Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 88235 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88235 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“Well, I have never been so insulted in all my life!” Professor Lornah stared at both of them with narrowed eyes and flaring nostrils. “How dare the two of you speak about me like this—right to my face?”
“Would you rather we talk behind your back, then?” Vicky inquired seriously and then she and Professor Torella started laughing again.
Professor Lornah appeared to be on the verge of storming off stage when a new voice cut into Vicky’s giggle-fit.
“Professor Victoria,” Chain said, frowning at her, his blue eyes worried. “Are you quite all right? If you don’t mind me saying so, you’re not acting yourself right now—not at all.”
Chapter Twenty-one
Clearly his little Elite was still—if not drunk—then pretty close to it, Chain thought grimly. She had hooked arms with a woman he didn’t recognize and the two of them were giggling like schoolgirls. Meanwhile, Professor Lornah was looking more and more upset. Chain knew his role was to be seen and not heard here, but he felt like he ought to interject before things got any worse.
To his surprise, the woman who had hooked arms with Vicky didn’t look in the least upset about him speaking in public. Instead, she beckoned with her free hand.
“Come closer, my dear. Vicky, is this beefy stud your student?” she demanded.
Vicky grinned.
“He certainly is. His name is Chainor and he’s hot—like ridiculously, amazingly hot,” she said, grinning at Chain.
“While I’m flattered by your assessment of me, do you think now is the best time to give it, Professor?” Chain asked.
He was trying to be stern with her, but he couldn’t help the small grin that twitched at the corners of his mouth. Vicky tipsy was charming—as cute and cuddly as a kitten—and what he mainly wanted to do was get her away in private somewhere and tickle her to hear that delightful giggle again.
Gods, I’m gone on her, he thought. It’s ridiculous but I can’t seem to help it.
“Your student is delicious,” Professor Torella declared, giving him a hungry once-over. “But is he a life-time devotee of your work? Is that why he’s so old?”
Vicky frowned as though trying to make sense of this. It confused Chain as well. He was barely thirty cycles—perhaps a bit older than the other male students he saw here but hardly ready for the retirement home.
“I certainly am devoted to Professor Victoria for life,” he said smoothly. “That’s why she’s kept me around for so long—though I’m practically a grey-beard by now.”
Professor Torella giggled at this idea.
“Of course you’re not old in years!” she exclaimed to Chain. “It’s just that you’re old to be a student. Either she took you on recently just because you’re such a pretty male, or you’ve been with her for years because you’re a lifetime devotee. In which case, you ought to be very well versed in what pleases her.”
“I like to think I am,” Chain remarked easily. “But I suppose you’d have to ask Professor Victoria about that.”
“Oh, I intend to.” Professor Torella turned to Victoria with wide eyes. “I intend to.”
“Torella, would you listen to yourself—having a conversation with a common student?” Professor Lornah demanded angrily. “You’re drunk or you wouldn’t be acting this way! Fawning all over Professor Victoria and speaking to her student as though he was an equal citizen…” She shook her head. “It’s disgusting.”
“Oh, stop it, Lornah!” Torella made a drunken shooing gesture at her colleague with one hand. “Stop being so stuck-up and snobby! I’m not drunk—I like these people—they’re fun!”
This seemed to be the perfect opportunity to Chain. He leaned over to Victoria and whispered in her ear.
“Isn’t this the woman we need to talk to about buying the other half of the T’lix-Kruthe?”
Victoria’s green eyes widened and she nodded. Turning to Professor Torella she said, “Excuse me, Professor, but I wanted to talk to you about a certain artifact I’d like to purchase. It’s called the T’lix-Kruthe—do you know if it’s available?”
But at Victoria’s talk of business, the giggling Professor Torella stood up straight and frowned seriously.
“I’m sorry, Professor Victoria,” she said, becoming suddenly formal. “But drunk or sober, I can’t possibly talk business with you until you’ve proven your teaching skills. It’s the one hard and fast rule of our little community here on Priima Belle.”
“Proven my teaching skills?” Victoria looked confused and Chain didn’t blame her. “But…but the lecture I just gave—” she began.
“Was lovely,” Torella said, cutting her off firmly. “But it didn’t prove to me or anyone else here that you can actually teach.”
“Well, I…I’m not sure what else I can do to prove it,” Victoria said blankly.
“I do,” Torella said, smiling brightly. “Come be my guest tonight, my dear. You can give us all a little demonstration of your teaching skills and—if they’re quite adequate—we can talk business tomorrow.”
“Well…all right.” Victoria nodded, a look of resignation coming over her face. “If that’s the way you do things here, Chain and I would be happy to be your guests.” She raised an eyebrow at Torella. “I assume the invitation is open for my student as well?”