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“The visit didn’t go well.” I stared at my tankard as I licked my lips, even though I never drank ale.
“That bad?” Gorgo slapped my back.
I snarled. I almost knocked my mug over when I reached for it. To change the topic, I asked, “Tell me about this mine in the mountain.”
Gorgo’s eyes widened as he regarded me, as if he couldn’t believe I cared. “I don’t know much about it, but I do know his soldiers capture humans, including children. They slave away endlessly at Mount Stones with hardly any sleep or food.”
I frowned. “If you don’t know much about it, how do I know what you’re telling me is true?”
He picked up a peanut shell and crumbled it between his fingers. “What reason do I have to lie?”
I tossed an uncracked peanut at his chest. “To get me on your team.”
He caught it, shelled it, and tossed the nut into his mouth. “I’m not going to lie. I need your help. But you need to open your eyes and see what my brother is doing to our world.”
He wasn’t wrong. But I never jumped into a fire without knowing what I was up against. “Do you know if those are Asmodeus’s soldiers?” I gestured to the table playing cards with a jerk of my chin.
Those demons seemed different than the others in the tavern. Not only were they not drinking as much as the other customers, but they took turns glancing toward the door, as if they were expecting someone.
Gorgo nodded without looking. “They are. And don’t make it obvious you’re looking at them.” He pushed on my cheek with a finger to face the bartender and handed me my cup. “Drink up. You look like you need it.”
A gulp of the cool liquid soothed my burning anger, so I took another one, then another. Asher scooted a seat over when the customer left, and Gorgo took his place.
“What happened? Did she reject you?” Gorgo lifted a hand to the bartender. The man nodded and poured a drink without asking.
I drained my mug and thumped it on the counter, desperate for something to take away the pain of my chest splitting into two. Gorgo clapped his hands and the bartender filled my mug again.
“What’s her name?” Gorgo guided my hand back to the tankard.
“Simone. Her father’s name is Joseph and mother’s name is Margaret.”
I took a long gulp and a warm sensation swam in my chest and seared through the rest of my body.
“Simone. Joseph and Margaret?” Gorgo’s pitch rose. “They live near a rice field, right?”
Asher spat out the peanut he had just eaten and looked at me as if I had gone mad.
“Yes.” I took another drink and scrubbed my face, sudden exhaustion came over me. “Da ya know er?”
“I know the family.” Gorgo snorted.
“Why is fun … funny?” The words coming out of my mouth didn’t sound quite right, the intonation blended together. Strange. But the calm, steady humming in my head soothed me and so I drank more.
“Well, for starters, I think you’re intoxicated.” He slapped the bar counter. “Good for you. You’ve finally taken the stick out of your ass so you can loosen up. Second, the Pine family are demons … part actually.”
I spat out the liquid in my mouth. The bartender scowled and wiped the counter with a small towel and even brushed a hand through his beard. Oops. I apologized and snarled at Gorgo.
“You better be ... not be not fool …” I shook my head as her rejection became clear.
Most demons loathed angels. So that explained Simone’s shock and the disgusted expression when she saw my wings. I let out an odd sound between a snort and a laugh as I clapped Gorgo’s back, nearly knocking him off his seat and myself. The irony of the situation.
“Whoa.” Gorgo pushed me upright. “Steady, friend.”
“I guess it was … wasn’t mean to be.” I held up a finger, or two, as I narrowed my eyes at my hand. “I … liked her.” I pouted. “I don’t … feed—no, feel so good. Bad. Whatever.” I gulped the rest of my drink and knocked the mug over. “Ooopps. I spilled.”
“You’re fine. There’s nothing left to spill.” Gorgo put my tankard up and pushed me back into my seat when I tipped toward him.
Is the room splurring … spinning?” I pointed to the ceiling. “Do you see … stars?”
