A beat of silence passes. Then Madame Mercy barks a laugh.
“Of course it’s you,” she says, watching Vera with a smile. “Only the most famous Caetra in history, only one sharing the General’s bed, would be bold enough to attempt something like that.”
Vera’s voice is even when she says, “I’m sure you can appreciate the audacity. I can only hope you’ll keep this a secret. I’m told we have a common enemy. If the word gets out, Caligos wins.”
Madame Mercy heads for her horse. Once she’s saddled, she says, “Of course, Vera D’Argent. You know how the saying goes. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”
And with that, she and her crew ride off.
Jax, Vera, and I exchange a glance. All three of us look like we barely survived a desert storm.
“I so need a fucking drink after this,” I say with a sigh.
“More like three drinks,” Jax says.
“Jax is right. One drink is definitely not enough,” Vera agrees.
CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX
PHOENIX
The moment we get back to Vera’s studio, a massive black hawk lands outside one of the big windows that overlooks the back garden. It cocks its head to the side, eyeing us. Vera sighs and goes to open the sliding glass door.
A tiny rolled-up note is in the hawk’s claws. Once Vera retrieves it, the bird croaks and flies away, melting into the darkness of the night.
Jax peeks over Vera’s shoulder when she returns inside. “What’s that?”
Vera frowns, reading whatever is written in the note. “Apparently, my night is not over yet. I’ve got to go see Noire.”
“Should we go with you?” I ask. “Caligos may have followed us.”
She waves her hand. “No need. I’ll be fine. If he sent me a message with an invitation, it means he sent his spies to make sure I make it to him alive. He probably has something he wants to discuss about the trials. Now that the Trial of Strength might happen anytime, every minute counts. I’ll be back in no time.You guys have a drink without me. Don’t wait up. Phoenix, Hojo and Tanaka will tend to your injury.”
“Why don’t you tell Noire to fuck off and wait until the morning,” Jax says with a wink. “You earned a drink or three after the night we’ve had.”
Vera purses her lips and arches an eyebrow. But she’s not fooling anyone. I see the amusement in her gaze, and the warmth at the corner of her mouth that curves in a little smile despite her best efforts to look unimpressed.
I place my hands on Jax’s shoulders and, limping, steer him towards Vera’s mini home bar where she keeps the liquid gold. “What he means to say is that we’ll wait for you. We agreed on a drink, so we’ll have it even if it’s four in the damn morning.”
With a beautiful laugh, Vera leaves the studio. Jax and I raid her mini bar, going through all the different expensive spirits.
“Damn, that’s a very rare crystal vodka from Emera,” Jax says, lifting a black clay bottle to inspect the label on the back better. “How on earth did Vera get this?”
I pour myself a generous amount of smokey whiskey into a glass. “I’m sure you noticed by now, Vera is very connected and has many friends in high places.”
“Ah, of course,” Jax says and opens the bottle. He sniffs it and then closes his eyes with a sigh. “But you see, this one is not allowed to be exported, not even for the rich and influential. To have this in Ekios means bargaining with the black market.”
I look over at him. “I didn’t know you’re a specialist on very rare, expensive drinks from outside the country. How do you know that much about this specific vodka, huh?”
Jax corks the bottle and puts it back in its place. “That’s because it’s my family’s business.”
I’m surprised to hear that.
“Your family’s business? I thought…”
He flashes me a roguish grin. “You thought what, dearest? That I was born into the legacy of murders and the art of thievery?”
I purse my lips and shrug my shoulders. “Can you blame me? You said your father was a menace, so I assumed…I definitely didn’t think you to be a poor little rich boy. Though now all the rings and your fancy manners make sense…”
