CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Tavia slipped the vial out that had been hidden between her breasts tightly in her dress; the corseted top had been the perfect hiding place.
Carefully, she popped the vial out and put it in one of the flutes of champagne and then she put the vial back into its hiding spot.
She took a sip from the other champagne and walked over to the guard, hoping he would take some.
“Please stay with me for a moment,” she said. “I just need to think.”
“Of course,” the guard took the flute. “Who was that?”
The guard had a kind face for a human.
She had never paid much attention to humans' looks, but she assumed that he would be considered handsome—warm brown eyes, matching hair, and perfect waves around his head, just covering his ears.
“I thought that was someone special,” Tavia said.
She sipped the champagne.
“I don't know what happened. I've never seen him that cruel,” and it was true, Lucius had been charming since the moment she released him from that coffin. She didn’t think it was in him to be that mean.
Was this a side of him that she was unaware of? Was that who he really was? Tears formed in her eyes because she didn’t want to believe that what she was feeling was a lie.
Using those thoughts, she called more tears to her eyes, making herself believe that Lucius truly had been cruel.
“Hey,” the guard said. “It's all right. What's your name?”
She didn’t want to give her real name. But she couldn't think of anything fancy, so she made her name sound ridiculousinstead.
“Tavania,” she said.
The guard didn’t say anything.
“Well, it’s very nice to meet you. My name is Travis.”
Tavia held out her glass in an attempt to cheer him.
“Well, thank you for rescuing me from total embarrassment,” she said, clinking her glass to his.
He nodded, and they both drank. Tavia watched as he drank his fully before placing it on the table.
“What will you do now?” he asked.
“I don't know. He brought me to this city. I have no home here, no way to get back.” And that was true, except she did have coin if she needed to return.
“I have some people that can help. I can arrange for you to stay somewhere tonight, and in the morning, I have a friend who can help you.” He went to stand, and Tavia wondered if this was the part of seduction that Lucius seemed to have forgotten about.
“Wait,” she said, and moved over to the two-seated sofa where Travis was sitting. She sat next to him, holding her champagne.
“I have nothing to offer,” she said, unsure how she was supposed to seduce this guard, who generallyseemed like a nice man.
“The Brotherhood doesn’t ask for anything.”
She shook her head. “No, but the things he said about me, the way he talked about me. Am I that repulsive?”
Travis’s eyes widened, and he leaned forward. “Not at all. In fact, human or fae, you are the most beautiful attendant tonight.”
She leaned forward. “Do you mean that? There are many pretty females in there. If I was beautiful, then why would he have treated me—”
