While Mr. Volger opens the car door and Alek slides into his seat casually, Deryn gapes openly at the sleek, black limousine that waits outside the station. This is Alek's? She can't believe it.
Alek looks at her expectantly. "What are you waiting for?" he says. "Are you going to get in, or are you just going to stand there all day?"
"Barking spiders, Alek!" Deryn says when she recovers. She jumps into the car and slams the door. "You have a limo?"
"Of course," answers the man at the wheel. "What else would you have the son of the Austrian president travel in?" He tips his hat heartily. "My name is Otto Klopp. At your service."
Deryn looks to her friend, and now it's his turn to look away. Evidently, she's not the only one who's kept secrets.
"You're the son of the bloody president?" Deryn whispers loudly. "Are you serious?"
Alek turns to the window stiffly. "Yes," he says.
"And you didn't tell me?" Alek had said wealthy; not filthy rich.
"Well, excuse me, Miss Sharp!" he explodes, and Mr. Volger shoots them a glance from the front seat. "I can't exactly go around, flaunting my title, anyway. I'm a target; we've got to be careful."
Deryn snorts. That's a load of bull. Alright, maybe not. But she still would have liked to know.
'Course, she's not really one to talk.
They sit in silence in the drive to the hotel. When they get there, Deryn's gasping like a fish. Again.
"Is this a five-star hotel?" she says, flabbergasted. "I've never even seen one in person."
Alek snorts derisively, and Deryn glares at him.
"Not all of us are sons of Austrian presidents," she snarls, and stalks off, suitcase rolling behind her.
Mr. Volger checks in at the front desk. "We are registered under the name 'Ferdinand'," he tells the woman. After some tapping at the keyboard, she looks up from the computer.
"Ah, yes. Two rooms, 344 and 345."
The older man frowns. "No, I believe that's a mistake. We'll be needing three rooms." He gestures to himself, Alek, Klopp, and Deryn.
"I'm sorry, sir," says the lady, "I'm afraid we have no other free rooms, and it says here that you booked only two." Deryn can see where this is going. "This is all we have."
The woman holds out two keys.
They are forced to accept them. The rooms are right next to each other, with two single beds in each.
To Deryn's displeasure, she finds herself bunking with Alek, and as much as she doesn't like it, she'd rather bunk with him than Mr. Volger or Mr. Klopp. Deryn shudders.
"You are both teenagers," Mr. Volger begins, "So I expect that a boy and a girl sharing a room won't – "
"Trust me," Deryn snaps, grabbing Alek's arm and pulling him into the room and away from this man and this talk. "We won't be doing anything."