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The idea made me want to lose my pretzels.

“Excuse me, ladies, I must make the rounds. It’s been an honor having you here.” Tryssa gently gripped both of our hands with a beaming smile before she disappeared through the crowd, and my eyes met with another’s. A purple glow radiated from the elderly woman’s stare. Her long, silver hair flowed well past her shoulders, and before I could note anything else about her, she stepped toward me.

Melody said something, but my attention was rapt on the woman intent on us.

“Hello, Nora,” she said when she approached. Her voice sounded like it emanated from her soul. A soul that somehow knew mine. Recognized it in a room of strangers. Sought it out. I would have shivered from the intensity and strangeness if it weren’t for the gentle kindness that bolstered her words.

“Who are you?” I questioned, bypassing her greeting.

“Nora,” Melody whispered in reprimand, unimpressed by my lack of manners.

“I am Evenita,” she replied coolly.

“How do you know my name?” For a moment, no one else existed around us. The sounds of the guests quieted as I remained intent on learning the answer.

“Nora,” Melody chastised again. “I apologize for my sister. We are simply overwhelmed from meeting so many lovely people tonight.” She tried to recover my informality.

“I know many things,” Evenita said, a portrait of beneficence. “I see the futures of those I come across.”

In a den of magic wielders, I’d put myself in a perilous position. My knowledge of magic was limited, but even I had heard of seers. A rare type of witch, most of whom had fled before the world turned against magic. They were spoken of when they’d taught us about the fall of Argora Vale, vilified for choosing not to prevent the fall from happening in the first place. A witch with enough magic in them to turn their eyes that unnatural of a color.

A seer might very well know my intentions for aiding the assassination of the prince, the very cause Alejo and Gregory invited me to be a part of. The air in the room suddenly thinned, becoming too warm from all the bystanders—potential witnesses who would support this woman without a second thought.

She possessed magic. I didn't. These were her people.

I couldn’t risk Melody learning of my intentions. She was too good, too pure. She would only try to stop me, to speak reason to my ambitious, potentially suicidal delusion. Her tender heart might even go so far as to turn me in. Sentence me to a punishment less harsh than death. My frantic heart plummeted into my whirling stomach.

“Lovely meeting you, but we must go.” I grabbed Melody’s hand with haste and tugged her behind me. Within moments, we exited the tavern. I gulped down a giant breath, but not even the fresh air gave me relief.

“What was that about?! Nora, that was so rude!” Melody tried getting my attention, but I could barely hear her. It’d been a mistake to go there, I hadn’t thought it through. Granted, on the list of reasons I might have come up with, running into a seer would not have been on it.

“I need to go home. I’m not well,” I lied, carrying myself with great speed away from that place as I wiped my increasingly slick palms on my pants.

22

Nicholas

Solitude kept me company by the water under the cover of nightfall. I couldn’t bring myself to leave the silent shadows in hopes of running into Ella. Memories of being under that table in the next stall over kept me warm against the chilling sea breeze. The way her thighs constricted my hips until my legs pressed against her ass. The way I let my hands rest on her in an intimate fashion until she was completely over me.

The way she gave in and accepted my touch.

I’d been pinned many times throughout my training history, but it’d never been that fun. If she showed up at all, I wondered if I could somehow convince her to spar tonight, maybe find another opportunity to let her dominate again.

Losing would become my top priority to get that outcome. Though there was a strong likelihood she’d put me on my back all on her own.

I’d have to get Tula to make a little more room in these pants. I adjusted to counteract the growing tightness.

A blur of shadows slipped into the nearest blacksmith’s shop. A smile formed beneath the concealing fabric over my face, wondering which of us would get to the other first. I held the advantage and could execute my own little game of cat and mouse.

I didn’t know who this woman was in the light of day, what responsibilities she shouldered, what roles she played. But watching her navigate the night, knowing the fiery spirit she possessed, set my heart ablaze.

She sparked something in me when I’d been striking a match to no avail for so long. Motivation, encouragement, determination; she breathed new life into my purpose.

I assessed which route to take so I could conceal myself from her as long as possible. My heart galloped with excitement just for the chance to speak with her again.

But my anticipation turned grave when I heard and spotted a group barreling down the strip toward the pier. A quick scan of the ocean had me realizing the waves weren’t flowing in a natural, undisturbed manner. Their getaway ship laid in invisible wait. How had I not noticed it before?

Muffled screams echoed down the alley, and scant moonlight highlighted the display. A group of four men held a gagged woman and a bound man with sacks over their heads. Ella was closer, and I prayed she wouldn’t charge out there by herself.