Page 76 of A Kiss From Death (Oath of Vengeance #1)

“ C hug! Chug! Chug! Chug!”

Well, Des was right. This is definitely…

casual. Hade pushes me along with his hand on the small of my back towards a rugged looking, but very lively, tavern nestled in the heart of the city.

The night sky casts a blanket of shadow across the tops of the unique buildings in contrast to the bright light and rowdy cheers streaming through the front window.

“The Hammered Nail…” I read aloud from the rusted sign literally hammered with a single nail into the crooked wooden door.

“I promise, you will love it,” Hade reassures me.

“She may not be the prettiest tavern in Lunaria, but she provides the liveliest company and best tasting ale.” Pausing, Hade scratches the side of his head while wrinkling his nose.

“Scratch that last part. The ale tastes like piss, but for some reason, we always come back for more…so that has to count for something. ”

Laughing, I nod and usher him to take the lead. “Well then, let’s go drink some pale! ” He looks at me confused, and I can’t help the small giggle that escapes at how adorable he looks like this, relaxed and living . “Piss ale… pale ,” I repeat, shrugging.

His confused face morphs into amusement, and his shoulders start the hike up in a deep, warm chuckle. “I can’t wait to tell the others, especially Harry! ”

“Harry?”

“You’ll see.” He throws me a wink and strides towards the door, stopping briefly to drag his palm across the top of a tall, deep blue crystalized rock plopped next to the door. The top looks worn down where his hand touches compared to the shiny lower half.

“Why did you do that?” He looks over his shoulder, and I point to the oddly placed rock to his right.

“It’s tradition to touch it before entering the tavern,” he says casually.

“I honestly didn’t even realize I did it; it’s just second nature now.

The rock was here before they built. They tried to move it, but it seems to be spelled in place.

There’s an old wise tale that it brings good luck if you touch it.

That’s why the top is rubbed away. It seems everyone is in need of some good luck these days. ”

Hade throws open the door, and I quickly rush behind him, throwing my hand out to drag across the so-called “good luck rock”, which sends a tingle over my hand before I step in after him.

Cheers assault my ears as I follow directly behind Hade, weaving through the giant mass of citizens filling every inch of the tavern.

My shoe squelches when I try to take a step from sticky ale holding it hostage.

A bead of sweat forms on my forehead from the heat enveloping me.

If I could assign one word to this tavern, it would be alive .

An older man bumps into me from the side, making me lose sight of Hade for a moment before a hand reaches back through a group of people, gripping my arm and pulling me through until my chest crashes into his. He smirks before pulling me along behind him to the bar counter nestled in the back.

An older lady stands behind the counter, filling five mugs full of ale until foam sloshes over the edges. Without looking, she floats all five down the length of the bar with her magic to a group of men sitting at the end, who salute her in thanks.

Hade whistles, getting her attention, and throws up two fingers to her. She rolls her dark blue eyes but grabs two mugs with her leathery tan hands, filling them up extra full and slamming them down in front of us.

“There you go, asshole,” she grumbles under her breath, making her short white hair swoosh across the tops of her shoulders. It’s then I notice her shirt, “Pour Decisions Only” stitched into it.

“Thanks, old bitch,” he responds.

I suck in a breath, looking back and forth between the two, ready for a fist fight. They scowl at each other like it’s some competition, and right as I’m about to leap in between them, they double over laughing the way old friends would.

“Haven’t seen you around here in a while, old fart.”

“I got tired of looking at your crusty face,” he banters back with a smirk.

Reaching over the bar, she tugs the neck of Hade’s shirt, dragging his face down while digging her knuckles into his hair as if he’s a child she’s scolding. He could easily pull out of her grasp, but he lets her have her fun, laughing the entire time.

It’s mesmerizing seeing him like this, relaxed and in his element. He has a whole life outside of being the Cardinal. Out here, he gets to be Hade .

Smiling to myself, I grab one of the mugs and take a big swig of ale. As soon as it hits my tongue, without thought, I spray it out of my mouth all over the countertop and quickly cover my mouth with my hands in shock.

“Holy shit, that tastes worse than piss! ”

Hade looks utterly amused beside me, picking up his mug and downing half of it in one swig. He winces slightly as it glides down his throat, and then he throws the barmaid a thumbs up.

“The tavern should be named pale, not The Hammered Nail.” I wheeze, trying to scrape the remaining sour taste of ale from my tongue with my teeth.

“Pale?” the barmaid questions.

Nodding, I shrug. “Pale, short for piss ale.” Hade winces beside me, and I grow concerned.

“Why are you making that face? I’m Nyxi, by the way.” Reaching over the counter, I shake the barmaid’s hand.

“Harry,” she responds with a wicked smile. “Short for Harriet,” she adds with a wink.

My smile immediately drops.

This is why you have no friends, Nyxi.

“Harry owns this tavern and even brews the ale herself!” Hade says excitedly. I want to crumble into myself and disappear from Lunaria forever.

“It’s delicious,” I shout, too high pitched, with a smile that isn’t convincing. “Award winning, even.” I tack on for good measure.

“Don’t lie to my face, kid.” She scowls.

I’m in deep shit, so I might as well stand in said deep shit with dignity. Sighing, I look her dead in the eyes. “That’s the worst thing I’ve ever tasted, Harry. I’m pretty sure I got a chunk of mold in my gulp, I won’t lie to you.”

I hold my breath for the colorful words and maybe fists flying at me.

Bracing my core and closing my eyes, knowing I deserve every moment of what’s to come.

A deep earthy cackle unlike anything I’ve ever heard has me slowly peeling one of my eyes open.

Harry’s cheeks are bright red, and she’s laughing so hard, her large breasts are bouncing with each gritty laugh.

“I like her,” she shouts over to Hade, and what looks like…pride shines back in his warm eyes to her. That can’t be right…can it?

Looking back to me, she shoots me a smirk. “I know the shit tastes nasty. I won’t even touch the stuff myself, honestly, but it’s cheap, so the tavern stays packed wall to wall every night, and that’s all I could ever wish for in life.”

I nod in understanding, a genuine smile forming on my lips. This place is her home, and seeing all the happy smiling faces around me, I can tell this is a home for a lot of people.

It’s a refuge for the lost and broken.

Hade slides a generous amount of coppers her way, clearly more than the two ales cost, and she places her hand over his, giving it a firm squeeze.

They share a moment in silence, and I sit back in fascination.

Each new layer I peel back of Hade only cuts the fissure in my heart a little deeper with the imprint of his soul marred across mine.

She mouths thank you to him and then throws her finger up, pointing to the opposite side of the tavern in the corner.

“The animals are over there, playing Jezzle.” Hade dips his head in thanks and then grips his ale in one hand and my hand in his other, whisking me away through the overpacked crowd.

“BULLSHIT!” A woman slams her fists down on the table, making it rattle.

“Sorry, darlin’ , the Jezzle gods just love me more it seems.”

“You have to be cheating. That’s like four wins in a row.” She scowls.

He shrugs. “Six, actually, but who’s counting?”

Huffing, the woman swiftly gets up, her empty mug in hand, and vanishes in the growing crowd.

“ Women, ” he jokes to himself while blowing out a puff of air .

“Women what…?” I question boldly, stepping up to the table with raised brows. Hade chokes next to me, biting his fist, clearly amused and ready to see what unfolds next.

“Are the greatest gift from the gods.” The words effortlessly roll off his tongue, and I have to give the man some credit for the balls to not even flinch or stutter before me.

As I take him in further, a sense of familiarity falls over me.

I realize I’ve seen this man before. A pang of sadness washes over me, but I force it back down, not wanting to ruin the night.

A night of living.

He was the Vanquisher tasked to watch over Rayah, my little ball of sunshine .

Taking a deep breath, I silently mourn a lost friendship that hadn’t even really bloomed yet, still growth and nourishing, ripped too soon from the soil giving it life.

I mourn the memories that hadn’t come yet.

I mourn the face of perseverance in its rawest and strongest form.

I mourn the girl who just wanted to be seen and loved for what she was.

I mourn for the change she represented. I mourn for myself in losing another precious thing.

I file it all away, and a sense of calm seeps deep within me, knowing she would want me to keep moving, keep living in her honor.

“Zale,” he announces, reaching over to grab my hand, placing a soft kiss atop my knuckles. His thick, light blonde curls fall over his brows as he dips forward. Freckles dot his nose and cheekbones subtly, and his sky blue eyes pin me in place.

“Nyxi,” I mumble back, quickly pulling my hand away. “I call next game,” I say in a tone that brokers no room for argument.

His eyebrows shoot up in surprise and amusement at the same time Hade’s deep chuckle crawls up my back. “Do you even know how to play Jezzle?” he questions curiously, but not in a rude manner .