Ragnarok: Colonization, intrigue and betrayal. Andrew Claymore (primary phonics books .txt) đ
- Author: Andrew Claymore
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Adelina couldfinally stop complaining about how Luna dressed. He chewed at theinside of his cheek. Maybe she can help?Heâd need to talk to her about this anyway, just to explain why hisfriends were so weird.
The music suddenlychanged, the tempo becoming more exuberant. He figured that meant theceremony was about to start. Lunaâs guests, all turning to look atthe back door in unison, pretty much confirmed his hunch.
The attendants openedthe door and he saw her. He forgot all about his friends with tieswrapped around their necks. He forgot all about the show Oliv wasunwittingly putting on.
He barely even noticedthe ceremony.
Adelina took asmall sip of champagne to hide her smile. For such bigstrong men, these two seem awfully nervous to be in a moving limo.Every time the vehicle came to a turn, theyâd grab at armrests.
And Eth seemed asif he weretasting alcohol for the first time. He actually sniffed the flutebefore tasting it. Weird or not, every single guy in the group wasimprobably hot. The girls too... âAdelina!â
âHuh?â She cameback to reality.
âHon, I need you tohelp with some of Glebâs friends,â Luna said. âA couple of themdonât quite have their dresses on right.â
Adelina rolled hereyes. âYeah, I think a few folks might have noticed. I think someof the guys from our side may not even have noticed that a weddingtook place.â
âI know,âLuna sighed. âIâm trying to convince Momand Dadthat Glebâs not some Russian gangster and Oliv shows up lookinglike sheâs dressed for a shift at the strip club.â
âWhy isshe wearing a dress backwards and flashing her boobs every time shetakes a breath?â Adelina asked. They have clothes inRussia; I can Googleit if you donât believe me.
âMost of them arescientists, not debutantes,â Luna explained. âThey certainlydonât do it for the money and they donât get invited to manyformal events.â
âMust have costa bundle to get them all here for the wedding on such short notice,âAdelina observed. Explain that, Sis. Sheâd inherited her fatherâspenchant for ferreting out the truth.
âMy ancestorsfled to the East during the Revolution,â Gleb told her. He smiledmodestly. âWe werenât so foolish as to flee empty-handedâŠâ
Adelina absorbed thatand the hairs on the back of her neck began to stand up. Glebâsancestors. Luna had decided to keep the Morales name but herhusbandâs name wasâŠ
âRomanovs fleeing tothe EastâŠâ she nearly whispered.
Luna put a hand on herlap. âAddie, there are tons of Romanovs out there. Can you keepthis between us so he can keep on being just another guy with aninteresting name?â
âEven most of ourfriends have no idea,â Eth added. âThey donât know who hereally is. There might be some who would still want him gone.â
Adelina was speechless,so she simply nodded her agreement. She didnât remain speechlessfor long. âI have to admit, little sister, you really found aprince!â
âThe implicationbeing that I first had to kiss a lot of frogs?â Luna asked sweetly.
ââŠâ Adelinareplied, smiling even moresweetly.
Luna was actuallylooking at her with her mouth hanging open but it was an act. âDidyou just see that?â She looked at Gleb. âMy sister keeping hertrap shut when I feed her a perfectly good straight line! Thatâsnot just discretion. Thatâs superhuman discretion!â
Gleb nodded. âYouârethinking about the offer?â
What offer is heâŠAdelinaâseyes widened. Given how his friends liked to dress⊠Thisbetter not turn into some Euro-royaltyswinger thing!
âWe can set upa summer position for Gabriella,â Luna told her. âIt involvessome game-changing tech, so sheâll need to sign an NDA.â
Well, now I feel like a bit of a jerk, Adelinaadmitted to herself. Iâm thinking the worstand theyâre just thinking of Gabriella.
âLook, youdonât have to answer now.â Gleblooked out the window. âWeârealmost at the hotel. Talk it over with Gabriella and, if you want toat least explore the idea, we can take a quick flight tomorrow afterbreakfast.â
âUm, OK, IguessâŠâ Adelina said. Way to sound like you appreciatethe gesture, dummy! âSorry,Iâm just a little surprised at this. Iâll have a chat with hertonight.â
The limo slid to a haltand someone opened the door for them. Adelina looked at the guy whoâdopened the limo. He had a tie wrapped around his neck, for somereason, but he seemed hyper-alert, eyes looking everywhere, head on aswivel.
Funny how I didnât even realize he hadsecurity until I knew who he really was. Now I canât help but seeit. She followed them inside.
Theyâd come inthrough a back entrance. Security, I suppose.So they had to walk through a long dingy hallway to reach theballroom.
They found therest of the wedding party at the sign announcing theâRomanov-Moralesâ reception. Us plebs usually donâthave to sneak in through a smelly back hallway.
They lined up, Adelinastanding next to Eth, and then they paraded inside. There were theusual cheers and shouts, the clappingâŠ
Just like sheremembered from her own wedding. He does seem pretty nice, shethought. I really hope heâs the good man he seems to be. Shestopped herself there.
No sense dwelling onpast mistakes.
Unsurprisingly, theyâdopted to forgo a strictly formal agenda. There would be an hour atthe start for the two groups to mingle.
Especiallyunsurprising, given the mission. She draped her silk jacket over theback of her chair and started looking for her first target. Somewoman named Chelan.
She didnât turn outto be the one from the front row. Instead, Chelan was a blondfirebrand with at least a couple of drinks already in her bellyâŠher rippling, six-pack of a belly.
âChange thedress?â sheexclaimed. âIs good now; I donât need to fix!â She was about tosay something else but then her eyes grew wide and she stood a bitstraighter.
âChelan,â Glebgreeted her as he came to stand by Adelina. âThank-you for beinghere to celebrate with us!â
âThank you forthinking of me,â Chelan said, resting her right hand over her leftcollarbone.
âThis is my newsister, Adelina. Sheâs offered to help some of our friends with thelocal customs. I would appreciate it if you gave her your fullcooperation.â
Chelan nodded deeply.It was nearly what you would call a bow in some circles. She turnedto Adelina, tilting her head to the side. âWhat needs to be done,my lady?â
âOh!â Adelina wasflustered. âIâm not sure I count as⊠I justâŠâ She shut hermouth and regrouped. âLetâs go to the ladiesâ
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