Camellia Read Free Page B

comfortable as she could on the pillow under her legs. The sharp sting of something hitting her butt startled her, and she jumped, quickly looking over her shoulder at Lucy in time to see her pulling back the crop. "Did you just smack me on the ass with that thing?" Danny snapped at her.
    "You answered incorrectly," Lucy replied unapologetically.
    Danny stared at her for a long moment before nodding, her gaze narrowed at Lucy. "Yes."
    Lucy's porcelain face softened. "Good. Now you may begin. First, you'd better drink your mistake so that we can use the bowl again."
    Danny grimaced down at the lumpy green mixture, but picked it up—"Right hand only"—and drank from the bowl. The tea was bitter and sharp, and Danny was half tempted to put the bowl right back down, but she knew if she did that this interview would be over and she wouldn't get another chance. So she sipped, and sipped again, until finally she got to the bottom of the bowl. She couldn't help the disgusted face she made as the last clumpy bits slid down her throat, and Lucy touched the soft leather tongue of the crop to the apple of Danny's cheek. It wasn't a strike, was barely even a brush, but Danny felt herself flush.
    "Do try to maintain an aura of tranquility," Lucy reprimanded lightly. "Now, pretend you are starting from the beginning. Add your first ingredient."
    The first ingredient, which was clearly not the water by the look Lucy gave her when she started reaching for it. So it had to be the tea. Danny picked up the bamboo scoop, dipped it into the powdered tea, and tilted the tea into the bowl. She paused, but Lucy didn't say anything, so Danny added another. She went for a third scoop, like last time, but this time the crop lightly tapped the top of her hand. "Two is sufficient. Move on." Lucy removed the crop. "Remember, tranquil."
    Tranquil, right. Danny felt like she was going to burst out in shivers every time the smooth leather tongue touched her skin, but she wasn't even tempted to put a stop to things, even though Lucy had made it quite clear that she could whenever she'd had enough. She went to remove the top of the teapot, then realized that she'd never replaced it after the first time. The water was still steaming faintly, but Danny knew by Lucy's expression as she went to it she'd made a faux pas. She dipped the ladle in the water, brought it carefully over to the bowl, and poured slowly, making sure every drop went where it was supposed to go.
     "Good," Lucy said, and Danny felt absurdly accomplished for a moment before she realized what she was doing and snorted inwardly. Proud of pouring water, wonderful. Next thing she knew, she'd be purring like a cat to be told she was good at kneeling.
    The crop snapped across the top of her back, and Danny glared at Lucy. "What?" she demanded.
    "Focus on the task in front of you, not on whatever thoughts are going through your head," Lucy said. "And by the way, if you speak out of turn again, you'll get another. Now, do continue."
    Oh, for fuck's … Fine . Danny turned back to the tea. She went to add another ladleful, then remembered how she hadn't been able to use the whisk during her last attempt, and left the water level as it was. She set the ladle down and replaced the lid, avoiding using the soiled pink cloth—she still wasn't sure what that was for, but she knew she'd used it wrong last time. Then Danny picked up the whisk, set it in the water, and began to stir.
    "With a bit more vigor, if you please," Lucy said calmly. Danny stirred harder. " Rhythmic vigor, Danielle, this tea will be useless if it is sloshed out of the bowl."
    No one has called me that since my mom, she wanted to say, but Danny bit her lip and whisked a bit more tightly. When a light green froth began to rise on the surface of the water, she called it good and set the whisk aside. That was it, right? Except for the drinking. This looked drinkable.
    On a whim, Danny picked up the bowl and extended it to Lucy, who smiled