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Focus, she reprimanded herself.

She remembered how Caius had looked at her the night before—but something old yet not forgotten seemed to kindle between them, ready to reignite at a moment’s notice. But she had been uncomfortable, hadn’t she? She had recognised it as soon as he had stopped; Caius had used his powers on her. Hadn’t he manipulated her?

Areanel was finding it hard to remember what she had felt in that moment as alcohol warmed her system.

‘When my work requires me to. I find most of the city comes down here, even if they don’t want anyone to know it. It’s the perfect spot for networking. I can make new clients and deals in abundance. It also helps that they’re inebriated.’ The barkeep slid the drinks towards Caius, who grabbed one and gulped its contents before pushing it back to the barkeep and asking for another. He handed Areanel her drink without looking at her.

Rymedur scanned the room, taking his own drink as Areanel swirled the amber liquid in her glass, sipping it gingerly. Her eyes lingered a moment too long on Rymedur’s long fingers, which curled around the glass, and the motion of his throat bobbing as he sipped. The movement had heat rushing through her body, settling low in her belly.

The next moment, she came back to herself. What was she thinking? They were in the middle of an important mission. Distractions led to failure, and Areanel could not fail.

She glanced over the rim of her glass, observing guests. Her eyes darted from the gambling tables to the private booths lining the walls, and she noted that the private booths held customers who hid their faces behind masks.

‘Those are the lords and ladies of the upper city—usually governing bodies, or those who work for them. They don’t want anyone to know that they frequent an establishment owned by a known narcissistic sadist.’ Caius informed, pulling a brown roll from inside his coat pocket, lighting the end in a single motion. He placed it between his lips and inhaled a long, languid drag.

His many rings tapped against the glass in his other hand, and he finished that, too, within seconds. He placed it down, and his fingers splayed against the wooden top of the bar, inches from her own. Part of her itched to reach for him. How she craved to feel those hands on her again. Would it be the same as before, or different now that she knew what true pleasure felt like? Would she cringe away from his touch, or melt into it as she did with Rymedur?

Perhaps it was the combination of a lot of alcohol, but Areanel found herself staring between his and Rymedur’s lips. She wondered what it would be like to be sandwiched between them. To give up control and to be with them.

‘Now, my dear friend, I do hope you are telling Nelly all about my positive qualities,’ Their dapper host sounded from behind, and the intrusion shook Areanel from her salacious thoughts.

What was she thinking? Caius could never compare to Rymedur.

Her mind had wandered somewhere she dared not follow. Areanel didn’t know whether to thank the gods. She wasn’t sure what she would have done. Verdugo’s broad grin appeared as they turned, his large eyes glancing between them.

Caius took a long drag, then blew it in the mogul’s face. ‘All good things, Verdugo.’

Areanel watched as Verdugo’s left eye twitched, but his expression remained neutral. Caius was antagonising him, and Areanel was unsure why. They needed the mogul’s help for their plan to work. Areanel moved closer to Caius, placing a hand on his forearm.

‘Ned, why don’t you take Nelly and her companion to the private room set up for them? Jamison and I need to have a little chat.’ Verdugo suddenly commanded. Without a word, the man stood at the mogul’s back stepped forward.

Areanel glanced at Caius, who nodded. ‘It’s okay.’ He gave her a small smile, then glared at the man who had grabbed her arm.

But after everything he had done, Areanel was hesitant to believe him.

Rymedur had moved closer, no doubt noticing her hesitation.

Upon observing the tension, Verdugo ordered his man to release Areanel and simply show them to the room. ‘Your lovers are intriguing, Jamison.’ There was a sort of knowing hidden beneath his eyes. Did Verdugo suspect them?

Areanel gulped the last of her drink and followed Rymedur, placing the glass back on the counter for the barkeep. There was a distinct tang as it burned its way down her throat. They were led to a private room at the back of the hall.

Pushing the wooden door open, the man let them in before closing the door with a resounding click, leaving them alone. The room was small and intimate; it looked like an office space. There was a desk on the far right in front of a large window that looked out onto the street by the docks.

Areanel’s tall heels clicked on the dark wooden floors as she moved towards the fireplace opposite the door. A few dimly lit lamps illuminated the small area, and Areanel rubbed her hands together, trying to get warm.

‘What do you think they needed to speak about?’ Rymedur broke the silence. He was at the desk. Uncorking a bottle of wine, he poured two glasses and handed one to Areanel.

She raised a brow in question. ‘Wine?’

‘One glass won’t hurt. Good for the nerves, right?’ He shrugged, gingerly taking a sip. Something seemed off about him. His demeanour had changed ever since he heard the name Sciva Verdugo, or maybe it was because this was his first mission with them… With her. Did this part of her life frighten him?

Areanel knew Rymedur didn’t trust Caius. Neither did she, not truly. But whatever worm niggled at the back of her mind warning her not to trust Caius, it wasn’t louder than the memories she had shared with him. A part of her understood why he had done it. They had grown up together, raised by his aunt—her own nursemaid. Who was she to judge Caius for following her father’s orders without question, when she would do the same? But Rymedur did not know him well enough, had no idea about his past or his betrayals. Still, he seemed to trust Verdugo even less. Did he know him?

‘Does it matter?’ she sighed. ‘It’s probably to do with his work.’ Shrugging, she drank her wine. It had a taste similar to the wine in the goblet, but something was different. It seemed stronger—though that didn’t stop her from taking another glass to calm her nerves.

Lightning coursed through her veins again, and overwhelming happiness, then intense euphoria, filled her entire body.

That definitely hadn’t been a normal wine bottle. Shit. It was laced with something.