She didn’t deny it. Didn’t look away. She had spent most of her life hiding what she was. Here, in Vale Crossing, she no longer felt the need to pretend.
“Yes,” she said simply.
“Well,” he said, reaching for his drink once more, “this just became far more interesting.”
The quiet intensity in his gaze pressed too close to something real, something dangerous. And she had never been one to linger in seriousness when she could choose something lighter. Something easier. Something fun.
A slow, playful smile curved her lips. He was exactly the kind of trouble she enjoyed, confident, sharp-tongued, entirely too sure of himself. The sort of male who expected to control every conversation, every moment. The sort who didn’t realize how easily he could be undone.
And after everything, the upheaval of leaving the Upperworld, the relentless urgency of their mission, the constant tension of searching and warning and surviving, she needed this. A distraction. A game. A reminder that she was more than prophecy and responsibility.
Chapter 2
Liora
Liora leaned casually against the bar, close enough that her shoulder nearly brushed his coiled form.
“Well,” she said lightly, her voice warm with teasing, “if you’re going to question my dramatic arrival, the least you can do is offer me a drink.”
Her gaze drifted meaningfully to the row of small glasses he’d somehow accumulated during their brief conversation. Several filled shots gleamed in the firelight, their liquid catching gold and amber reflections.
“You’ve collected quite the selection,” she added. “It would be rude not to share.”
He studied her for a long moment, clearly aware of the shift in tone, the deliberate lightness, the spark of mischief in her eyes. Something in his expression sharpened, interest replacing the earlier guarded curiosity.
“Ah,” he said softly, a hint of amusement returning. “A strategic retreat.”
“Call it self-preservation,” Liora replied easily.
A low chuckle rumbled from him. He slid one of the glasses toward her with slow, deliberate precision, his fingers lingering just a moment longer than necessary.
“For your survival, then.”
Liora accepted the drink, their hands brushing briefly. The contact sent the faintest ripple through her senses. A whisper of heat, a flicker of memory at the edge of perception, but she kept her expression perfectly composed.
Control, always.
She lifted the glass in a small salute. “To questionable decisions.”
His eyes glinted. “My favorite kind.”
She downed the shot in one smooth motion, the liquid burning bright and sharp down her throat before settling into a pleasant warmth. A soft laugh escaped her as she set the empty glass back on the bar. “Better,” she said, satisfied.
He was already pouring another.
Liora watched the fluid grace of his movements, the confidence in every gesture, and felt a familiar thrill stir beneath her calm exterior. Yes, she could have some fun with this one. A harmless distraction, she told herself. A momentary escape.
She met his gaze again, letting the silence stretch just long enough to become charged. “Okay, hero of the hour, what’s your name?”
“Oh,” he said, sliding the second glass toward her, “you may call me whatever you like.”
Something about the answer made her laugh. Yes, she thought, warmth spreading through her chest as she accepted the drink. This could be very entertaining indeed.
He watched her finish the second shot, amusement lingering in his eyes. “Maldenis,” he said at last, as though granting her a small privilege. “And I find myself wondering what yours mightbe.” His gaze drifted over her with open curiosity. “We do not often receive humans in Solkaris.”
“I just moved here from the Upperworld,” Liora rolled the empty glass between her fingers, considering him. “My name is Liora.”
He repeated it slowly, tasting the syllables. “Liora.”
