Angel Arias Read Online Free Page B

her.
    ‘Don’t be gross, Shotz,’ said Riss. ‘There were no guts.’
    ‘Were!’ insisted Shotz.
    ‘Some people will only believe things if they see them,’ said Charlonge, turning the conversation back to Rajka.
    Riss pulled a face at Shotz. ‘And some people make things up even when they do.’
    He grinned at her and slipped an arm around Naif.
    ‘She believes me, don’tcha, darling?’
    Naif sat stiffly. ‘I think I was there when that happened too. I saw a boy being pulled into the dark. He’d been standing next to me in the crowd. He wanted to help Dark Eve and Clash fight them. Clash tried to save him.’
    ‘Dark Eve . . . what a legend.’
    ‘And Clash. Though he’s not as pretty as you,’ said Riss, turning back to Markes.
    He blushed again and forked hot cake into his mouth.
    Riss’s bold words reminded Naif of Cal. But there was no malice in her tone; she was teasing. Cal would have added spite.
    ‘You coming to the rec room tonight? We’ve got some new music. Mesree gave it to Riss. She said it floated in on the tide,’ said Shotz.
    The group of friends all laughed at that.
    ‘More like Ruzalia robbed a merchant ship,’ Riss added.
    ‘You should come,’ said Shotz, squeezing Naif tighter. ‘I’ll show you how good I can dance.’
    Naif peeled his fingers from her shoulder, dropped his hand back on his lap and kept on eating. The others rolled their eyes but it was Markes’s scowl that got her senses truly humming. He didn’t like Shotz’s manner either.
    ‘Great idea,’ said Riss. She clapped her hands together. ‘You’ve been keeping to yourselves. Time you came and danced. There’s sod all else to do here. If we’re gonna die soon we might as well enjoy what time we have.’
    Again she reminded Naif of Cal. ‘Are you from Grave North?’ she asked.
    Riss nodded. ‘But we can’t go back to Grave. Not ever.’
    Naif repressed a shiver. The girl was right.
    Yet it was exactly what Naif planned to do.

 
    R iss pleaded and cajoled them until Charlonge said she would go to the rec room. Taking her lead, Naif and Markes reluctantly agreed too.
    As they got up to leave the hall, Mesree shouted more clean-up instructions to those on her duty roster.
    Naif put her plates on the stacking shelf and glanced to the door. At least Rajka and his friends were gone.
    ‘You like my hot cakes?’ asked Mesree. She’d come over to stand behind the bain-marie and was scooping the last of the dinner stews into tureens.
    Naif nodded.
    ‘Could do with a few more of them, young ’un. You’re as skinny as a starved fish.’
    Naif smiled at the cook.
    ‘Come on,’ urged Shotz over her shoulder.
    Mesree winked and Naif’s smile widened. Something about the woman was solid and likeable.
    Naif took care to walk between Markes and Charlonge, so that Shotz couldn’t get close to her. The whole group followed Riss along the main corridor to the west wing of La Galatea.
    Naif and her friends had explored this part of the resort in the first few days after their arrival but had never ventured over there in the evenings, preferring to keep their own company and to stay clear of any arguments.
    ‘Why do you want us to go with them, Char?’ Naif whispered.
    Charlonge wore a resolute expression. ‘If I’m to stay and help, I have to know what’s going on,’ she replied softly.
    They passed out of the corridor into an anteroom and then into what those living there called the dance room. In truth it was a huge ballroom. The walls were edged with tarnished gilt wood and a luscious frieze covered the high ceiling.
    Naif stopped just inside the entrance and stared up. Naked angels danced wildly around a central holy figure. In some places the mural had been eroded by damp, leaving the angels without fingers and toes.
    The ballroom was lit by oil lamps and music leaked from a phonogram set into one of the window arches. It reminded her of Agios on Ixion, though the lights weren’t as low and the