Page 63 of Prince of Darkness and Deceit

“Please.” Ferria snorts, drawing the men’s attention. “There’s no way that happened.”

Lev’s back muscles ripple as he rests his elbows on the table, leaning toward my sister. “I wouldn’t lie about something like this, Ferria.”

“I believe you fought off something,” she allows. “But there’s no way it was an Onyx Wraith.”

Terror floods my veins as my mind is tossed back to that horrible night my sister and I foolishly stepped into the Forbidden Forest. The night her power over flames revealed itself.

“It was,” Lev says. “I know what I saw.”

“Didn’t you say you weren’t even in the forest?” Blyne asks.

“That’s right.” Lev straightens, shaking his head slowly. “The bastard was crouching in the tree line, right at the edge of the forest. Thank the Gods I had a dagger strapped to my thigh.”

Blyne and Welm mutter their agreement.

I clear my throat. “Onyx Wraiths don’t have eyes.”

Chairs scratch against the floor as those within earshot turn. Wariness rises thickly around me.

“Elara!” Lev jumps to his feet, grabbing my hand and pulling me close.

Dust from his patrol of the mines smudges his cheeks, but his handsome smile brightens his face before his lips press against mine.

The wheaty smell of beer tickles my nostrils as he kisses me soundly, amping up his efforts when our friends cheer and whistle.

Seconds pass before I break our kiss and mutter, “I know what you’re doing.”

The atmosphere around us has already lightened, and most of the distrusting stares lobbed my way have abated.

Lev winks then drags me to sit next to him, pulling the chair so he can keep an arm around my shoulder. Dian sits in the chair at the end of the table, tugging Gayla into his lap, peppering her neck with quick kisses.

“Where have you been?” Lev asks. “I went to your house when my shift ended, and you weren’t there.”

I press my lips together. “Working.”

“Oh.” His gaze dims for a moment, then he blinks, and his broad smile returns. “What were you saying about Onyx Wraiths? That they don’t have eyes?”

“They don’t,” I confirm, fidgeting when several pairs of eyes land on me once more. At least they aren’t hostile this time. “Wraiths are skeletal, no flesh or organs. So…no eyes.”

“How do you know?” Blyne asks without judgment, just curiosity.

“Because she saved me from one when we were kids,” Ferria clips out, then tosses back her cup and slams it down on the table.

A haunted shadow flickers in her eyes.

“What?” Blyne chokes out.

“I’m sorry,” Anton adds, staring at my sister with such concern that my heart squeezes.

“Let’s not talk about this,” I say, knowing Ferria well enough to know she’s close to stomping out of here.

And I don’t want her to leave yet. We haven’t spoken since the town meeting, and I need to talk to her.

“Yeah.” Lev squeezes my shoulder. “New subject. I don’t want to think about how I likely killed an ordinary wolf and not a nightmarish creature of evil.”

His self-deprecating jibe earns a few laughs, and the men around us mutter their agreement.

When the conversation around us picks up again, I reach out and squeeze Lev’s thigh. He meets my gaze.