Page 16
Story: Moth & Flame
Lazarus’ lips twitch with amusement as he extends his gilded synth hand towards us. “My pleasure.”
Draven embraces it with both hands. I’m surprised they don’t embrace in that typical, back-clapping male way. After all, this is one of three people Draven trusts.
I don’t miss the subtle tension in Draven’s muscles as I accept Lazarus’ handshake, nor does Lazarus. Both wearing unreadable expressions, but before any suspicion can grow, Lazarus endows us with another dazzling smile.
“Congratulations, Morainu. I have to admit, I envy you.”
Draven’s arm is a comforting weight over my shoulders. My eyes slide up to see Draven’s reaction, and I’m surprised to see a look of unmistakable sadness. Lazarus flexes his hands at his sides, and I notice his flesh-and-bone hand is covered in a glove made of fine, silvery chainmail.
“I take it you’ve come here to discuss Alister.”
My eyes leap from Lazarus’ hands to his eyes, making my cheeks flush at being caught staring. Lazarus offers me a reassuring smile as Draven replies.
“You’re still in close contact with him?”
Lazarus smirks, leaning against the table with arms folded and ankles loosely crossed. “Unfortunately. The male is a thorn in my side.”
“I need you to set up a meeting with him.”
Lazarus studies my reaction before gradually nodding.
“Consider it done. I just need to tie up a few loose ends… before any unfortunate accident befalls him.”
My anxiety surges. “He’s going to send every sentry in Blackspire looking for me. As will my family when they hear from him?—”
Lazarus gives me a look that tells me he knows Alister better than I do. “No. He won’t.”
“But…How?”
A knowing grin curls a corner of his mouth. “What does Alister value above all else?”
My brows pinch. “Power? Money? Public opinion?—”
Lazarus’s smirk blooms wide as he taps one gloved finger on the tip of his nose. My jaw drops as relief and hope wash over me.
“Thanks to my golems and all of my night clubs’ security footage, I have decades of visual documentation that reveal not only Alister’smethodsof conducting business but also depict him in numerous compromisingsituations.”
My brows leap, and the sympathy that softens Lazarus’ features makes me question just how nefarious this male actually is.
“Look, I don’t know how well you’ve come to know your husband or his family’s way of doing business, but I can assure you, if any of this information wereleaked,the Blackspire Empire’s justice system would face collapse. Alister and his family would be hunted down.”
At my slack-jawed expression, Draven smoothes my hair back and presses a kiss to my head, his voice a soothing murmur at my temple.
“See, kitten. Everything’s going to be fine.”
I frown. “Won’t that put you in a compromising situation when he learns you have all this dirt on him?”
“Alister already knows. I will simply remind him and tell him that you are under my and Draven’s protection.”
My eyes dance between them in disbelief. “But won’t he—or his whole family—huntusdown for threatening them?”
A grin saunters across Lazarus’ face, and for the first time since I’ve met him, I get a glimpse of the malice I’ve heard horror stories about glinting in his otherworldly eyes. “They are certainly welcome to try.”
Laz’s eyes slide back to Draven as they seem to have another silent conversation. “Never a better time than the present.”
My stomach knots as I glance between Lazarus and Draven.
“Pardon?”
Draven turns me into his chest, his gaze searches mine, causing unease to swirl in my gut. “Lazarus and I aren’t from here.”
My brows knit together. “Here as in… Dreadmere?”
“Here as in… Gothika.”
My jaw drops. “You’re from another realm?!”
Apprehension bleeds into Draven’s eyes as he nods. “You’re familiar with The Exiled?”
Did I say my jaw dropped?It’s now sailing towards the lowest circle of hell.
Draven embraces it with both hands. I’m surprised they don’t embrace in that typical, back-clapping male way. After all, this is one of three people Draven trusts.
I don’t miss the subtle tension in Draven’s muscles as I accept Lazarus’ handshake, nor does Lazarus. Both wearing unreadable expressions, but before any suspicion can grow, Lazarus endows us with another dazzling smile.
“Congratulations, Morainu. I have to admit, I envy you.”
Draven’s arm is a comforting weight over my shoulders. My eyes slide up to see Draven’s reaction, and I’m surprised to see a look of unmistakable sadness. Lazarus flexes his hands at his sides, and I notice his flesh-and-bone hand is covered in a glove made of fine, silvery chainmail.
“I take it you’ve come here to discuss Alister.”
My eyes leap from Lazarus’ hands to his eyes, making my cheeks flush at being caught staring. Lazarus offers me a reassuring smile as Draven replies.
“You’re still in close contact with him?”
Lazarus smirks, leaning against the table with arms folded and ankles loosely crossed. “Unfortunately. The male is a thorn in my side.”
“I need you to set up a meeting with him.”
Lazarus studies my reaction before gradually nodding.
“Consider it done. I just need to tie up a few loose ends… before any unfortunate accident befalls him.”
My anxiety surges. “He’s going to send every sentry in Blackspire looking for me. As will my family when they hear from him?—”
Lazarus gives me a look that tells me he knows Alister better than I do. “No. He won’t.”
“But…How?”
A knowing grin curls a corner of his mouth. “What does Alister value above all else?”
My brows pinch. “Power? Money? Public opinion?—”
Lazarus’s smirk blooms wide as he taps one gloved finger on the tip of his nose. My jaw drops as relief and hope wash over me.
“Thanks to my golems and all of my night clubs’ security footage, I have decades of visual documentation that reveal not only Alister’smethodsof conducting business but also depict him in numerous compromisingsituations.”
My brows leap, and the sympathy that softens Lazarus’ features makes me question just how nefarious this male actually is.
“Look, I don’t know how well you’ve come to know your husband or his family’s way of doing business, but I can assure you, if any of this information wereleaked,the Blackspire Empire’s justice system would face collapse. Alister and his family would be hunted down.”
At my slack-jawed expression, Draven smoothes my hair back and presses a kiss to my head, his voice a soothing murmur at my temple.
“See, kitten. Everything’s going to be fine.”
I frown. “Won’t that put you in a compromising situation when he learns you have all this dirt on him?”
“Alister already knows. I will simply remind him and tell him that you are under my and Draven’s protection.”
My eyes dance between them in disbelief. “But won’t he—or his whole family—huntusdown for threatening them?”
A grin saunters across Lazarus’ face, and for the first time since I’ve met him, I get a glimpse of the malice I’ve heard horror stories about glinting in his otherworldly eyes. “They are certainly welcome to try.”
Laz’s eyes slide back to Draven as they seem to have another silent conversation. “Never a better time than the present.”
My stomach knots as I glance between Lazarus and Draven.
“Pardon?”
Draven turns me into his chest, his gaze searches mine, causing unease to swirl in my gut. “Lazarus and I aren’t from here.”
My brows knit together. “Here as in… Dreadmere?”
“Here as in… Gothika.”
My jaw drops. “You’re from another realm?!”
Apprehension bleeds into Draven’s eyes as he nods. “You’re familiar with The Exiled?”
Did I say my jaw dropped?It’s now sailing towards the lowest circle of hell.