Page 34 of Lore of the Wicked Wood
Everinne was on a thrill-seeking high and decided she never wanted to come back down.
Dancing on the hoops at the Mystic Obscura had been all she ever wanted and more. She’d never felt more alive. More free. And best of all, for those fleeting moments when she’d been floating above the grand theater impressing the audience with visual delights, her violent magic had been all but forgotten.
Reine had seemed genuinely impressed, offering her a small purse of silver and gold coins for her performance with the promise of notes so long as Everinne continued to awe the patrons each time. It was the first time she’d been in possession of her own money, and she had to admit, the sense of independence was something she could get used to—maybe she should thank Veros for cutting her off.
She’d even made a new friend.
Aisling had been both welcoming and kind, and while Everinne had been appreciative of her friendly demeanor, a small part of her wondered how long it would last. She never kept friends past a few seasons. Eventually, she shoved them away, severing the relationship before it could fully take root to bloom and grow. She was a rot. A poison.
“So,” Jarek drawled, “what did you think of the Mystic Obscura?”
He’d offered to drive her home after she performed, and now they were sitting in his arcane-powered vehicle, the gentle hum of magic filling Everinne’s ears. His wasn’t nearly as luxurious as Atlas’svalade, but the two-seated vehicle was just as stylish, if not just as expensive.
She tipped her head back against the leather seat, a faint sigh slipping from between her lips. “Mesmerizing.”
It was the only possible word to describe it.
Jarek faced her, draping one arm over the steering wheel. Darkness loomed, blanketing the city streets, but in the distance, the glow of dawn was just beginning to crest. His eyes fixated on her, warm like melted gold.
“Mesmerizing,” he repeated, the corner of his mouth lifting. “Yeah. You were.”
Everinne allowed his compliment to slide without acknowledging it. Jarek’s flirtations hadn’t gone unnoticed and had become slightly more obvious as the evening progressed, but Everinne found she was no longer in the mood for a one-night stand with him. She’d been intoxicated and pissed off the first night she wanted to take him home, but now she wasn’t entirely sure about sharing her bed with a demon summoner.
Besides, if Veros found out, there was a good chance he’d kill her. Or ship her off to some other realm as punishment. He would never allow such blatant disrespect to stand.
“Reine is fabulous, too.” She tugged on the exceedingly short hem of her dress. “I still can’t believe she agreed to let me work five nights a week.”
With that kind of money, she wouldn’t have to ask Veros for anything ever again. She could buy her own clothing, her own shoes, and her own jewelry. She could stock her pantry withcakes and her cupboards with honeyfire if she wanted. Her sense of freedom knew no bounds.
“Thanks for the ride home.” She reached for the door to make her getaway when Jarek snagged her wrist.
His cold fingers curled around her flesh, chilling her.
“Need me to walk you up?” His offer wasn’t laced with charm or innuendo, but she denied him all the same.
“I’ll be fine, thanks.”
He released her arm, and she pushed open the door, then climbed out into the blustery night. “I’m going to have a drink then head to bed.”
Jarek watched her a moment longer, his mouth lifting into a smile. “Fair enough. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Everinne shivered. “Tomorrow?”
“Yeah.” His grin widened, one brow arching. “At work.”
She hadn’t realized he worked at the Mystic Obscura as well. It never even occurred to her to ask him how he could even get into the exclusive parlor or how he knew Reine so well. She was really going to have to get better about that sort of thing.
“Right. Tomorrow.” She flashed a friendly smile. “Goodnight.”
“Night, Everinne.”
Closing the door of his vehicle behind her, she darted up the front steps of her apartment building, her heels clicking noisily against the rough stone. Once inside, she avoided the lift and started up the seven flights of stairs, even though her legs were on fire from hoop dancing. Halfway up, her thighs were already shaking and her knees felt ready to give out. She paused to catch her breath, gripping the wooden railing before continuing her trek to the top floor. When she finally made it to her apartment, she shoved open the door and stumbled in, loosing a sigh of relief.
She let the door catch her weight as it closed, sagging against it.
If she was going to keep working at the Mystic Obscura and climbing all those stairs nightly, she was definitely going to have to improve her stamina.
Maybe she should start training…
