Page 19

Avenay’s heart started again with a thunderous beat, clamoring in her ears, drowning out the rest of the pub’s cacophony. Everything was suddenly too much: the noise, the brightness of the light, the amount of people, the smell of the ale.

She needed to leave.

Standing, she walked to the door, fanning her overheated self with the notes. But as she came to the door, a tall elf stepped in front of her. Despite the heat, his skin was clear and perfect, not a bit of perspiration in sight. He smiled down at her drunkenly. A twinkle of what perhaps would have been charm if he weren’t inebriated shone in his eyes.

“Hey there, beautiful,” he said.

Avenay let out an exasperated sigh.

“Please let me pass,” she said, stepping forward to go around him.

He flung out his arm, bracing on the doorway and blocking her. “The night’s still young. Let me buy you a drink.”

“Oh, I’m sure you’ve had plenty enough for the both of us,” Avenay said, pushing against his arm to no avail.

“It’s not often we get a seraphe in these parts. Let’s talk, get to know each other.”

“No.” Avenay stepped back, crossing her arms and frowning. “I’m not interested.”

The elf’s face hardened, and a cold shiver ran down her back. He was so much taller than her and, while he was slender, she knew that the elven form belied hidden strength.

Avenay felt the presence before she heard the voice. Like a blanket of cool darkness over her skin, followed by coiling shadows that wrapped and swirled around her gently.

Enid stood next to her, arms crossed as she looked at the elf. She was smiling, but it wasn’t the sultry one she’d seen earlier, or the friendly one the demon had had upon their first meeting. This one was dark, holding a promise of danger. Another shiver ran down Avenay’s spine, but this one was warm and tumbled to her lower belly in a dizzying way. She snapped her attention away from Enid, skin heating.

The shadows still swirled around her like faint smoke as Enid spoke. “I think my friend wants you to move out of the way.”

The elf’s frown deepened, and he also crossed his arms. “A demon and a seraphe. And the demon is the Queen of Iniquity herself.” He gave a low chuckle, the gleam brightening in his eye. “Well, if you two are friends, I’m sure you both like to play together. Maybe you’d like for me to join you.”

Avenay was slow to catch on, but when she did, she let out a hasty “Ew!” at the same time a low growl rumbled from Enid’s chest.

“Move along before you get into trouble,” Enid said, voice dark.

The shadows around Avenay moved closer, one brushing up against her cheek. She was momentarily distracted by it but focused back on the matter at hand.

“Trouble? I’ve heard plenty about the trouble demons get into,” he said, taking a step forward, crowding Enid’s space. The demon didn’t back down. She only looked up at the elf, brows raised in bored condescension. “You particularly. I would think this would be the kind of trouble you’d like to get into.”

Avenay sighed. “While it’s delightful to observe a male in the wild, defending his bruised ego with all the little strength he has, I’m tired. Move.”

He crowded Avenay’s space now, his hot breath hitting her face as a drunken smile replaced his frown. “Ask nicely. With a smile.”

It happened so quickly that Avenay didn’t realize what happened until after. A hand grabbed his hair, yanking him back. A leg hit the back of his knees, making them buckle, then his head dropped forward, hitting the edge of the nearby table. He shook his head, dazed, as he sat there. His eyes focused on Enid, widening in horror as blood ran down his crooked nose.

“What in the darkest pit?” he yelled. “Don’t you dare touch me!”

Enid smiled darkly, leaning forward to be eye level with him, the look in her eyes making him shudder. “Then maybe you should ask nicely. With a smile.”

Guards came then, rushing through the door with an elfe who pointed towards them.

“Sorry about this, ladies,” they said to Enid and Avenay as they picked the elf up, securing his wrists in chains. “We’ll get him out of here.”

They left, the elf fighting the guards the entire way out. Murmurs rose in the room and Avenay became aware of the many eyes on them. She wanted to shrink into the corner.

Enid turned to her, her eyes flickering with shock as she saw the shadows around Avenay, and immediately they vanished, heat coming over Avenay’s body again.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

Avenay nodded, speechless. She should thank Enid or say something, anything. Instead, she stared mutely at the demon, her mind frustratingly blank. Enid’s wings spread out in the protective stance that demons often took when challenged.