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"Why not?"
"Because we don't know if anything exists beyond the veil. It might be just stories we tell ourselves to diminish the fear of death."
"Right," Orion agreed. "I believe in the Fates, though. They are innocuous enough. At least no one kills anyone in their name."
"True." Dagor puffed on his cigar. "That's one more reason why Anumati is superior to Earth."
"The Kra-ell believe in the Mother of All Life," Anandur said as he sat down on Orion's other side. "What are we talking about?"
"He doesn't like Earth." Orion pointed an accusing finger at Dagor. "Tell him why he's wrong."
"Everyone is entitled to their opinion." Anandur smiled at Dagor. "But since you are stuck here for the foreseeable future, you should learn to like it more."
"Wise words." Orion lifted his empty glass. "Mind refilling this for me?"
Anandur shook his head. "Your father is getting you coffee. Once you sober up, I will be happy to get you drunk again."
"That doesn't make any sense." Orion held the glass up. "Just one more."
As Dagor's phone pinged with an incoming message, he put his half-smoked cigar on the edge of the ashtray and pulled the device out of his pocket.
His heart skipped a beat when he saw it was from Frankie.
You didn't ask, so I'm asking instead. Will you be my date for the wedding tonight?
Smiling, Dagor typed his answer.I will be honored to be your date. It's going to be our fourth. Is there anything special I should know about the fourth date?
Frankie had told him about the three-dates rule, so maybe there was also a four-dates rule?
Hmm. Maybe. You will have to find out.
He chuckled.Can I find out before the wedding? Where are you now?
When his phone rang a moment later, he excused himself, pushed to his feet, and walked in the opposite direction of where Aru and Kian were. Thankfully, the balcony wrapped around the bow of the ship and offered plenty of space for the guests to spread out.
"Hi," he answered.
"Hi, yourself. How is the bachelor party going?"
Given the noise in the background, Frankie was up on the Lido deck, and the itch to go to her got even more urgent.
"The cigars are fine, the whiskey even finer, and the groom is drunk and demanding more booze."
"That's all? No strippers?"
He laughed. "Just a bunch of guys smoking cigars and drinking whiskey and beer. It's actually nice. I'm getting to know some of the immortals. How about you? From the sound of it, you are on the upper deck."
"Yeah, I'm here with Mia. She wanted to meet Bob."
Dagor relaxed. "Did she like him?"
"Of course. What's not to like? He remembered who I was and the drink I ordered yesterday, which was awesome, but then the guy who stood in line behind us said that Bob couldn't replace a real bartender because he couldn't offer life advice."
Dagor's good mood turned into irritation. Someone had flirted with Frankie, and perhaps he was still around.
"It depends on the programming. Who's the guy?"
"An immortal named Max. Why?"
