Four Cards: Part One (special preview)

“I’m almost done,” she huffs. She’s wearing a flowing red dress trimmed with white fur and belted in the center of her narrow waist. “They won’t let me smoke inside.” She tilts her head back and blows more smoke from her lips. “I didn’t think anyone would be out here.” Her voice is gravely, but hushed. 

“No worries.” I lean on the banister closest to her. “I tend to not really care about these things, but when someone is hanging off the wall several stories off the ground, I like to know who they are.”

She chuckles, pointing up towards the top floor with her thick cigar. “Had a meeting. You can take a guess if you like, you seem smart.”

I see the big heart shaped gemstones dangling from her ears. “I can take a guess.”

She swings onto the balcony and I take a step back. Her limbs look long, but she’s small and petite, standing completely she barely reaches my shoulder, but her tail looks twice her height. She’s very fashionable, everything she wears seems meticulously placed while being effortless as the same time. Her long nails are coated ins parkling red polish to make the red gemstones in her ears.

She looks into the apartment, turning her head only to blow more cigar smoke. “How are you liking it? I do hope the place is to your liking, I put my heart and soul into the decor.”

The Le Coeur family were in charge of the hotel portion of the casino, so if it had not been obvious before who she was, it was certainly easy to guess now. 

“The quarters are beautiful, that’s for sure. I’m just not used to having so much space at all times.” I look down at her as her ears twitch back and forth, and her tail dusts across the ground. “And the decor is much more extravagant than I am used to.”

She lets out a seductive sort of laugh. “The Le Coeur hold nothing back. We always make sure if it isn’t at least the best, it’s the most beautiful.” She glances up at me, placing her cigar in a potted plant on the table of the balcony. “Adolar certainly knows how to pick them. If they aren’t talented singers, then they are at least something to look at. And you, my dear, might as well be a painting in a museum.”

Is she insulting me or complimenting me? “Thank you.” I’m unsure how to act around her. I don’t even know who she is, exactly. If I was making a bet though, I would place all my money on her being the Le Coeur Ace.

“Solenn!” Someone from above screams out. “Solenn! Get your ass back in here! That cigar is over and I’m tired!”

She scoffs and rolls her eees. “Back to the crypt.” She latches onto the wall again. “It was nice to meet you, Cheshire.” She climbs up to the top floor again as I stand there, a little in shock. 

The next afternoon, I have a meeting with Adolar on the top floor to go over a few final details for the act. I need to have some extra spending approved while also discussing the posters that will advertise the show.

I am not a fan of that glass elevator, so I take the stairs to the top floor. Just before the meeting hall, there is a solarium. It is like stepping into the diamond of a ring, with all the glass surrounding me. The sunlight comes through, making the entire room warm and cozy. There is a large assortment of plants all over the room as well; trees, bushes, flowers, you name it, the solarium has it. 

I am admiring a flowering tree when, as I step closer, I notice something strange about the roots. They come up strangely and have a scaly texture to them. The closer I look, the more I realize they aren’t roots at all, it is someone sleeping under the tree. I follow a golden tail that curls around the base of the tree to a back that is face up. I then see the head, which is resting just behind the tree. They have long crimson whiskers and brows that bleed into a fluffy mane. They look like a lion and a lizard had a baby. Are they a dragon?

“There you are.” Adolar steps from the meeting room. He has that same bright, charming smile on his face. “I’ve been waiting with lunch, although I was expecting you from the elevator.”

Whoever is sleeping stirs and a scowl appears on their face.

I rise so I’m not bent over them. “The elevator scares me.” I glance back down. “Did you know someone is sleeping here?”

Adolar nods. “Oh, that’s just Ren. He likes to sleep up here.”

Ren rises up, glaring angrily towards Adolar. “Likes to!” He stands up and moves away from the foliage. “I try to sleep up here, but no one in this place lets me.” Ren’s figure is long and thin with a sweeping tail that flows out behind him. He’s short, though, all his length comes from his tail. 

“Want to join us for lunch then?” Adolar asks brightly. “We’ll be going over the artwork for the posters.”