leaned forward slightly to look into my eyes and, taking my hand and raising it slowly to his lips, replied, “Good evening Lauren”.
I looked up in surprise and he smiled at me. Dark-haired like most of the Efeghis, he was even more handsome than Oniar.
Unlike the other soldiers that I'd seen so far, his long hair was done in a series of little plaits pulled back into a ponytail. His black and silver uniform was identical in every way to that of his men, with nothing at all to distinguish it.
Despite his good looks, the sight of him gave me the creeps; there was something chilling about his face. You sensed a tremendous intelligence and an even greater cunning beneath his handsome facade. I had the horrible feeling that he knew everything about me and that he found me amusing.
I allowed him to continue holding my hand, smiling diffidently back at him. For once, my nervousness wasn't an act. It was all I could do not to tremble beneath his gaze, which seemed to be slowly dissecting me. One thing was certain: I would never try to seduce him. He was far too dangerous.
Chantal finally broke the silence, which lasted for ever: “Lauren is really nervous about singing in public.”
“There is absolutely nothing to fear”, murmured Amar as he released my hand. “I am sure that you will be perfect.” There was an ironic little glint in his eye that gave me the shivers. I ventured a faltering smile and followed Chantal up to the dais.
Beckoning for me to follow, she went up the steps ahead of me and introduced herself under the beam player in the centre of the stage. This amplified her voice, which echoed throughout the hall: “My friends”, she began. The couples stopped dancing and everyone turned towards her. “I hope you're all enjoying your evening.” She was answered by a few whoops of delight, but the majority of the spectators remained silent.
“I'm here to introduce a young lady from our class of peace volunteers, who is going to sing for you.” There followed shrieks of encouragement and Chantal signalled for me to take her place.
Bashfully, I stood beneath the beam and surveyed the crowd before me. I'd never liked singing in public. And the recollection of the last time I'd sung on stage didn't exactly help. It was at school and I'd had to stop because of the catcalls from my schoolmates. But this time, the faces turned towards me were all friendly and were waiting patiently for me to summon up the courage to begin.
Just as my mum had taught me, I fixed my gaze on a point in the audience, smiled, and began to sing. I'd deliberately chosen a sweet and naive love song that matched my voice perfectly and suited my purpose. My gaze was soon drawn towards Oniar, who was amongst a group of officers. Our eyes met for an instant, and I promptly looked away.
I was looking everywhere but at him, as thoug h— in spite of mysel f— my eyes kept straying back towards him. I saw that I'd scored a hit when his friends began to smile and one of them gave him a little shove with his shoulder.
There was a good deal of applause at the end of the song, and I had to decline the encore demanded by the audience. I left the dais and rejoined Auxana, who was standing not too far from Oniar, just as we'd arranged whilst planning this mission.
I turned my back to him but Auxana was facing him and she touched my arm discreetly to warn me that he was approaching. He gave a little cough as he reached me, and I turned towards him. He smiled, “Good evening Lauren.”
I acted confused and replied with a slight tremor in my voice, “Good evening Oniar”.
“Is your arm better now?” he asked.
“ Yes.” I stretched my arm out for him. “Look, there's nothing much to see now.”
He reached out as though to touch my arm but stopped himself.
“I am sorry that there is still a scar”, he replied in his soft voice.
“ It's not so bad”, I smiled at him and he returned my smile.
“ Your song was very beautiful”, he
I looked up in surprise and he smiled at me. Dark-haired like most of the Efeghis, he was even more handsome than Oniar.
Unlike the other soldiers that I'd seen so far, his long hair was done in a series of little plaits pulled back into a ponytail. His black and silver uniform was identical in every way to that of his men, with nothing at all to distinguish it.
Despite his good looks, the sight of him gave me the creeps; there was something chilling about his face. You sensed a tremendous intelligence and an even greater cunning beneath his handsome facade. I had the horrible feeling that he knew everything about me and that he found me amusing.
I allowed him to continue holding my hand, smiling diffidently back at him. For once, my nervousness wasn't an act. It was all I could do not to tremble beneath his gaze, which seemed to be slowly dissecting me. One thing was certain: I would never try to seduce him. He was far too dangerous.
Chantal finally broke the silence, which lasted for ever: “Lauren is really nervous about singing in public.”
“There is absolutely nothing to fear”, murmured Amar as he released my hand. “I am sure that you will be perfect.” There was an ironic little glint in his eye that gave me the shivers. I ventured a faltering smile and followed Chantal up to the dais.
Beckoning for me to follow, she went up the steps ahead of me and introduced herself under the beam player in the centre of the stage. This amplified her voice, which echoed throughout the hall: “My friends”, she began. The couples stopped dancing and everyone turned towards her. “I hope you're all enjoying your evening.” She was answered by a few whoops of delight, but the majority of the spectators remained silent.
“I'm here to introduce a young lady from our class of peace volunteers, who is going to sing for you.” There followed shrieks of encouragement and Chantal signalled for me to take her place.
Bashfully, I stood beneath the beam and surveyed the crowd before me. I'd never liked singing in public. And the recollection of the last time I'd sung on stage didn't exactly help. It was at school and I'd had to stop because of the catcalls from my schoolmates. But this time, the faces turned towards me were all friendly and were waiting patiently for me to summon up the courage to begin.
Just as my mum had taught me, I fixed my gaze on a point in the audience, smiled, and began to sing. I'd deliberately chosen a sweet and naive love song that matched my voice perfectly and suited my purpose. My gaze was soon drawn towards Oniar, who was amongst a group of officers. Our eyes met for an instant, and I promptly looked away.
I was looking everywhere but at him, as thoug h— in spite of mysel f— my eyes kept straying back towards him. I saw that I'd scored a hit when his friends began to smile and one of them gave him a little shove with his shoulder.
There was a good deal of applause at the end of the song, and I had to decline the encore demanded by the audience. I left the dais and rejoined Auxana, who was standing not too far from Oniar, just as we'd arranged whilst planning this mission.
I turned my back to him but Auxana was facing him and she touched my arm discreetly to warn me that he was approaching. He gave a little cough as he reached me, and I turned towards him. He smiled, “Good evening Lauren.”
I acted confused and replied with a slight tremor in my voice, “Good evening Oniar”.
“Is your arm better now?” he asked.
“ Yes.” I stretched my arm out for him. “Look, there's nothing much to see now.”
He reached out as though to touch my arm but stopped himself.
“I am sorry that there is still a scar”, he replied in his soft voice.
“ It's not so bad”, I smiled at him and he returned my smile.
“ Your song was very beautiful”, he
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