought she’d be more robotic, though her mannerisms are odd.”
“I’ll grant that,” Claire said, smiling at him in amusement. “The worst part is that I know it’s deliberate, as I’ve seen her act perfectly human on a few occasions. She tries not to most of the time, which confuses me. She can even trick most scans into thinking she’s human if she wants to.”
“Ah, that’s an interesting ability. It’ll probably give Decarin ulcers to think about,” Shade said, chuckling under his breath as he took her into the elevator. “In any case, I don’t think we’ve met before, have we?”
“Not to my knowledge,” Claire confirmed, waiting as the elevator moved upward smoothly. “I’ve only been to Paragon City as a leg on previous flights, and I don’t think we attended the same conventions. Ocean Shield had a larger staff to rotate through.”
“True, and I tended to attend the conventions with more of a magical focus,” Shade said, taking the lead again as the elevator doors opened. “Also, before I forget to say anything, good work taking down Doctor Johnson again. He’s always as slippery as an eel, so I’m somewhat shocked you managed to catch him.”
“I had a lot of motivation,” Claire said, some of her good mood fading at the memory of the villain, and she grimaced. “I just wish he’d put up a fight, after as long as it took to hunt him down. I wanted to kick his ass.”
Shade laughed, shaking his head. “That I can understand. I swear, a lot of villains do things like that just to piss us off, and then they can try to use the whole ‘excessive force’ argument in court if we lash out. I’m glad you didn’t, though. Anyway, this is Lilith’s room. I hope you have a good chat and outing.
Unfortunately, I need to get out into the city.”
“Thank you!” Claire called after him, a little surprised that he was just leaving her at the door. It felt far more… trusting than she would’ve expected, after her time in Ocean Shield. She hesitated, then knocked on the door.
“Yes?” Lilith’s voice came from the other side of the door, and Claire smiled.
“It’s me, Lilith! Claire,” she replied, a hint of amusement welling up inside her again.
“Oh, come in! I’m almost ready…” Lilith exclaimed, and there was the soft sound of someone moving quickly. Claire hesitated, then shrugged and opened the door, wondering just what Lilith was up to.
When she opened the door, Claire paused, her eyebrows rising as she took it in. The room wasn’t that large, though it was big enough that she could easily have viewed it as a studio apartment. What surprised her was what Lilith had done with it. A couple of paintings hung on the walls that she was sure that Gina had painted, and a twin bed had been moved into the corner, with a dresser right next to it. There was a desk with a computer screen against another wall and a sewing machine on a third desk with a rack holding neatly organized thread, stuffing, and fabric beside it. Then there was a television on the wall, with a mount that held a gaming console just below it… but other than a single chair, the middle of the room was almost entirely clear. The room was both packed with items, yet spacious at the same time. It confused Claire.
Lilith looked different than Claire had expected as well. Rather than her usual button-down shirt and slacks, she was adjusting her necklace with the golden ankh it bore so that it hung right, since she was wearing a thick black sweater with a ruffled turtleneck, though her preference for slacks didn’t appear to have changed. Lilith flashed a smile at Claire, her bright emerald eyes sparkling, and the streaks of red in her dark hair seemed to stand out even more due to the contrast. She was captivating, even without her power that drew attention to her.
“Hello, Claire! You’re sure you want me to go to the zoo with you? It isn’t like I can show you around since I haven’t been there before,” Lilith said, finally getting the necklace into place. “I’m sure Gina or Rachel would love to go with you.”
“Yes… but I wanted a chance to talk to you without them always around. The product of our little discussion,” Claire teased, grinning, but she paused as Lilith let out a soft groan.
“Oh no. Please, don’t tell me that you’re going to be doing the same thing as they are?” Lilith begged, her eyes flitting back and forth. “I really don’t need more of it.”
“What have they been doing?” Claire asked after a moment, letting her smile fade a little. “I heard something from Rachel yesterday, and met the two of them for dinner, so I heard a little more… they’re worried you’re not going to accept them back.”
“I don’t know about that. They were gone for a long time, and I was trying to move on. Even if Amber was lying, I didn’t know that,” Lilith said, letting out a soft sigh. “Anyway… so, you heard that they’ve decided to compete with Archon and Emily for me, I take it?”
Claire’s mouth snapped shut, looking at Lilith in surprise for a few seconds. Then she asked. “You know about that?”
“Emily isn’t nearly as subtle as she thinks she is, and even if it’s only been four days since they tried to distract me so I didn’t notice their meeting, I did notice how they’ve been jostling for better positions. It’s part of why I agreed to go with you before Emily decided to offer to come with. Gina and Rachel suggested that maybe we could go to a movie tonight… I think they forgot about my captivation field making that a bad idea,” Lilith said, her tone almost acerbic. “The only person who isn’t being frustrating is Archon. I think her strategy is to let the others annoy me so much that I spend more time with her. It seems to be working.”
“That’s… well. I see that you’ve grown far more perceptive about this sort of thing than I remembered you being,” Claire said, her lips tugging upward into a smile as her surprise was replaced by amusement. “I’m surprised you haven’t just lectured the lot of them.”
“I’ve thought about it,” Lilith said, flicking a few locks of hair back as she paused over at the sewing machine, opening a drawer and going through it. “The problem is, what am I supposed to say? ‘Stop being so mean to one another, I think it’s depressing’? Ah, here’s what I was looking for!”
“What’s that?” Claire asked curiously as Lilith straightened, holding up a couple of cloth bundles.
“Gifts! I’ve been practicing my sewing.” Lilith said, grinning triumphantly as she offered one of them to Claire. “Here, a scarf!”
Claire opened her mouth, but she didn’t know how to respond, looking at the bundle of cloth, which she realized was made of satin, or so she thought. One side was the pink that most of her outfit was, while the other was teal, and she took it, unfolding the scarf slowly. It was longer than she’d initially thought, with tassels at each end that alternated the same colors. Also on one end was a simple design of an orchid in full bloom, the thread on each side of the scarf matching the opposite side to make it stand out. The fabric was so soft against her fingers, and she was completely lost for words for several seconds. Sure, it wasn’t incredible craftsmanship, but it didn’t need to be, and she was touched at the thought.
“This is lovely. Is there a particular reason for it?” Claire asked, pausing for a moment, then decided to put it on. It was rather chilly outside, so the warmth would be welcome. It also made her emotions flip-flop slightly, which she hadn’t really expected. Fortunately, the answer calmed her down.
“Like I said, it’s a bit of practice, and I thought I’d make a variety for different people. This one is for Circe Beta,” Lilith explained, holding up a silver and sky-blue scarf. “I made some for the others, but I’m not giving them theirs until I’ve figured out how to resolve this mess. Ra offered to abduct me again, which has been far too tempting, but that would be running away from the problem. That wouldn’t resolve anything.”
“Very true. Well, why don’t we go out to the car so you can give Circe her scarf?” Claire suggested, nodding toward the door. “Besides, with as much attention as we’re going to be attracting at the zoo, we’re going to need a lot of time to get through it.”
“True,” Lilith agreed, grimacing slightly, but she quickly grabbed a jacket and her purse. “I hope she likes it, even if she doesn’t need it.”
“I’m sure she will,” Claire said, her smile widening. There was something about Lilith that was just… she couldn’t put her finger on it, but she made Claire more comfortable around her, and she was pretty sure it wasn’t her power.
Well, Claire would have plenty of time to figure it out.
“She didn’t have the scarf when she came inside, and now she has a scarf. I don’t have a scarf,” Spark said suspiciously, almost pressed against the glass of the balcony. “Do you think that Lilith’s attracted to her, too?”
“I think that it’s none of our business,” Archon replied calmly, tapping the tablet to turn the page of her book. “We’re courting Lilith. If she wants to court someone else, it’s her business. I just hope she’ll make her feelings known once she makes a decision.”
“Sure, but… oh, good. She gave a scarf to the other lady, too. The android,” Spark said, almost visibly sagging in relief. “Maybe she made them a while ago, or—”
“Emily Coombs!” Archon interrupted sharply, looking up from the tablet in exasperation. The other heroine jumped almost a foot into the air as she spun, shedding sparks, and Archon glowered at her. After a moment she spoke again, her voice icy. “Are you trying to be so intrusive that you drive Lilith away? Yes, I know that all of us are trying to gain her affections, but this is getting a touch ridiculous. It’s been less than two weeks since she was kidnapped, so if you’d stop obsessing, I’d greatly appreciate it. And if you’re curious about the scarves, ask her about them. She’ll probably answer.”
“I… I suppose you’re right. I’m just anxious,” Spark said, almost visibly drooping. “I’m afraid that I’m going to fall behind.”
“Then maybe you should think about trying something different, rather than constantly trying to one-up Gina and Rachel, or whoever comes to visit. Need I remind you that Blooming Orchid is only going to be here for a week? We have time,” Archon told her, frowning deeply. “Now, would you please calm down? Take a bath or something. Worrying about it isn’t going to do you much good.”
“I… alright, I’ll take a bath,” Spark said, slowly moving toward the doors.
Archon watched her go, then turned her attention back to her book, letting out a soft sigh. At least she was happy with her progress with Lilith.
Spark’s sudden scream of frustration almost caused her to crush her tablet, though, and Archon stared after her friend in exasperation, asking. “Was that really necessary?”
No one replied.
Chapter 8
Tuesday, November 18th, 2031
Paragon City Zoo, Paragon City
“I’m not sure what to think of tigers, now,” Lilith said, looking through the thick glass barrier in bemusement. She’d finally managed to get the hang of tuning out all the children present, though according to the internet Claire had chosen a good week to visit, since the next week some schools would’ve been out, and it would have been far more crowded.
“Oh?” Claire asked, glancing over at her, a sparkle in her dark eyes. The Asian woman had pulled her black hair back in a ponytail, which looked good on her, and she was wearing relatively simple clothing, with a blue shirt and a long black skirt… as well as the scarf Lilith had given her.
Queen's Gambit (Lilith's Shadow Book 6) Page 5
