Page 69 of The Nightmare Queen

“Evie? What are you doing down here?” He asks, looking genuinely confused.

Millicent waves him off, “oh, we’re just walking through.” She smiles at him and I can see Orem’s cheeks turn pink when we pass him up.

He ducks back inside, and in the next few minutes three of my men tumble out into the hall. Axel is hopping on one foot trying to get his boot on while a sleep addled Max straightens his clothes.

She groans at the six of them, continuing her hot pursuit for the exit that leads out into a courtyard. We cross through until we reach the gates and that's when Mousy begins his whining again, “Millie, please tell me we aren’t going towalk?!” She pointedly ignores him making me like her just a little more. Her pace stays quick until we cobblestones.

Axel catches up and loops an arm around me, looking out and around our surroundings before extending two fingers to tap Millicent’s shoulder, “where exactly are we going?”

“Goldfinch.” She and Bennett answer at the same time. “To get drunk.” She adds again and a boyish grin spreads ear to ear across Axel’s face.

“Oh thank the gods. You know your alcohol in there tastes like dragon piss right?”

Max - more awake now - joins Axel in throwing an arm around me from the other side, “have a lot of experience with Vada’s piss, brother?”

THWACK!Max’s arm lets go of me and goes straight to rubbing the back of his head. “Ow.” He mouths.

Millicent turns around to look at us, “Vada?”

Max's eyes go wide at his slip up and Axel gives him a look while redirecting the conversation. “Let’s just hope this Goldfinch redeems you all.”

Loud drunken voices start to drift our way from the end of the next street we turn on. It’s not long before large lights come into view. Beaming at the end of the alley is a bright sign that reads “GOLDFINCH” hung above a set of swinging doors.

Our bodies press tightly together as patrons shove past and through our group trying to make their way outside while we try to make our way inside. A few whoops sound through the crowd at the sight of Millicent, Bennett’s face souring at their brazenness. He drapes a protective arm around her while flashing a crude gesture at one of the callers. The two of them argue quietly, heading towards a table in the corner of the room. It’s raised on a platform giving us a view over the lively crowd. Rorin’s body bumps against mine as we pile into the booth. His arm moves around my shoulders to lay against the back of the bench. The position caging me in place. Which isnotwhat I planned on doing tonight.

I slap my hands down on the table and push myself up. “Move, princeling.” He looks up at me his expression annoyed, not bothering to listen to me.

“We just sat down.” He argues.

I nudge him again a little less gently this time. “Move. I need a drink, that’s why we’re here isn’t it?” Thankfully Millicent bounces up from her seat exclaiming that she’ll come with me. When Rorin still doesn’t stand I swing my leg over him, practically sitting down in his lap to get out of the booth, his hands come up to my hips pulling me snug against him and anchoring me onto his lap for a millisecond - the movement sending shocks through me - his hazel eyes darkening before he lifts me up and over him. Orem gets up next helping Millie down like a gentleman, unlike how Rorin just handled me.

Millicent takes off into the crowd and I follow, keeping an eye on her blonde head bobbing through the crowd. I realized halfway through that Orem didn’t sit back down but in fact came with. “I don’t need a babysitter, Abrams.” I gripe.

His answer to that complaint was his finger looping through my weapons belt keeping him locked into his side.So they think I need a babysitterandto be leashed?

We find Millicent leaning over a sticky bar top that's set in front a colorfully lit wall. The shelves are all lined with different bottles that glow in the fluorescence. She’s chattering with a gangly man covered in gold paint who flashes a bright smile at us when we join her. “And what can I get you, loves?” He asks, his accent thick and noticeably not Vellaran. “Three pitchers of ale.” Millicent slides over a few pieces of Vellaran money that he doesn’t hesitate to swipe up quickly, winking at her. Before he leaves to go gather our pitchers I slam down my hand startling a few patrons in the vicinity.

“Is that the strongest thing here or is there something else I can add to that?” The bartender looks me up and down as if to gauge by my size how much of a lightweight I might be. He chuckles behind his gold teeth and lips then turns away from to pour our drinks, not answering my question. I hop up on the stool and place both elbows behind me on the counter behind me. Orem unfortunately is blocking most of my view with his bulky frame. He keeps both eyes trained on the man behind the counter making our drinks. Every so often though I notice, he switches focus, and his eyes wander over to a unaware Millicent.

“Let me know how that drink goes, love. You make it through that and I’ll make you one on the house.” I spin around in my chair and find the man laughing while he passes off the tray to Orem. Millie smiles again at the bartender and hops down from her seat, looking up Orem she patshis chest, softening his otherwise icy expression. He jerks his chin for us to walk in front of him so he can keep an eye on our backs, ordering Millie to hook her arm through mine and not to let go until we’re back at the table.

Axel and Bennett cheer when they see us approaching. Orem sets the tray down and I reach for my drink, pushing it towards Axel. “Here. Try it in case it’s poisoned.”

He gapes at me before picking it up grumbling, “sure, I’ll just be the expendable one.”

I smile. “When you become a royal, I'll test your drinks for you. But for now drink up.”

Axel smirks, tipping the drink to his lips, “are you proposing?” He teases before swallowing the sip. His face twists in discomfort. He passes it to Orem next who takes a sip as well and ends up coughing and sputtering afterwards.

“Bleeding gods, Eveera, if you wanted to be lost to Oblivion you could’ve just asked.” Orem chokes out, his shadowy Wield hovering over the pads of his fingers.

I raise my brows, reaching for the cup. “Can’t be that bad.” I mutter, decidedly ignoring the looks that are passing over the Vellaran’s faces.

“Well…it’s strong.” Axels adds.

I gulp it down in one go, the contents of it singing the back of my throat. I drop the empty glass harshly in front of Rorin. “Child’s play.” I snark, slinking back into the crowd before anyone can stop me.

The mass of sweaty bodies sucking me into itself, my body flowing to the rhythm. I feel the sensation of a wandering hand graze over my skin. My head starts to loll along with the music as the alcohol does its job and I sink into the stranger’s touch. Unfortunately the distraction is short lived when I feel the annoying sensation of being watched. I tilt my headto the side and see two dark, stormy, hazel eyes boring into me and my new dance partner. My smile widens as I listen to my impaired judgment and sway my hips against the man behind me.

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