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But it strikes me mute when I realize that it’s utterly quiet in the bar. No music, no patrons talking, no pool table balls clacking.
I twist in my stool and see that everyone is frozen in place. My gaze goes to Amell, and he smiles. I twist the other way and see that Karen’s frozen as well, her eyes wide and focused on me since she was watching my exchange with Amell.
“What did you do?” I exclaim as I wheel around on him.
“Gave us some privacy,” he says as he straightens.
And then it hits me… he’s wearing normal clothes. A pair of jeans, a T-shirt, and—
“Where are your wings?” I exclaim in a panic, jumping off my stool and moving around to his back. Nothing but broad shoulders and a tee stretched taut. “Oh God… where are your wings?”
“Easy, Nyssa,” Amell says gently as he faces me. “It’s an illusion. They’re hidden so I can move freely in the First Dimension.”
“How are you even here?” I ask, completely dumbfounded. So much so, I’ve forgotten I’m mad and not speaking to him.
“Special dispensation from the gods,” he replies. “And I don’t have long, so can we please talk?”
Now that the surprise and wonder have abated, the crushing pain caused by looking at him floods back. I shake my head adamantly. “No. There’s nothing to talk about. I need you to leave.”
“I won’t,” he replies stubbornly. “I don’t have a lot of time, but I’ll stay here until I’m pulled back.”
Sighing with frustration, I hold out my hands. “Amell… I just… I can’t.”
“I made a terrible mistake with you,” he says.
My body goes rigid as my eyes lock onto him. I glance around at the surreal stillness of everything else in the bar, and it’s so quiet, I hear my heart pounding in my chest.
“Give me five minutes, Nyssa. I’m begging you, and I can guarantee the king of the Underworld has never begged anyone for anything before.”
A long breath escapes, and my resolve melts. I guess part of me wants to hear what he has to say so maybe I can make sense of how badly I misjudged things.
“Fine.” I look around and wave a hand. “But not here. Put this back to rights, and we’ll go somewhere else.”
Immediately, the sound returns, and it’s so loud and sudden, I jump. I turn to look at Karen, blinking in confusion because I was on the bar stool, and now I’m standing.
Reaching out, I put a hand on her shoulder. “You okay? You zoned out there for a minute.”
“Um… yeah,” she says with a brilliant smile. Her eyes cut to Amell. “Is he the one who broke your heart?”
“Yeah, and I’m going to give him five minutes to listen to what he says. I’ll be back.”
“Okay,” she says hesitantly, glancing at Amell. She leans in close. “But my vote is for forgiveness. He’s gorgeous.”
My smile is wan. “Be back soon.”
Grabbing my purse, I walk out of the building with Amell following. The bar is situated at the end of Main Street, so we’re only four blocks from my house, but I’m not taking Amell there. That’s my space, and I don’t want him in it.
There aren’t many people out as most of the businesses are closed, but it’s a pretty walk with all the streetlamps lit along the main thoroughfare. I cross my arms over my chest and Amell falls into step beside me.
“This is a nice place,” he says casually. “Of course, anything other than the Underworld is nice.”
“Not true,” I say, then mentally kick myself for admitting I’ve been in worse places than Hell.
That I actually found beauty there.
“Have you seen Sammy?” he asks, and I wasn’t prepared for that to be an important question with our limited time.
I glance over at him. “Yeah… I work in his mom’s flower shop so I see him from time to time. He’s got a great life here.”
