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Fenella blinked. "Thank you. That was easy."

"You clearly know what you're doing, and you have both technical skill and creativity. What more could I ask for?" He glanced at Din. "Frankly, she's much better than I am."

A wave of pure joy washed over Fenella, so intense that she acted without thinking.

Darting around the bar and launching herself at Din, she threw her arms around his neck. He caught her automatically, his strong arms wrapping around her waist as she clung to him in a moment of uninhibited happiness.

"I got the job!" she exclaimed against his neck, breathing in his warm, masculine scent.

Din's arms tightened around her, his low chuckle reverberating through his chest. "Congratulations," he murmured against her hair. "Atzil would have been a fool to turn you down."

The reality of what she'd done suddenly hit her, and she pulled back, though Din's hands remained at her waist. His eyes had darkened, the blue now just a thin ring around dilated pupils. Their faces were inches apart, and for a moment, Fenella thought he might kiss her.

Instead, he gently set her back on her feet, his hands lingering for just a moment before releasing her.

Atzil cleared his throat. "I think this calls for a celebration drink," he said. "Give me a moment."

He disappeared into the back room, leaving Fenella and Din alone in the bar. Fenella felt heat rising to her cheeks.

"Sorry about that," she mumbled. "Got a bit carried away with excitement."

"I quite enjoyed it."

Before she could respond, Atzil returned with a bottle of champagne and three flutes. He popped the cork and poured three glasses.

"To a new, wonderful partnership," he said, raising his glass.

"Partnership," Fenella and Din echoed, clinking their glasses together.

The champagne was excellent—dry and crisp with delicate bubbles.

"I can open the bar every night for you," Fenella said to Atzil, excitement bubbling up again. "I can do seven in the evening until two in the morning, or eight to three."

Atzil nodded. "That sounds reasonable for weekdays, although Guardians returning from missions might arrive even later, and they are usually my best customers. We might need to adjust based on demand, but it's a good starting point. Are you sure you can handle it on your own, though?"

"The bar I worked at in Scotland was twice this size, if not more, and the clientele was much less well behaved. I can handle a crowd of polite immortals with one arm tied behind my back."

"I don't doubt it," Atzil said with a smile. "Having the bar open every night will be a welcome addition to village life. There aren't many evening entertainment options."

Fenella walked back behind the bar, already feeling at home there. She ran her hands along the wooden surface, imagining the pub bustling with people, glasses clinking, conversation flowing, and maybe even a few lewd Scottish ballads sung by drunk Scotsmen. She'd missed those.

"When do I start?" she asked.

"How about this Friday?" Atzil suggested. "We need to work together for a few days until you get a feeling for the place, and it will also give me time to spread the word that we're extending our hours and to stock up on supplies."

"Perfect," Fenella agreed. "I can use the next few days to familiarize myself with your inventory and come up with a signature cocktail menu. Is there a dress code?"

Atzil shook his head. "None."

"Awesome. I can't wait to start."

24

KYRA

After so many years of living in constant danger, the tree-lined pathways of the village felt wonderfully serene to Kyra. She felt almost guilty for enjoying it and braced for the moment the universe would reverse course and plunge her back into chaos.

For today, though, she decided to enjoy the wonderful news of discovering another relative in Fenella, no matter how distant the connection might be. In the human world, Fenella's children could marry the children born to her or her sisters or to Jasmine, but in the immortal world that was taboo, and knowing who belonged to which matrilineal genetic chain was of utmost importance.