Day 13, TINSEL RAIN NaNoWriMo: 28275/60000.

Back on track, I think. But this is going to be a 80K word book, at minimum. I’m not sure why they picked 50K as the target number.

“…Whenever we get a new ambassador, there’s always a list of people at the Castle who ‘get’ to meet them. This time,. your name was on the list, for two nights from now.” Dory looked very unhappy. “And you won’t be attending on her at the Castle, either. You’ll have to go to the Embassy itself. Should I bother to tell you to be careful?”

“If it makes you feel better. Or we can use that head of yours. You’re the hotshot Court Producer: what’s her angle here?”

“Good question.” Dory began to pace, not that there was any room for that. “Well, we know she wants to be seen meeting you.”

“We do?” I said.

Dory didn’t even bother to answer that, so I guess we did know it. “And she doesn’t want the Palace to know what she talked to you about. Got it!” She actually snapped her fingers. “She’s going to try to vamp you.” Only Dory didn’t use the word ‘seduce.’

You hear about people going pop-eyed, but you never see it. You never see yourself doing it, either. Well, all right, you can’t see yourself doing it – but you know what I mean. “That’s insane!” I almost yelled.

“Why?” said Dory, innocently, and then spoiled the effect by giggling. She doesn’t giggle often, so it’s younger than the rest of her. “Sorry, Tom. But it was worth it, just for the look on your face.”

“Funny. Ha. Ha. Ha. I’d rather bed a scorpion,” I said sourly.

“You might end up doing that. I hear Dominion archmages are good at shape-changing. It’d probably be lively, at least.”

“Dory.”

“What, you don’t want to lie back and think of New California?”

“DORY!”

“…