Page 25 of Dark Princess Ascending

Gertrude leaned against his arm, her eyes twinkling. "So, do you know any vile slam poetry? Just in case?"

"I'm offended," Rob said, drawing himself up. "I can provoke Arwel's aggression through actual fighting. I'm not a scrawny kid," he said, quietlyenough for Roni not to hear him all the way from the snack table.

"Of course not." She laughed, the sound warming him despite his nervousness. "Still, maybe prepare a few verses. You know, as backup."

Looking at her bright eyes and teasing smile, Rob had a feeling she was just trying to ease his tension. It was working, too. The knot in his stomach had loosened a little.

"You'd be surprised." He wrapped his arm around her waist. "I did some slam poetry during my college years. I could compose something about Arwel's fighting stance," Rob mused, playing along. "Or maybe critique his footwork in rhyming couplets."

"Now, that I'd pay to see." Gertrude's eyes danced. "Though maybe save the critique until after you've transitioned. When you're immortal, and he can't actually kill you."

Rob's amusement faded. "Arwel is too kind to kill someone in anger, and I respect him too much to insult him even as a joke."

She arched a brow. "Haven't you ever watched roasting? I've forgotten the name of that show, but people roast their best friends. I've even seen a former president taking insults like a champ."

"The name of the show isBetween Two Ferns, and I could never watch it because it just makes me anxious. I don't like it when people are forced totake punches, whether real or verbal. I don't watch boxing or wrestling either."

That wasn't a very manly admission, and Rob would never have said that to Lynda for fear of ridicule, but Gertrude accepted him the way he was, and he didn't have to pretend to be anyone he wasn't.

"That's so sweet." She cupped his cheek and kissed him on the other side. 'You are a good man, Rob. A really good man."

"And you are an angel." He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers.

More guests were arriving now—Guardians he recognized from training sessions, clan members he'd met through his sister, faces both familiar and new. Each arrival brought a fresh wave of nervous energy.

"I didn't expect so many people to come," he whispered to Gertrude.

"The clan loves celebrating new additions. Every transition represents hope, continuity, and growth. Besides, everyone likes you."

He chuckled. "I haven't spoken more than a word to most of these people. I'm a computer nerd who was never popular."

She smiled at him. "In our community, nerds are cool."

13

MORELLE

"Does the induction ceremony always take place so late at night?" Morelle asked as she and Brandon walked with Jasmine and Ell-rom toward the glass pavilion, where Rob was about to wrestle Arwel and get bitten.

"That's the custom," Brandon said. "The idea is that the Dormant enters the ring before midnight and emerges on the other side on a new day, but the truth is that the transition itself doesn't happen right away. It usually starts a day or two later."

"For males," Jasmine said. "For females, it's less predictable than that."

Brandon had explained to her the differences between male and female Dormants and their transitions, and in Morelle's opinion, the females got the better deal because they got inducedthrough pleasure, but if the results were less predictable, then maybe they didn't.

Morelle still hadn't experienced those kinds of pleasures, and she was impatient. She felt much better today, stronger, and she'd taken a nap in the afternoon deliberately so she wouldn't be too tired after the ceremony to follow up with her seduction plan.

"Look," Jasmine said. "Syssi and Kian are right in front of us. Let's catch up to them."

As their group hastened their steps, Amanda and Dalhu walked out of their home and joined them.

"Good evening," Amanda said. "We have quite a turnout for Rob's ceremony tonight."

As more people kept walking out of the homes they were passing by, Morelle had to agree with that assessment. It seemed like the entire clan was heading to the gym.

"We do," Jasmine said. "Margo will be thrilled, but I'm not sure about Rob."

"Is Rob really this popular?" Morelle asked Brandon. "He's only been in the village a short time."