But Rosalind didn’t look all that bothered by his rambling, leaning forward in her seat. “You’re Severath’s brother? That makes me feel much better.” Her gaze flicked to Davarox. “And you’re also brothers?”
“Oh, no,” Laz said with a laugh. “We’re partners.”
“Workpartners,” Dav amended quickly.
“And best friends.”
Dav nodded stiffly in agreement.
Rosalind raised a brow, glancing between them with a slow nod, but her smile came back, a little less strained around the edges. Though her foot continued to tap against her stool like she needed something to do to keep herself occupied.
Much like Laz did with his fidgeting—well,everything.
She picked at the lip of her cup, the ale inside barely consumed. “Must be nice working with your best friend. I’ve been lucky that Mozke has sort of adopted me.”
“Aw, we love Mozke!” Laz cheered and then immediately gasped as the music shifted. “Oh, this beat is perfect for what I’ve been practicing.” He backed up, gesturing wildly with his hands. “I’ll be back, or maybe I won’t, you know, if things are going well.” He grinned, all fangs on display as he pointed to Dav. “Also, he thinks you’re beautiful and you should keep talking because he’s really amazing.”
With that, he spun away and began a completely different dance than the one he’d been practicing all day.
Davarox shook his head, a small chuckle rumbling in his throat. “Sorry about him. He’s… always like that.”
“It’s nice, actually.” He turned back to find Rosalind smiling after Laz. “I didn’t officially meet Severath, but it’s reassuring to know Ember’s safe with a demon like him.”
“Oh, they’re exact opposites.” At her panicked look and quickening heartbeat, he quickly blurted, “Not in a bad way. Actually, Sev and I are more alike from a personality standpoint. She’s perfectly safe with him, and he takes his duties very seriously. I assure you, criminal or not, he will put her safety first.”
Rosalind sagged. “Does everyone think that about her?”
“Umm, no?”
She flashed him a look that said she knew he was lying.
“Sorry.”
Rosalind rubbed at her chest, and Dav wondered if it was meant to try to slow her heart down.
It wasn’t working.
She finally blew out a long breath, pushing her drink aside. “No,I’msorry. I’m not… the most fun. That’s probably disappointing.”
Davarox slipped into the seat beside her, frowning. “Disappointing?”
“Everyone just sort of wants me to be, I don’t know, more interesting? They don’t want a human who is constantly worrying about the other women and has been crafting a list of reasons why I need to leave the tavern early since before I even got here.”
“Is it alphabetized?”
Her frown deepened. “Are you mocking me?”
“No, I’m wondering if our lists are the same.”
Rosalind’s gaze flicked across his face, like she was searching for a lie. He prepared for the rejection, for the dismissal once she saw into the deepest parts of him with her oddly colored eyes, but instead…
She smiled, her posture relaxing. “I’m at eight. You?”
“I forgot them all the moment I saw you.”
The soft pink of her tan cheeks darkened to a red as she turned away. “That is…” She cleared her throat, biting back a smile. “Very smooth.”
He watched her tip her cup back and forth, the liquid sloshing just to the edge of the glass before she tilted it the other way. And below, her foot still bounced, though it had slowed its franticness.
