The Cultivated Girl

Chapter 15 - Break a Leg

Simone heard the meaty sound of a slap, followed by a gasp. Nada hissed: "If you were as clever as you think you are you'd know fireweed is a short-acting poison impossible to trace once the system has processed it. Its seeds look remarkably like the orange powder on those melon balls and Janie dropped the last few on the floor."

"How do you know that?" asked Alexia.

"Never you mind."

Perhaps it was time to 'wake up'. "Girls? Is that you?"

The partition was swept aside by Alexia. She had twin spots of angry colour high in her perfect cheekbones, which matched the handprint on her porcelain cheek. Nada had her hands on her slim hips. The phrase 'in high dudgeon', sprang to mind.

Simone couldn't help it, she giggled. Who knew Nada had a spine? The giggles sagged, becoming choked sobs. "Do you know it's my birthday?" She tried to sit up. "My stomach hurts."

"No Simone," Nada scolded. "Lady Miriam says you have to rest and you're going to if I have to sit on you myself."

Simone gave up, slumping back down in the hammock.

"Oh Simone." Nada sat down next to her on the hammock and gave her a careful hug. She started prattling on about the cobwebs, algae and herbs used on the dressing on Simone's leg. After receiving a pointed look from Nada mid-explanation, Alexia also sat down and patted her awkwardly. "I owe you thanks."

"Does it hurt?" said Nada.

Simone resisted the urge to say, 'What do you think?" Instead she tried to swivel her ankle and winced. "I don't know, it's not too bad I guess. My gut is bothering me more, it won't stop cramping. I've never been sick from flu or broken anything before."

"Never?" said Alexia, raising one pale moon of an eyebrow. "That's quite unusual, even for my people."

Nada shuddered. "Really, Alexia, must you bring that up now. The things you must do to eat... it's really not ladylike."

"Exactly what do you think that is, Nada?" Alexia spat her name out from between pointed little teeth.

"You prey on people for their blood. You're a vampire."

"Goddess help me," prayed Alexia. "How did you come to that conclusion?"

"It's obvious," said Nada. "You think we're all so much stupider than you, but I'm not. I'm going to ask Lady Alva if we can have a different clutch mate."

"Like I haven't already tried."

Simone noticed a gong hanging next to the hammock and banged it, hard. "Hello, people, well person and whatever you are. I'm on my sickbed, remember. Some respect please. You can kill each other later."

Alexia and Nada glared at each other. Simone sighed. "Alexia, for the love of... I guess the Goddess, just tell us. What are you? You're both irritating the hell out of me."

"Fine, I'll tell you but I want the others to hear too. I don't feel like repeating myself." She stood up, straightened her shift and swept open the hanging partition next to Simone's hammock.

Simone could see a groggy Joli lying in an adjacent cream hammock. Just past her she could see the whole infirmary with pods dotting the cave walls.

"Cherie. What's going on? Why are you here?" said Joli. Nada felt her high forehead, avoiding the swollen lumps, and reported her fever had broken.

"She got in a fight," said Nada. "Amanda and Janie were saying mean things about Alexia that weren't even true! Then they tricked her into some sort of challenge. It was horrible. But then Alexia showed them."