Page 331 of Light Leech

Koro backhanded Kyo’s arm again. “Shut up.” She shot Naoma an equally frustrated glare. “What do you mean?”

Kyo backhanded her sister’s arm with less intention. “She’s going off to do her own thing, don’t you remember?”

“I don’t mean–Nay, the zeg are you coming to this party for?”

“Know your competitors.”

“So what, you can outsell them?”

“That’s what we’re all trying to do, right?”

“No! Not at all.” She pointed at me. “Did your zegging anarchistic boyfriend push his ideals on you once he forced you to quit your job?”

“No. I decided I can think for myself rather than conform to my job’s political alignment.”

“Are you really that narrowminded?”

Kao reached over Kyo to push Koro back. “We love you Naoma, but don’t you dare say anything like this at the dynasty or–”

“What, or Zhou will off me?”

“Yeah. I think he would. Someone with your influence openly opposing the order we need while Haven zegs this country up is something he can’t have.”

Naoma’s voice was a burning blade. “Since when do you all bow down to this shac? No one owns a political party.”

Koro shook her head with a patronizing smirk. “Wow, Anton really did shelter you, huh?”

Kyo reached out to touch Naoma’s hand but was quickly rejected. She settled by placing her palm on the table. “You have a lot to learn, girl. It’s okay to admit that you don’t understand everything.” Her too-kind look and pitch made her sound as if she was talking to a child.

“You can’t mean–”

Kao cut her off. “You underestimate the influence he has. These aren’t just parties.” She paused to look out the window as the skyride descended. Violet spotlights shot up from the pink glow below. “Just… take it easy. Stay with us–”

“I’m not a child.”

“Then why don’t you understand what you once did?”

“What, just because I didn’t have the courage to question things before I left?”

Kyo nods from side to side. “She is right, Nay. I don’t want to blame it all on your new boy, but something’s off.”

“I learned to ask questions.”

The skyride drifted down into a crowded roundabout.

Koro scoffed. “The girl turned off her neurosystem once and thinks she gets it all.” The whole time she spoke, she was staring at me.

Kao reached for the door. “Leave this conversation behind for now. I’m begging you to keep your old self at the forefront Naoma, at least until you leave. Taint your image later, but not under our invitation. You might think stepping out of Reef woke you up to the world, but all it takes for a hermit crab to appreciate its shell is stepping out into the cold grasp of the sea.”

Kyo waved for Naoma to proceed her out of the skyride. “What she means is, don’t burn your bridges. Look, I’m all for seeing the world and such. Explore yourself and all of that–”

Koro followed her out of the vehicle. “But don’t think you know better just because of a bad experience with Anton.”

As I left last, I looked at them in all of their glamor–not yet caring to bask in the light of the palace–wondering if they had an inkling of the catastrophes we were dealing facing compared to their frivolities. I couldn’t blame them. Even if they thought publicity and marketing were at the forefront of politics, they had no concept of the beings whose politics dealt with planets themselves.

Koro glared at Naoma, her eyes pensive as if attempting to decipher the source of this sudden betrayal. Kao mirrored her, but Kyo didn’t seem perturbed. Was she hiding disgust under her charisma?

She stroked Naoma’s arm then held her hand. “Enjoy yourself. You and your boy have some fun. Mingle. Drink and hit fixes. We’ll meet after you two have some personal time feeling out the Dynasty. Do whatever you want but just try to remain politically positive.”