Before the silence could stretch too long, Ramona’s bedroom door opened. Azareth emerged, looking somehow more put together than she had any right to after sitting in a chair all night. She’d smoothed her hair back, the dark waves tamed and slick and perfect. The suit was still rumpled, the shirt buttoned higher to her throat, but on her, every detail looked intentional. Expensive casual.
She didn’t say anything. Just stood in the doorway to the kitchen, surveying with dark, unreadable eyes.
The temperature seemed to drop.
Cammie glanced up, then did a double take. “Oh. Hi.” She looked to Ramona with wide-eyed amusement, like she’d just caught Ramona sneaking out a lover.
“Good morning,” Azareth said. Her voice was polite. Distant. The kind of tone that discouraged follow-up questions.
“This is my friend,” Ramona said quickly, before the silence could get weirder. “From out of town. She’s going to be here for a few days.”
“Cool.” Cammie waved. “I’m Cammie. One of the roommates.”
“I see.” Azareth didn’t offer her name. Didn’t move from the doorway. Just stood there like a particularly well-dressed statue.
Cammie looked at Ramona with wide eyes, then at Azareth, then back at her coffee. “Right. Well. I have to get to work.” She grabbed her to-go mug from the counter. “Nice to meet you.”
Azareth made a noncommittal hum in her throat, like she wasn’t quite sure the sentiment could be returned. Ramona shot her a glare and mouthed,Be nice.
Cammie left without lingering. The front door clicked shut behind her.
The moment she was gone, some of the tension in the kitchen eased. Not all of it. But enough that Ramona could breathe again.
“Could you be a little less… demonic, possibly?” Ramona muttered.
Felix’s door opened. He emerged with Gerald on his shoulder, already mid-sentence. “Did Kashvi burn something again? I swear I smell—” His voice broke off as he stared at Azareth with his mouth slightly open. “Oh. That’s not burnt toast.”
“What?” Ramona said.
“That smell.” Felix gestured vaguely at the room. “Like… someone just lit a match?” He glanced around.
Ramona hadn’t been able to put her finger on it, but Azarethdidhave a particular scent — like someone had just blown out a candle. Not unpleasant, just smoky and rich.
Something demonic. There was no way her roommates were buying that thiswasn’ta demon.
Felix adjusted Gerald on his shoulder. The pigeon was staring at Azareth with unusual intensity. “I’m Felix. And this is Gerald.”
For the first time since entering the kitchen, something shifted in Azareth’s face. Not quite softening, but… changing. Her attention focused entirely on the pigeon. “Gerald,” she repeated quietly.
“Yeah. Found him with a broken wing a few years back.” Felix scratched Gerald’s head. “He’s kind of an asshole to most people, but?—”
Gerald cooed. A soft, curious sound that Ramona had never heard him make before.
Azareth took a single step forward. Stopped. “May I approach?”
Felix blinked. “Uh. Sure?”
“I wasn’t asking you.” Azareth crossed the kitchen slowly, deliberately. She slowed at an appropriate distance away — close enough to see Gerald properly, far enough to not invade Felix’s space. Her movements were careful. Respectful.
“Good morning, sir,” she said to the pigeon. Her voice had gone quiet. Reverent, almost.
Gerald tilted his head, studying her with one bright eye.
Azareth reached to slide one dark-tipped nail down Gerald’s chest. Ramona had never seen anyone but Felix touch Gerald before. “Columba livia. Descendant of birds that carried messages for emperors. Navigated by the stars. Genius little creatures.” Azareth paused. “Wow, you’re so beautiful.”
Gerald puffed up slightly.
“He likes compliments,” Felix said, glancing between Azareth and Ramona with a bit of amusement in his confused look.
