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Avenay grabbed her beer and sipped it, taking more mental notes on their behavior. Dryston stood, shoulders back, wings preening, a cool look of arrogance and self-assuredness on his face as he approached the woman. She sat at the bar, elbows on the table as she ate, blonde hair falling in a mass of waves down her back. Dryston came up and leaned on the bar counter, a devilish grin on his face that would make most females melt, his eyes taking her in with a wicked smolder. He said something and Avenay popped a nut in her mouth, intrigued. The Erebus siblings certainly had seduction skills.

The woman glared at him, her eyes narrowing with each word out of Dryston’s mouth. He either didn’t notice or took it as a challenge because he placed a hand near hers, his fingers ready to graze her pale skin. In a movement so fast that Avenay barely saw it happen, the woman pulled a dagger from the gods knew where and lodged it in the wood next to his hand, grazing it. A bubble of blood appeared, and Dryston’s eyes went wide. The woman’s nostrils flared and her other hand fingered another dagger. She said something to him and Dryston took a step back, hands in the air.

Her body spoke volumes about what she wanted and Dryston caught on as he took a micro step back with each additional word he spoke. His movements were less sure as he tried to bow out gracefully. But the woman had no interest in aiding him and only stared, grabbing a dagger from her thigh and putting it on the table. Dryston turned on his heel, a look of abject horror on his face, and walked back to his friends. Enid grimaced, mouthing “sorry.” He sat down, and she patted him on the back.

Then her eyes slid to Avenay, locking there, holding her in a trance. Enid’s face went slack, and Avenay’s hand stilled on her paper, having no clue whatsoever to make of the feelings that wound around her every limb. No words rushed to aid her analysis, no thoughts crammedto provide proof of some meaning, nothing except a heat that curled in her lower belly, dipping down… down...

Enid stood, saying something to her brothers and weaving through the tavern in Avenay’s direction. Avenay looked hastily away. What should she do? She had a mind to slide under the table, because suddenly the room was too loud and too hot. There were too many lamps lit, and the scents of the food and alcohol were giving her a headache. Her feet stuck to the floor, and she wanted a bath. And worst of all, a very beautiful, very flirtatious demon was heading her way.

“Hello there!” Enid said, sliding next to her with all the grace and gentility of a tornado. “What’s this?” She tapped aggressively onThe Tales of Lemia.

Avenay pulled it back hastily. “It’s an ancient tome of great value. Be careful!”

“If it’s so special, why on the goddesses’ great tits did you bring it to a tavern?”

She had a point.

Damn it.

Avenay opened her mouth to say something, but only silence followed.

Enid grinned and leaned forward. “I’m Enid.”

“I know.”

Silence.

Enid’s smile faltered slightly, and she gave an awkward chuckle. “So, you’ve heard of me?”

“I have.” That sounded creepy though, so Avenay amended it with, “I think everyone has.”

“Oh. Yeah. Uh…. Can I buy you a drink?”

Avenay’s mind was frustratingly blank, and she opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She held up her beer. “I have one.”

“So you’re from Medeis?” Enid’s smile was all but gone now, replaced with some expression that Avenay tried desperately to read and only knew that it felt like she’d said or done something wrong. Which wasn’t unlikely—Avenay was very good at doing that exact thing.

“Medeis. Lesern. The University of Light.”

The corner of Enid’s mouth tugged up. “Same. The Darkened City, though, and the most schooling I’ve had is primary.”

Avenay frowned. “I wasn’t trying to compare schooling.” People always thought Avenay was trying to hold her academics over theirhead, but she just enjoyed talking about her passions and she was afraid she’d done just that to Enid.

“There wouldn’t be much of one, anyway. So, that’s a relief.” Enid chuckled and Avenay managed some semblance of a nod. She racked her brain for any idea of something to say.

“It’s lovely weather today.” Enid stared at her for a confused beat, and Avenay wanted to sink into the ground, away from sight forever. She stood, gathering her things. “I have a long day tomorrow. I should get to bed.”

Enid nodded. “Right. Of course.”

Avenay gave a pursed lip smile, then trudged up the stairs, flopping onto the bed face down, groaning into the pillow. If that could have been more of a disaster, Avenay didn’t know how.

Chapter 5: Enid

The seraphe hated her.

That was Enid’s first thought when she woke up in the morning, head pounding, the light from the window hitting her eyes like a multitude of knives. Enid couldn’t remember the last time she’d struck out that badly, but she had a strong suspicion her unsavory reputation played a role. She had seen hardly any seraphs since the last time she’d been in the Realm of Light. She’d been fifteen and blundered her time there so spectacularly that Dryston had stopped bringing her to political functions.

And everyone knew what the papers said about her. She could practically see the words “Queen of Iniquity” flashing across the seraph’s face as she stared at her with that icy disapproval.