I shake my head back and forth, replying, “no. He’s got me pretty well concealed.”
His eyes widen, “you’re telling me he’s influencing this entire room?”
“Mmhmm.”
“How did he manage it?” He asks, a hand moving back behind his head, exhaling loudly.
I snort, “he’s a lucky fucking bastard.”
My fingernails give a little, and I look down to see the skin broken over the rune, a small bead of blood bubbling up.
–
“Did you – did you do that to yourself?”
I point to the door, “out.”
“Eveera, did you do that to yourself?” He asks again, harsher this time the tone of his voice dropping an octave.
–
The memory hits me so quickly, I have to suck in a breath just to return to my bleak reality. My gods, he was out of the room so fast I could barely keep up, and the way that he so effortlessly Wielded, forcing all of our men out of their rooms to face him.
Fucking overbearing man.I half expect him to barge into my head with some stupid comment about how he was “protecting me when my own guards should have already been doing that.” And I would’ve argued that it wasn’t his place.
Axel’s fingers tap rhythmically on the wood, breaking my cycle of thought.
I give him an apologetic smile, “Ax.” His eyebrows lift, and he hums in question, “thank you.”
Confusion lines his brow, “for…?”
I reach my fingers across the table, extending them out until they reach his. “For protecting me.” His eyes go glassy, and the two of us stay there in that moment, the noise of the brothel dying down until–
“Did you hear what’s been happening in Sorrel? Whole buildings full of people –dead.”
The voices of passing patrons gain our full attention, the group of them walking by us while none the wiser to our presence.Dead? I think.Buildings full?
I shake my head, “did you catch that–” I start, but his lips thin, and his chin jerks to the left.
“Heads up.” He says. I follow his gaze to see what he means and am met with Ezra’s scowling mug.
I push my lip out into an exaggerated pout. “Oh, someone doesn’t look too happy.” I quip, hopping down from the booth. “Didn’t get what you want? How disappointing. Can we leave this fucking brothel now?”
“Stop it, Eveera.” He bites, a tired hand scrubbing down his face.
“Oh, I’m sorry, can we leave this fucking brothel now,please?” My tone is more saccharine than sweet, and he knows it.
Letting out an exaggerated sigh, he grabs hold of me by the crook of my elbow, ushering us through the crowd. Much to my shock, he doesn’t lead us out the doors, but instead to a back stairwell, yanking me up the steps after him.
“I said I wanted to leave, not become a full-time harlot.”
“Will you just be quiet?” Ezra snaps.
Once we’re at the top of the stairs, he jerks his free hand around in his breast pocket, digging for what I can only assume is the key to the door we’re camped in front of. He finally finds it and pushes me inside the gaudy red velvet room.
I lift my hands to my chest and hold them there, careful not to touch too much. “This isn’t sanitary.” I grimace, looking at the well-used bedding.
“Just lay down and go to sleep.” He snaps again, his eye glued to the peephole.
