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“Me again.” I watch the bartender pour a frothy pink drink into a pristine mug. What the fuck did I order? There’s no time to worry about it. I shift to face Bowen. When in doubt, go on the attack. “Are you following me?”
“Should I be?” Again, the words could be flirty coming from any other mouth, but from him they sound like a threat. He stares at me with those cold dark eyes as if he can read my very thoughts. The concept is alarming, because that magic certainly does exist. Oh gods, can he read my mind? I work to keep my surface thoughts placid.
This is a fucking mess.
“If you’re looking for a romp, you’re destined to be disappointed. I don’t appreciate the company of men.”
He narrows his eyes. “That’s not what I’m here for.”
“Here you go, lovely.” The bartender slides my drink in front of me with another of those charming grins. “It’s the house special, made from fruit you won’t find anywhere around here…or anywhere else.” She gives Bowen a smug look. “Isn’t that right, Cwn Annwn?”
“Your monarch can’t protect you if you continue to provoke me.”
The bartender’s smile goes sharp and almost predatory. “I think you’ll find they can do exactly that. You shouldn’t be here, little dog. You should’ve presented yourself to the court by now. Your hunt is not sanctioned.”
His jaw goes tight. “We have a treaty.”
“The treaty requires certain steps…that you are not following.”
The hairs on my arms stand on end. I look slowly around the room to find everyone is watching this interaction. Where before people seemed tired and perfectly willing to go about their own business and ignore us, now they are all staring daggers in Bowen’s back. Nadia was right; he has no friends here. One of the people at the nearest table carefully draws a stiletto knife and sets it on the worn wood. A clear threat.
Not that Bowen seems to care.
I spend half a second wondering what it must be like to move through the world that sure of your superiority. What kind of magic must this man wield?
I’m powerful, but there is always a tipping point where the sheer number of bodies in a fight overwhelms anyone’s power. They are easily twenty people in this room. If they all joined the fight, I would be taken down within a minute or two. Bowen hasn’t even turned around to survey the threat.
“I am looking for a woman.”
The bartender smirks. “The brothel is down the square. We don’t trade in sex here. Eloise doesn’t like other businesses stepping on her toes, and we work very hard not to piss Eloise off.”
Again, he clenches his jaw. That can’t be good for his teeth. Bowen straightens. Back in the brothel, I hadn’t realized exactly how big he is. This man is a fucking monster. I’m tall, but he overshoots me by a head and shoulders. His reach must be deadly, especially with a long-ass sword.
To her credit, the bartender doesn’t flinch. She merely raises a pristine black brow. “Come back after you’ve gone to court, Cwn Annwn. “
The silence stretches, pregnant with the possibility of violence, and I find myself holding my breath. If a fight breaks out, do I stay and engage? Or do I run and hope no one realizes I’m running back to Juliette? There are no good answers.
Damn it, I need the exit spell.
“When I come back, you will answer my questions.”
“Only if you ask them nicely,” the bartender says sweetly.
Bowen curses. He shoves away from the bar, gives me a long look, and then stalks out. The door swings shut behind him, and there’s a beat when everyone seems to be holding their breath, waiting to see if he’ll return. He doesn’t.
I turn back to the bar with an exhale of relief, only to find the bartender watching me closely. She props her elbows on the shining wood and gives me a gentle smile. “You’ve had dealings with the Cwn Annwn in the past. Most people don’t recognize the danger they bring.”
“That’s not a question.” I take a sip of my frothy pink drink, and I’m surprised to find it’s actually quite good.
I must make a face, because she laughs. “You’re not from around here.”
“Is anyone from around here?”
“No, not really.” She gives me a long look. “You came in in here with a lot of purpose for someone who only wants a drink. What can I help you with?”
There’s a part of me that doesn’t even want to ask for the exit spell. This woman is obviously no friend of the Cwn Annwn, but that doesn’t mean she’s a friend of mine. With that said, Nadia sent us here, and even if I don’t trust her entirely, there has to be a way to get off this fucking island. I take another drink. “I need an exit spell for my ship.”
