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Townsfolk clamored into the Wooden Flower, vying for tables and chairs as they shouted drink orders above the growing ruckus. Unlike Ortega Key, the seaside town I’d visited with my brothers when we first searched for beasts with Leena, Moeras didn’t have a separate tavern from the inn. The draw to the marshland wasn’t large enough to warrant individual structures, and thus all the locals always ended up here.
Including you.I flinched at the errant thought and pushed it to the side. Weaving around bodies, I took the chair beside Ozias. Fortunately, they’d chosen a table somewhat removed from the more boisterous sections of the establishment, and Ozias had propped his chair in such a way that his broad shoulders leaned against the wall. His rich, brown eyes were light, and he watched the happy patrons with a wide smile. But across from him, Calem only regarded me.
The smirk on his face told me what he was going to say, so I interjected before he had the chance to speak.
“Nothing happened between Gaige and me. He lost control of his shadows, struck me, and I knocked him off-balance. Startling him must have been enough to pull us out of the realm.”
Calem’s answering grin was annoyingly devilish. “I was only going to say that you look weird without glasses.”
“Yes, well.” My hand instinctively went to push my frames up my nose, but I halted midair. “I’ll replace them soon enough.”
“I think you look fine.” Ozias’s smile was much less mocking, but there was a hint of a tease in the way his eyes crinkled at the corners. “Though I do think it’s strange you wear them to begin with.”
“I’ve been saying that from the beginning!” Calem threw up his hands in mock exasperation. “We have perfect—no, more than perfect—vision. What happens if you get punched in the face?” He paused for a beat, his lips twisting impossibly further. “Again?”
Struck, but semantics. He didn’t need to know everything. “Then I’ll obviously be fine, as having them removed in the heat of battle has no detriment on my ability to see.”
A barmaid with coppery skin and jet-black hair sidled up to our table. “Sorry about the wait. Can I get you something to drink? Or are you waiting on someone…?” She jerked her head to the side, indicating the empty chair across from me.
“No need to wait, I’m here,” Gaige called as he dodged aparticularly drunk woman. Briskly, he pulled out the chair and took his seat. “Sorry about that. Lost track of time.”
“So it seems.” It physically pained me to be late, and while I couldn’t instill that same level of punctuality in my family, I’d learned to plan for such things. Glancing past him, I studied the overflowing flowers hanging from the rafters. A single pot closest to the bar held a cluster of bright-red tubular buds surrounded by dark-green leaves.Nordus lesta. A smile tugged at my lips. “We’ll each take a glass of Anahel’s Craft.”
A surprised look came over her expression, but it shifted quickly to one of delight. “Of course! I’ll be right back.” She left swiftly, her long, glossy hair swishing behind her.
“What on earth did you just order for us?” Calem asked, tracking her progression as she navigated the floor.
“The Anahel family is practiced in the art of making gin. Each year, they distill a small amount specially made with rare botanicals. To add to the allure, they don’t advertise the cut.” I pointed to the red blooms dangling above the bartender. “Unless you know what you’re looking for. That signifies the ingredient used in this year’s batch. It’s a favorite of mine.”
Gaige stared at theNordus lestawith a tantalizing sense of curiosity, and all at once I was transported back to Cruor’s library, to the first night I’d spent reading books with him while we searched for a cure to Noc’s former curse. Gaige had lazily trailed the whorls of the wooden tabletop while studying me with that same level of interest, and my breath had caught in my chest, just as it was now. His soft, brown hair framed his face and skated along his shoulders, just begging my fingers to touch it. I could still feel the heat of his breath on my neck, and for a moment, I wondered what those parted lips would feel like against my skin.
“Fine by me so long as it goes down smooth,” Calem said,breaking Gaige’s unintentional hold over me. I glanced toward my brother and nodded. I didn’t trust my voice to not betray my uncharacteristically wild emotions. Neither Gaige nor my brothers seemed to notice my prolonged stare, and Ozias was quick to return to more demanding matters.
“You did well today, Gaige.” He leaned forward and clasped his hands together on the table. “The better you get at calling on your shadows, the faster you’ll be able to react.”
Gaige flashed him a genuine grin. “Thanks.”
“But I am curious to know what happened.” Calem gave me a sidelong look. “We really couldn’t find you.”
Calem’s comment was the douse of cool water I needed, and those perilous desires vanished. “I couldn’t detect you two, either. It seems Gaige’s shadows were able to blanket out the world entirely.”
“It’s been like that recently. In the beginning, it was a bit clearer, but now it’s mostly just shadows upon shadows.” Gaige frowned at his own words.
An uneasy feeling stirred in my gut. Gaige was exhibiting dangerous abilities that I didn’t know how to handle. There wasn’t anyone else at the guild whose shadows behaved the way that his did. If we didn’t figure out why, I wasn’t convinced we’d be able to keep his power from growing beyond all measure—and taking him with it.
Calem and Ozias’s gaze were heavy on me as I exhaled quietly. “We’ll need to work on that, too.”
Gaige met my stare as the barmaid returned. With careful hands, she delicately placed a glass before us one by one. She stared at me expectantly until I brought it to my lips. With a deep inhale, I savored the fragrant aroma of botanicals before finally allowing the clear liquid to grace my tongue. Elegant and dry, it coursed over my taste buds with ease, leaving behind a pleasing mixture of lemon and spice.
“Thank you. It’s wonderful.” I sat the glass down, signifying I approved of the drink, and she beamed. Calem, Ozias, and Gaige did the same.
“Holy shit, that’s good,” Calem said to his glass. Ozias nodded his agreement as he gently cradled it between his hands. Like me, Gaige breathed deeply before sipping, and his eyes lit up brighter than the night stars.So much curiosity.His appetite for the world had been voracious once. I wanted nothing more than for it to be that way again.
The barmaid’s tinkling giggle at Calem’s reaction pulled my focus, and she took our food orders before once again disappearing into the crowd.
“So… How did you know about the gin?” Gaige fingered his tumbler. Again, I caught that flicker of interest, of wonder, in his stare. He made me want to share things like this—things about my past—that I’d never wanted to share before. Even though I knew deep down that he didn’t care, that he had no desire to reignite anything with me, I couldn’t help myself.
“I moved here when I was young.” I took a long sip and welcomed the courage that came with the sultry flavor. “And stayed here until I died.”
