5.15 – Talking Business

Camille and Instructor Robin weren't the only ones to unexpectedly complicate Natalie's life. Immediately after her first academic class of the day and headed for her next, Natalie found her passage through the halls blocked by a familiar face.

And not familiar in a good way.

Elida. Natalie nearly walked straight into the woman, she appeared so suddenly. She even started to apologize for almost running into her, but that bit of politeness dried up the second her brain registered the woman's features. The long, straight red hair, green eyes, and the faux-friendly, arrogant expression on her face. Any of Natalie's lingering good mood disappeared.

"Now that's a scowl if I've ever seen one," Elida said approvingly. "You must have been thinking of me, this past week. I'm flattered."

"Elida."

"Natalie," she replied, tone filled with false sweetness. "Mind if I steal a moment? We need to talk." Her eyes flicked to Jordan and Sofia. "Alone."

"About what?"

"Oh, just friendly chit-chat." She smiled, and, while ostensibly friendly, there was something about the expression—maybe the amount of teeth she bared—that genuinely made Natalie feel uneasy.

Natalie looked at Jordan and Sofia, and while both of them looked wary, neither had expressions that suggested she should ignore the woman. Natalie would love to tell Elida to fuck off on principle, but that didn't seem smart. Plus, her curiosity had been piqued. What would Elida need to talk to her about?

"Guess I'll catch up," Natalie said. Jordan, in return, gave her a significant look that could only mean 'be careful'. Natalie would know; she'd gotten that one about a million times before.

"See you in class," Jordan said. After a brief hesitation, she and Sofia kept walking, leaving Natalie and Elida alone.

Elida's calculating green eyes followed them as they went, which aggravated Natalie with surprising intensity, even if Natalie didn't see any hostility, there. She just hated the snake's attention being directed at Jordan and Sofia in any capacity. Several times more than herself.

"So," Natalie said tersely. "What do you want?"

Elida calmly faced back to Natalie. "Oh, come now, Natalie. Is that any way to speak to a classmate? Where are your manners?"

"Stop acting like we're friends and get to the point."

"Maybe not friends," Elida said musingly, "but we are colleagues. Truly, the hostility is unnecessary."

"You're kidding, right?"

Elida rolled her eyes. She folded her arms and gave Natalie a patronizing look. "Don't tell me you're still crying about that altercation in the dungeon. How long has it been? It's water under the bridge."

Natalie stared at the woman, a mix between impressed at her audacity, and, obviously, infuriated. She had intended to moderate herself in this conversation—heeding Jordan's advice—but, unsurprisingly, she failed to keep that conviction.

"Just wondering," Natalie said, "but are you trying to be a giant bitch, or does it just happen?"

The woman's eyebrows went up, though, unfortunately, she didn't seem offended: just surprised at Natalie's bluntness. She laughed, even seeming amused by it.

"Did you really just call a Parda-Halt a bitch, and to her face, no less?" Elida asked. "My, my. I mean, you're right, of course, but what a terrible idea. You wouldn't last a day in court. I suppose it's refreshing, if nothing else." She waved her hand dismissively. "No, but really, we aren't enemies, Natalie. Or, rather, my hostilities concern Elizabeth. And in extension, her team. But not you."

"I'm on her team."

Elida quirked an unimpressed eyebrow, as if annoyed that Natalie didn't understand her point. And while Natalie did, she also found it unbelievably stupid. Jordan herself had been the first to suggest that Elida wasn't necessarily their enemy, and that the whole event in the dungeon didn't involve them personally, however much it technically, literally had. But the crazy part was that Elida expected Natalie to be okay with getting caught in the crossfire. To accept she'd been collateral damage of the feud between House Beaumon and House Parda-Halt and not think twice about it.

Natalie shifted from side to side, her agitation growing. She tried to keep Jordan's advice in mind. Because however annoying this encounter was, becoming a target of Elida's would be much worse. The Parda-Halts were dangerous. And not in the stuck-up, snide, irritating way of most arrogant nobles, but genuinely dangerous.

Unfortunately, logic and keeping a cool head had never been Natalie's strongest suit. Something about the smug, patronizing expression on Elida's face really got under her skin. In a way even Sofia couldn't.

"Okay, look, bitch," Natalie said. "Maybe I'm not your enemy, but after what you did, you're mine. And you know that. You can read it on my face. So do we really need to play games and pretend otherwise?"

Natalie knew she wasn't saying anything surprising to Elida. She had no doubts those calculating green eyes were taking in far more than just how annoyed Natalie was: Elida could see the animosity there, the truth in her words. House Parda-Halt had a reputation for being clever snakes—they'd literally tried to overthrow the crown at one point—and Natalie got the impression Elida was a paragon of her house. Those scrutinizing eyes flicking across Natalie's face felt a bit like scalpel incisions. Like she was being dissected. Elida did, honestly, creep her out.

She was so damn beautiful too. Somehow that made it worse. That Natalie couldn't help but pay attention to the woman's perfect cheekbones only further aggravated her.

"Yes, yes," Elida said smoothly. "I can tell you're angry. Too much so, in my opinion, but alas—I suppose it doesn't matter what I think. That said, surely you're not irreconcilably so? To declare us enemies outright? I wouldn't be so hasty."

"Even if I ignore what you did to us," Natalie said, "if you have a problem with Liz, then you have one with me. It really is that simple."

Elida's expression shifted. Her conciliatory behavior—if it could be called that—melted away.

"Ah," Elida said shortly. "So that's how it is? You've become a Beaumon dog? Bought and paid for? For some reason, I assumed you hadn't."

"Beaumon—?" Natalie started. "I couldn't give a shit about the Beaumons." She said it maybe a bit too bluntly, considering she was speaking about the literal royal family. Even Elida blinked in surprise. "No," Natalie said. "Liz. My teammate. My friend. If you have a problem with her, then you do with me." Natalie snorted. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the concept of loyalty confuses you."

"Oh," Elida said, seeming, for a second, actually put off-foot—and like usual, ignoring Natalie's insult with total imperviousness. Was there anything Natalie could say that would get under her skin? "Well, isn't that sweet?" she eventually said. "You do realize it's an act, though?"

"What?"

"Oh, please. Dearest Elizabeth. Nobody smiles that much and means it. Nobody's that …" Elida's lip pulled back, and she waved her hands in an exaggerated way that, oddly, made Natalie understand what she was getting at. Liz was an energetic, sociable person, to a sometimes amusing degree. "Much less a Beaumon," Elida said. "No, she's as much a schemer as any of us. You'd be a moron to think otherwise. Seriously. She's a Beaumon." Elida laughed. "Not that you understand what that means. I'm almost jealous of your ignorance."

Agitation appeared on Elida's face, coming surprisingly fast—almost out of nowhere. Her words grew hot, too.

"And even if it wasn't an act," she sneered. "It's because she's just been handed everything. Do you know what I've had to do, to get where I am? To get approval from my family? That bubbly bitch is just waltzing through life. No wonder she can smile so much."

In the wake of the outburst, Natalie just stared at Elida. The words were pretty revealing. Though in what specific ways, Natalie wasn't completely certain.

"So, what, you're jealous of her?" Natalie asked.

That finally got a reaction. Fury flashed across the woman's face. Natalie took satisfaction in it, if she also almost took a step back. But just as quickly, the anger morphed: Elida burst out laughing.

"Jealous? Now that's a theory." She shook her head, as if politely amused at the concept. Then, she brushed past all of the insanity that'd just come from her mouth, and the unhinged shifting of her emotions. "I didn't come here to trade insults, however entertaining your complete disregard for tactfulness—and, some would say, your safety—is."

"And why did you want to talk?" Natalie asked impatiently, unfazed by the not-so-veiled threat. "Can you please get to that, already?"

"Sure," Elida said. "Straight to the point." She smiled, and even if Natalie despised the woman, the expression did manage to make her heart skip a beat. Elida really was unbearably gorgeous. Though, the idea of getting into a bed with her felt vaguely the same as crawling into a nest of vipers. "You've been impressing me these past few days," Elida said. "Especially considering your team's recovery from our … friendly intervention. I have an eye for spotting talent—call it instinct. Us Parda-Halts, we notice things before other people do." She tapped underneath her eye. "We see things," she said, with emphasis, "that others don't. With that in mind, I have an offer. I want you to join my team."