Page 102 of Rook of Ruin
“I’m not. I’m a jealous husband.” He winks, and I bite my lip thinking about seeingmy husbandnaked later. Simon gives me a warning look. “Hells, O.”
I shrug. “How about a dance?” I hold out my hand, and he takes it.
We dance and drink with our warriors. Almost embarrassed, I ask Simon if I can buy a round of spice, and he informs me the whole night is being paid for byus.
“What I have is yours—it’s ours. Everything, O.”
Hours later, I find Simon sipping spice and leaning back on a dark wooden wall in the tavern next to Viper, who is frowning. It seems Viper is losing terribly at cards against Red and three other warriors. The lively music drowns out low conversations, but boisterous laughter from Bow and Dove pulls my mouth into a smile. Bow notices my lack of drink and hands me another shot.
Simon shakes his head. “You’re a terrible influence, Bow.”
Bow grins. “Dove doesn’t think so.” She turns her head away from him, red faced and smiling. He clinks his glass to mine, and the spice slides down my throat.
Leaving the two lovers, I immediately walk to the bar and have the bartender refill my glass. I don’t want any more spice because I am drunk and emotionally fried—I will probably have a raging hangover tomorrow when we ride. Fuck, if I had my brace, I’d heal everyone’s hangovers. A shiver runs down my spine, and again, I think of the wounded I could have easily healed after the battle. Fuck. I could have saved Thunder—andPidge, the other warrior we lost. Clenching my fists, I try not to allow my bitterness to show. I notice Bucket and Paul talking in the corner with another warrior in hushed voices.
“You smell positively awful, my dear.” I turn to see a fully cloaked figure standing next to me with white hair peeking out around his hood.
“Vetter?” I squint.
“I need your help,” he says low.
“I’ll get Simon,” I slur, moving away, but he catches my arm, pulling me back gently.
“No. Only you.” He takes the shot of spice out of my hand and tips it back into his cruel mouth. “It’s a delicate matter. One of the heart.”
I shift my feet, unsure and drunk.
Isle slides next to Vetter. “Thought I fucking saw you.”
“Isle.” Vetter’s mouth turns into a feral grin.
“What do you want with our Ruin?” Isle pours a glass of water and hands it to me. I gulp it down, and she gives me more.
“Ruin, is it now?” His black eyes glide over my body, taking in my bloody appearance. “My dear, you deserve a name befitting a queen, not something sodestructive.” I don’t answer and drink more water. “A life debt, O. I offer you a life debt.”
I choke on my water, and Isle drops the spice in her hands. “What would she have to do for the life debt?”
Vetter frowns. “I can’t speak of it to you, Isle, only to her.”
“How about you wait until she’s sober to ask her to make such a huge decision?” Isle picks up her shot glass off the floor and slams it down onto the bar. Vetter sighs dramatically and grabs my forearm, a soft light pulsing through where my brace once was. Sobriety, instant and quick, has my mouth falling open. Vetter gives me a cheeky wink, and Isle frowns.
“I need two minutes of your time,alone.” Vetter eyes Isle as she moves to my side. “Then you may have your life debt.”
“What if I don’t want the life debt? What if I just help you, like you did for me when I was poisoned?” I sputter, and Vetter’s eyes widen.
“No. Take the life debt,” Isle says forcefully. “Everyone knows Vetter. He is a procurer, a trader. Usually he has his two lackeys with him. Where are they?”
Vetter shrugs and gives her a knowing smile.
I sigh. “Isle, I almost died, and Vetter helped me. It is the right thing to do. I’ll help you, Vetter. No life debt.”
“You would do that?” Vetter asks in disbelief.
“Yes.” I shrug. “You have two minutes.”
Isle picks up another shot off the bar and grumbles, taking it quickly, then wiping her mouth. “If you fuck her over, we will come for you.”
“I would expect nothing less, Isle.” Vetter’s haunting smile across his scarred face is terrifying, but it makes me grin.
