The Offering (Lesbian, Gay, Girlxgirl)

Chapter 52

Chapter 52

The wedding was pushed earlier than Talin had expected. Everything was prepared. The unfortunate news was delivered the morning following her rendezvous with Brielle, with a knock on the door.

"Ossi!" Xander kicked the sleeping woman by his foot. "Ossi, open the door."

The cannibal shifted and ignored him.

Xander grunted and lifted his head from the floor. Talin was already awake on her bed, but she hadn't budged. "Ugh!" He ruffled his hair. "What good is sleeping with two women if one sleeps away from you and the other snores too loudly?!"

"What good is sleeping with a man if he is not a woman?" Ossi remarked. Her eyes had opened following another sharp knock on the door. "Can you open that thing? It's making my ears hurt."

Xander glared at the cannibal before pushing himself up. He stretched once, shook his head, then headed to the sound with his lips pursed. The two women who'd agreed to sleep in the same room to stay together followed with their eyes.

Vincent pushed Xander away the moment he stepped inside. "Don't get any ideas," he said before Talin could talk. "I did not come here to argue."

"Neither did I." Hnat entered the room in Vincent's wake, her smile faker than a crocodile's. Her forehead creased when her eyes went to Ossi, then smoothed again upon seeing who else occupied the room. "I see you've had a busy night," she said to her sister. "But to bed a man?" Disapproval crossed her features. "You are really a disgrace to our Sector, Ossi."

"And you to our world." Xander rushed to Ossi's side. The woman had taken a seat and was staring at her sister with mouth open. "Don't listen to her, Ossi. People like her." He shook his head. "People like her are the reason why there is a New World."

"Or people like you," Vincent remarked. He waved his hand dismissively when Xander stilled. "I am not here to talk about your disgusting roots, young man, or the fact that you ran away from your original Sector following your whoring mother's death. I am here to congratulate Talin." He turned his full attention to her and pasted a despicable smile on his face. "You're getting married tomorrow."

Talin blinked the memory away and stared at the vastness of the great hall. It was full to the brim, with Ali's on every corner talking in their alien language. The only path free enough to walk on was the one in the middle. A path leading to the throne where the vows would be said later.

Xander elbowed her. "This is not good," he said. "What should we do?"

"I know what she should not do," Ossi said. "Don't marry Mei. Marry me instead." She made a face when Xander gave her a restraining look. "Sorry. I have no other ideas left. We've thought of everything."

Talin remained silent while her companions spoke in hushed tones. She was numb, barely there, her mind was still stuck on yesterday.

It's not your sodales anymore!

She's evil!

Evil!

"Talin!"

She blinked at Xander who had touched her wrist.

"Are you alright?" he said.

Talin shook her wrist free and concentrated on the red ribbon tied around it. Brielle. Where was she?

Her sodales didn't appear by magic, but her former master did. Vincent pushed his way through the crowd, his navy-blue coat smooth and straight. "Why look so glum on your wedding day?" he said first thing after reaching her.