“No!”Isayloud enough to be heard but not too loud to count as a yell.Grabbing a few towels, Irunover to the door and silentlyshovetwo under the gap, wedging them in tight.“Don’t come in.I’m only half dressed.Needing to get dry and all that.”
“Ididn’t think brownies cared about nudity.”
I wince.“Ah...well, yes,mostdon’t… but...”My eyes light up.“But a good brownie neverinsults someone else’s culture, and you all like clothes.”
Nodding, I twist the last towel into a cord, then loop it around the hook hanging at the top of the door.With luck, they make things properly here, and that piece of metal won’t go flying off at the first little tug.
Holding my breath, I gavethe towela slow hardyank.The hookdoesn’tbudge.
Smiling, I wrap the other end of theclotharound the door handle and tie the two ends together.“AndI don’t want to get my clothes wet,” Isaywith pride as I survey my handiwork.Itisn’tthe prettiest, but given what Ihave, it’lldo.He’lleventually be able to force the handle down and shove the door open, but the towelswillbuy us some time.
“It’ll be fine.You’ll be changing as soon as we’re in theDressmaker’sSuiteanyway,”he says.
Argh!Whyishe making this so difficult?“Yes, but…” Isay, reaching for something that’llstop him from entering.“I’m wearing a slip.It’ll cling to meif it’swet, and in that case, I might as well walk around in my underwear.”
“That’s also fine.We have no issues with near nudity.Justfull –”
“No, it is not!”I say, even as apool of heat blossomsin my belly, shooting straight down to my pussy.I clench my thighs together as Ithinkabout half-naked fairies.One fairy hunk in particular.“But, uh, out of curiosity,” Isay, ignoring the fact that my friendisstill stuck behind me, “does Richard often walk around with a semi – er, I mean semi-nude?”
Thereisa heavy pause.“You have one minute to finish changing.”
I’mnotsure if I’mannoyed or relieved by his answer.
When Fabia kicksthe wall, Ifreeze.
“Whatisthat?”
My eyes widening, I blurt, “Fabia’s on her period!That was a clot –”Idiot!Thatwouldn’t havemade a noise!
“Er...a clot that dropped onto… my foot!And caused me to jump…”Ah!I need a thumping noise!
“And, um… uh… um… my… my arm smacked her in the face!Because I wasso, you know,shocked… and grossed out.”But howcould it have possibly hit my foot?
“It was my fault,” I continue quickly.“I shouldn’t have stuck my bare foot in between her legs, but I didn’t want her blood all over the floor.She bleeds a lot, you know?It was a very big clot.Absolutely massive.And letting it drop onto the floor wouldn’t have been polite, and we’re guests and –well,we’reprisoners –well, ex-prisoners.Well, Iam the only ex-prisoner.I’m not sure what Fabia is.Butum,anyway, we are polite guests slash ex-prisoners…” I trail off, really hoping thatisenough information.Lyingdoesnot settle well in my stomach.A good brownie neverlies, and I’vejust thrown out a lot of them.
The echoing silence fraysmy nerves.I twist my hands, waiting anxiously for him to answer.
Rightas I’mabout to ask if he believesme, a massivethudslams intothe door.My eyes widen as I scramble back.
This is why you should never lie!
“Fabia, we have a problem!”I nearly shout.
The thudcomesagain.The doorgroanson its hinges, but thetowels hold it in place.A flood of relief washesthrough me, only to be quickly dammed as the doorcomescrashing down on the third round.
My jaw dropsto the floor as he lowershis foot and stepsinside.His eyes instantly rise to Fabia’s body, her legs still sticking out of the vent.
“She jumped up there out of sheer embarrassment,” I croak.“She’s not trying to escape, I swear.”
Deargods, Iamgoing to Niflhel.A good brownie never lies, and I’vegone and done it again.
Ignoring me,Nicholasspreadshis wings andrisesinto the air.He hoversbehind her.But when she kicksout at him, he swervesto the side.
“If you hit me,” he growls, “youwill stay up here until you starve enough to slide out yourself.”
I gulp.
Fabiaisbloody stubborn.
