A muscle in her jaw feathered, but she looked at the floor. Her hands, clasped together, tightened.
“Why do you ask, Lily?” I dare you. Play with me.
She stiffened at the nickname, but didn’t look up. “Because you seem unfamiliar with the blessing and prayers.”
I didn’t plan to be here any longer than necessary. So, what, a day? Two at the most? Certainly not long enough for all these fools to entrap and “worship” me. I stood, letting my wings loosen enough she could see them behind me.
Lilith sucked in a breath. I unfurled my left wing an inch or two. Not much. Just far enough the light could play across the brown feathers and my filaments could catch the light. Apparently I wasn’t above preening for this human.
It was only flirting. And I used to be so good at it. A little practice wouldn’t hurt.
She raised her chin enough to watch me through her lashes. Clever little human.
I stepped toward her, hiding my smile. My heart beat faster, and a wave of exhaustion swept through me. My ayim surged through my bloodstream, strengthening me. Odd. I hadn’t thought I was that tired. I pushed it aside and took another step nearer.
“Is there anything else?” I murmured, arching a brow. I hadn’t had much one-on-one contact with humans, even though I’d lived in the Mirkwold village for forty years and a handful of years before working for an Emmas coven.
“You and your captain, the one with white wings. Why are you determined to find this book I mentioned? What does it matter that a Herald with black wings came to this world before you?” She finally looked up at me.
I took another step nearer, and my pulse spiked as I took in her scent. She smelled of yeast and herbs, and underneath that, all herself—sweet and musky and real. “The elders have accepted who I am. Why not you?”
Her eyes narrowed and her nostrils flared. “You have not answered me.”
Ah, there she is. I smiled. “Would you doubt the word of your god? I am his messenger, am I not?” I shouldn’t be encouraging her suspicions. But she was too smart to lie to, and suddenly I wasn’t interested in hiding from her.
She pursed her lips. “You know almost nothing of Erlik’s teachings. You have been on this earth for half a century and yet haven’t come to Erlik’s churches. You call yourself a seraph, not a Herald. You seemed shocked a seraph with black wings fell to our world. And Gabriel said something about wanting to—to leave?” Her voice turned uncertain on the last word. “And Eve is clearly sleeping with him.”
I laughed. “When you lay it out like that, it seems clear, doesn’t it? I’m impressed you could see beyond your beloved dogma. When a person has been taught one thing her whole life, particularly to the exclusion of everything else, it is hard to see multiple possibilities.” I wasn’t worried she knew. What could happen?
She flushed, leaning toward me and crossing her arms. “I am not stupid.”
“I never said you were.” I kept my eyes on her face, rather than how her movement had pushed her perfect breasts upward. If her collar wasn’t so high I would be able to see the lovely shadow that formed between the two breasts. One of my favorite places on a woman. “Though…some of the elders might be.”
Lilith’s lips twitched, but then she regained control and frowned at me. “The elders are holy men. You should not make light of them.”
I rolled my eyes, a human gesture I’d picked up years ago. “But it’s so easy.”
Lilith huffed. “Are you or are you not a Herald from Erlik?”
I eyed her, then made my decision. “No.”
“No?” She gaped at me.
“Don’t act so surprised.” I laughed. “You guessed it.”
“Then why are you pretending?” she demanded, hands on her hips.
I arched my brow. “Careful. I might not be some supernatural being whom you worship, but I am far more powerful than you and deserve respect.”
She scoffed. “Please. I had to guide you through a blessing this afternoon or your entire ruse would’ve fallen apart.”
This was not the flirtation I was used to, but I liked it all the same. It was sharp and fresh, always keeping my wings stretched. “I have given you answers. Now you must do something for me.”
She turned wary, her body somehow closing on itself without her moving. “What is it?”
“Help me find this book with the illustration you saw. And once I have the answers I seek, I will fly away and you’ll never see me again.”
My heart thumped again, and my stomach turned. Damn. I must be hungrier than I thought. I reluctantly stepped away from her to sit back at the small table and picked up the utensils to eat.
