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“Michael. I need to get going. I’m meeting Eva at No Man’s Pub. It’s kind of a long story, but you can come with me.”
I might have just agreed to join Gorgo’s team, but I wanted nothing to do with OA, and unfortunately that included Eva and Snow.
“You go on ahead first. I need to visit a friend in a town called Polass.”
He arched an eyebrow. “A friend?”
I ignored his sly tone. “Take care of your business and I’ll find you on the road.”
Gorgo slapped my back hard and fast. “Sounds like a plan.”
I lurched forward. I hated when he did that.
After Gorgo and his crew were on the road, I went inside the house. Half the walls were burnt to the ground and glowing red embers lingered in the kitchen area and my parents’ bedroom.
I flapped my wings as fast as my beating heart and put out the last struggling flames. Ashes and smoke flew away with the breeze I had created. Then I launched into the sky to see Simone.
Chapter Eight
The Tavern
Evangeline
When we stepped out of the fortune teller’s—or rather the scammer’s hut—night had replaced day. Indigo clouds covered the moon and the stars, and the darkness took on an eerie quietness.
Glowing lanterns on wagons wobbled as the wheels turned and groaned. The market had closed and families headed home.
Tank waved from under a tree across the street, and Otis leaned on the tree trunk chomping on an apple. Zander straightened when we stepped outside and the three of us walked to them.
“How did it go?” Zander caressed his knuckles down my face.
“Fine. She spoke nonsense.” I shrugged. “Anyway, it got dark so fast.”
“The days are short in fall.” Zander glanced up at the branches. A squirrel scurried across one of them. “We can either arrive at the No Man’s Pub earlier or head back home before we go to the pub.”
Otis dropped the apple core by his feet and wiped his mouth. “I say we go soon and scout the place. We might need an exit plan.”
“Good idea.” Tank pushed away from the tree as if his ass was on fire, looking up at the rustling leaves.
Snow giggled and moved closer to the tree trunk. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid of a squirrel.”
Tank puffed out his chest and flexed his arms. “What are you talking about, Snow? I’m not afraid of anything.”
Tank stepped beside Dawn and faced toward the darkening market. The last set of wagons took the lantern lights with them.
Snow let out a soft whistle and held out her hands near the closest branch. A squirrel hopped on her palm, scurried up her arm, and sat on her shoulder.
“Look, Tank.” Snow stroked the squirrel’s head. Its eyes eased closed. “They’re gentle animals if they trust you.”
Tank jerked back with a grunt of disgust, bumping into Dawn and Otis. “Stay away from me. That thing has teeth and claws. It’s a squampire.”
“Squampire?” Snow squealed.
We all shared a laugh.
Zander raised an eyebrow. “And yet you could break that little creature’s neck like it weighed nothing. Now we know what to threaten you with.”
I wrapped an arm around Tank’s thick shoulders and guided him away from our friends. “Leave this big guy alone. He had a big scare today.”
