Gameboard of the Gods (Age of X #1)(53)
Author: Richelle Mead

“Friends of yours?” Justin asked her, still puzzled by her reaction. There was an intensity in her gaze as she stared upward, paired with an emotion he had a little trouble identifying.

Mae recovered herself and gave him a small smile before continuing up the steps. “Just been a while, that’s all.”

Most of the prætorians gave Justin and Mae the same once-over everyone else received, but a couple looked at her with recognition. She gave them a small nod and kept going through the door, soon slipping back to her cool and collected state.

After they cleared the building’s extensive security checkpoint, an aide led them toward Lucian Darling’s office. They passed more military scattered throughout, gray uniforms and black uniforms mixed together. Mae took them all in without a word or break in her expression, but when they finally reached the office, two prætorian men stationed nearby shed their stern looks and gave her smiles.

“Koskinen,” said one. He had a red pip on his collar. “I guess they let you out after all.”

“Look at that neckline,” said the other. He turned to his colleague. “I think we should search her. You know, for the sake of national security. Maybe if we’re lucky, she’ll put up a fight.”

The most astonishing thing happened. Mae smiled—a genuine, all-consuming smile. It was Panamanian Mae. That smile shone from her eyes and lit up every part of her. He hadn’t thought he’d see that light again, at least not in the face of sexist remarks.

I wonder what you have to do to get a smile like that again, said Magnus wistfully.

Wear a uniform, suggested Horatio. Or make inappropriate sexual remarks.

“I heard that’s the only way you can get any, Chow,” said Mae. “Well, that and ree.”

The one called Chow scoffed, but the other prætorian laughed. “Why aren’t you here with the rest of us?”

“Forget here,” said the other guy. “Come out with us tonight. I hear there’s a party.”

“There’s always a party,” said Mae.

The aide cleared her throat. “Um, Dr. March? This is Senator Darling’s office.” She looked distinctly uncomfortable, probably because she’d never actually heard any of the prætorians here speak—or seen them laugh.

“Right,” said Justin, still transfixed by the easy banter between alleged killing machines. “Thank you. We’ll take it from here.” The aide left, and he hesitated before going into the office. He felt like he’d be depriving Mae of something if he took her away. “You can stay if you want,” he said. “You don’t even really need to come along. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a wait.”

He would’ve expected dutiful Mae to protest, but instead, she turned that smile on him. “Thank you.”

I guess that’s what you have to do for the smile, said Horatio. Be careful or she might start liking you again.

When he’d told her there’d be a wait, Justin had mostly said it to justify his offer. He hadn’t actually expected to be stuck in the reception area for a half hour. Mae stuck her head in three times, anxious about being away, and he waved her off each time. The receptionist responded haughtily when Justin reminded him they had an appointment.

“The senator is very busy. Often his meetings run over.”

Justin wondered if that was true or if Lucian had simply fallen asleep in his office. In the old days, that wouldn’t have been out of character.

But when the door finally opened, two official-looking women stepped out and shook hands with Lucian, gushing gratitude for his time.

“The senator will see you now,” said the receptionist.

“There’s a woman with me,” Justin told him. “Show her in when she gets back.”

“Of course there’s a woman with you,” said Lucian. “There always is.” He shook Justin’s hand and beckoned him inside.

Once the door was shut, Lucian sat on the edge of his desk and shook his head. “Unbelievable. When I saw your name on my schedule, I thought it was a joke.”

Justin took a few moments to assess his old friend and roommate. He looked just as he had on TV, smiling and charming, with that new tawny hair color that the saleswoman had claimed was “hot.”

“That’s funny, because I thought the same thing when I saw you running for consul.” Justin walked over to a bottle of scotch sitting near the window. At least some things never changed. “May I?”

“Knock yourself out.” Justin could feel Lucian’s eyes weighing him. “The election’s old news, but then, I hear you’ve been away.”

Justin poured a glass. “Yeah? How’d you’d hear that? I mean, aside from me not returning all the calls I know you must’ve made to me these last four years.”

“I did a little investigating when I saw your name come up. Well, my assistant did.” Some of Lucian’s swagger faded. “What the hell did you do? People don’t get exiled. And they certainly don’t come back from it.”

It was a relief to know that Lucian’s access didn’t stretch that far, but Justin wasn’t surprised. The majority of Internal Security didn’t even know his full background.

“It’s not really that interesting of a story,” Justin said. “Especially compared to how a guy who was once on the committee that regulated pets riding on public transportation became a candidate for consul.”

Lucian took the hint and smiled again. “You don’t think I care about our country? And its pets?”

“I think you’ve always been the type to take the easy way out. You always tried to get by under the radar.”

“Yeah, well, one day, I made myself a target.” Lucian’s brown eyes narrowed as he drifted into some memory. “A comment at a lunch about how it was time to get rid of the last of the mandates. It was supposed to be off the record—but wasn’t. The next thing I knew, Lucian Darling was the champion of those seeking genetic freedom. My party rode that popularity and convinced me it was an opportunity we couldn’t miss.” He spread out his hands. “And so here I am, one of the youngest consular candidates in history.”

“Having to own your words.”

“It’s not that bad. I really do believe in what I do, you know.” He nodded toward Justin’s scotch. “What do you think?”

“Excellent. Of course, I’ve been in the provinces, so my bar’s still pretty low these days.”