They all turned, and the men were all holding their small glasses up high as they looked at them.
“In Sparta we say ‘Yiamas!’ And then you drink,” Jason said with a grin. “To our health!”
Terena looked around at her table, all of them lifting their glasses at the same time and yelling “Yiamas!” She waited half a second, watching the others toss back their drinks before she drank hers. The same burning sensation tore down her throat and through her lungs; she felt like she could breathe fire.
Sonah sputtered, coughing hard and stood up in panic, fanning her face. Gabriol surged to his feet, pounding on Sonah’s back.
Croak puked on the table.
Rydon and Terena swore as they shot to their feet to avoid the mess. Terena saw movement to her right and looked up as Jason went to Sonah’s side, offering her something in a large tankard.
“It’s water,” he said as she looked at him through bulging, tear-filled eyes. She tried to suck in air, taking the tankard from him and took a quick sip. She took a couple more and seemed to calm as she started muttering to the gods.
“It’s not for everyone,” Jason grinned, a dimple flashing in his cheek, once he’d made sure Sonah wasn’t going to die. The barmaidhad come back, yelling something in Greek and wiped up the mess, shooting dark looks at them.
“What the fuck?” Croak squeaked, wiping his mouth when the barmaid finished and stalked away.
“It’ll grow on you,” Jason laughed as he moved back to his table.
“Thank you,” Terena yelled to him, impulsively reaching out to touch his arm as he passed.
He nodded, the movement causing strands of blond hair to fall over his right eye. He was about to say something when the other men at his table rose abruptly. Jason’s head swiveled to his right, his body going rigid beneath Terena’s hand.
A second later she realized why.
Daris Antonius appeared, standing behind one of his men at their table. He held a tankard in his right hand as he looked over at Terena and her friends, curiosity in his sky-blue eyes.
Terena’s stomach dropped when his gaze finally met hers and she turned, dropping her hand from Jason’s arm to retake her seat.
Jason moved back to his table. The men spoke with their commander, and Terena looked over at Sonah, who was once more breathing normally.
“Gods, Terena,” Croak said with a belch. Rydon cursed and shoved at Croak’s shoulder. “You undersold it.”
“I kinda like it,” Gabriol said.
Terena sighed, a smile flashing on her lips. Warmth spread through her body, sliding down her limbs. “I feel… good.”
Rydon had his head tipped back, but he grunted. “Same.”
“Another?” Gabriol asked.
“I don’t?—”
Before she could protest, Gabriol rose and left.
“Who is that?” Sonah whispered loudly, her fingers digging into Terena’s wrist.
Terena winced and tried to pry Sonah’s fingers away as she asked, “Who?”
“The one who came to my rescue!” Sonah said in a breathy voice and leaned forward, her head close to Terena as she peeredover Terena’s shoulder. “He’s beautiful, and did you see that dimple?”
Terena grinned and folded Sonah’s hand in hers. “That’s Jason. He’s the man I fought in the pit earlier.”
The look Sonah shot her was priceless and Terena threw her head back and laughed.
“And which one is your Daris,” Sonah slurred, a smirk on her face when she turned her narrowed green and brown-eyed gaze to her.
Heat crawled up Terena’s neck and face. “He’s notmyanything! And he’s the one that came to their table just now.”
