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“Maybe they’ll be too drunk to notice you hanging dead from the rafters!” I spat.
“I’m s-sorry!” he choked out.
I dropped him wheezing to the floor and raked a hand down my face, mind racing to solve this dilemma with the gala fast approaching. Any replacements likely wouldn’t arrive in time now.
Just then, Thelev clasped my shoulder reassuringly as he entered the ballroom, defusing my anger.
“Trouble, my friend?”
“Look at these flowers. It’s trash. All the elite of Thodos III will see this embarrassment.” I ground my teeth. “Alkard will see it.”
Thelev picked up a bouquet, grimacing at the wilted flowers before his face lit up. “I know just the place. Speaking of Alkard, he has some, shall we say, interests in a particular florist shop.”
I looked at him sharply, a glimmer of hope rising. “Go on.”
“Yes, it’s run as a front business by one of Alkard’s, ahh, workers.” He lowered his voice meaningfully and I read between the lines. Alkard used the shop as a front to launder money, hiring an indentured human to pretend to run a legal floral business.
“But despite being small time, she seems quite talented with exotic flowers,” Thelev continued brightly. “I’ve seen some rare beauties there that I guarantee no one on Thodos III has seen before.”
The notion of working directly with a human intrigued me. Alkard didn’t keep workers bonded without good reason. This florist apparently had some legitimate skill if Thelev praised her flowers so highly. And access to rare, off-world blossoms to boot.
“Anything would be better than this crap,” I said. “I’ll head out first thing and check out this shop for myself.”
“Go soon, she doesn’t keep much stock on hand,” Thelev said as he sent the address to my perform. What he meant was that she didn’t actually do much business, so I’d need to give her advance notice to prepare for a large order. Ironic for a Vinduthi syndicate member to actually approach her with legitimate business for once instead of just pretending.
“I’m sure she can whip something up,” I said breezily, unconcerned. “Alkard must have resources for his little side business. Just get rid of this trash heap for me.”
“Will do, boss.”
I exited the ballroom, stepping out into the chaotic crowds swirling through the metro station corridors. Bobbing and weaving around the oblivious masses, I hurried toward the florist shop, irritation rising at the thought of having to scramble to fix this flower fiasco so close to the gala date. One deep breath reminded me there was still time. Just barely, if I moved fast.
I pulled up a map on my percomm, quickly identifying the likely florist based on location in Vinduthi territory. The short walk there flew by as I strode purposefully through the corridors, residents scrambling from my path.
Around the station, the Vinduthi syndicate members like myself are referred to as the Grim Fangs, sometimes as space vampires. Neither nickname is one we sought out, yet neither we discouraged. If it parts the crowd for us, I’m not complaining.
Today, I was especially appreciative as people made way, sensing my foul mood. Wouldn’t want to bump into me on a day like today, no sir.
I rounded the final corner onto the row of shops, spotting the simple storefront sign for “Elara’s Blossoms” up ahead, marked only by a painted flower bouquet logo.
“That must be it,” I muttered, slowing as I passed the front window display. The vibrant bouquets and packaged flowers on exhibit inside made me stop short, stunned by their dazzling colors and pristine condition.
The stems stood tall and verdant, the water in each vase clearer than an empty night sky. Petals shaded light and deep hues contrasted elegantly against one another. I could’ve plucked a single stem from those bouquets and it would put that entire dismal pile of flowers back in the casino to shame.
“At least she’s competent,” I mused appreciatively before pushing through the doors.
A rush of sweet, tangy floral aromas enveloped me as I entered. The spectacular bouquets aligned throughout the modest shop would convince anyone that this was the right place to procure flowers for the gala.
But it wasn’t the blossoms that stunned me most. No, that honor belonged to the ravishing shopkeeper standing behind the counter, staring at me now with luminous sapphire eyes that drowned me in their depths like the lost seas of Old Earth. Fiery coils of red hair tumbled freely over her shoulders, illuminated by the soft overhead lights. The light smattering of freckles across her fair cheeks only accentuated the elegant lines of her face.
Had I seen her before?
The memory struck me. The woman in the crowd. I spotted her over a week ago, and she’d haunted my dreams ever since.
While her exceptional beauty dazzled me, I snapped back to the task at hand. Personal interests would have to wait until business was concluded. I straightened up and approached the counter with a polite nod.
“Good day, miss. I believe you’re the one who can help me with a rather urgent issue...”
ELARA
