32

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Yuliya couldn't believe her ears as she hadn't raised her hands to cover them. Now that she was away from her old home, she didn't have to. In Egypt, her husband's family would have scolded her and told her that this type of talk was inappropriate and was for the common people. Her exalted ears were not fit for such a speech. However, Kai's arm was strong through her arm and she didn't really feel like she should move away. Even though she felt this was wrong, she liked the honest of it. The truth was blunt in front of her instead of colored politely. It was true that there could be some coercion here if they had a goal there, but here it was just like ice. There was no motive other than the clarity of their true selves.

"Kai the idiot that he is will always forget that he needs to tell me whom he's with," the woman held out her hand, "I'm his sister, Candida. Who are you?"

"I'm Mario's fiancee." Yuliya said quickly.

"Oh lordy, honey I can hear it, but you hell as sure aren't acting like it."

Yuliya started swatting in front of her face as she blushed. "I think I was questioning it before I walking into here."

"If you're still questioning whether you want to marry a man, why are you in here hooking up with another one? You know the other one is my brother. Why do you want to make out with Kai?"

"You know I was just wondering the very same thing."

"Dida," Kai spoke up sharply. The sound sliced through the low rubbing of the applause as the people outside were milling about as they waited. It was calm in the midst of the music, but the storm was here in Kai Afuru's suite. "Stay out of this."

Candida scoffed as she glared at her brother. After she got tired, she sighed and collapsed into a heap on the opposite of Yuliya. She reached into her dress and pulled out a vape stick and started to steam out smoke.

Yuliya felt disgusted as she was sure that there was a sign at the door of the convention center that there was no smoking or e cigarettes allowed. She wondered if a guard would come up to see them now. However, either of the siblings Kai or Candida seemed worried what would happen if they got caught. Of course, they probably did own the place and set their own rules.

"I recall that you said someone named Melody was out with the humans? Why don't you just call them normal people?" Yuliya looked confused.

Candida rolled her eyes as she pulled the cigarette out and smoke flared from her nostrils. She smiled at Yuliya was frightened. "It's a party trick I do when I want people to react to me. But it's no concern of you so far as you're here. Melody is my daughter. My girl will be fine if she remembers to keep her skin on."