Ashetta
burning glances turning heads
When he calls my line of work respectable, my head tilts slightly, the reaction a mix of subtle surprise and a quiet sort of approval. Not what I’m used to hearing—but I’ll take it. My gaze drifts back toward the party, scanning until it lands on Theea. She’s still laughing, still holding her ground in the little circle she’s been weaving for herself. I let my shoulders ease a fraction; she’s doing just fine without me hovering.“Being a messenger was good for getting a lay of the land in a small settlement,” I say, returning my attention to him. “Knowing who everyone was comes in handy when you’re paranoid.” A faint smirk tugs at my mouth. “I’ve… calmed down a little on that now.”
I nod at assessment of what it must be like to flip into a whole new world. “At first, it was terrifying. Northaven had its dangers—fuck, I lost a finger there.” I lift my left hand, letting him see the small, mechanical prosthetic strapped neatly where my pinky used to be. “But nothing like how deadly Caido gets. And things were bad behind the barrier.”
Memory rises too fast, tightening around my throat, and I have to break it with motion. I lean across the nearest table, fingers curling around a waiting shot, and toss it back before the burn can make me think twice.
“I’ve wallowed plenty myself,” I admit with a dry edge, starting to say more when something brushes the edge of my awareness—something not meant for me. I see the change in him first, the way the color drains from his face, and my hand twitches toward a blade even as my gaze follows his.
Will-o-wisps. Of course. The pulse of adrenaline cuts off before it can sink its teeth in.
When he curses and reaches for something stronger, I watch him with a flicker of sympathy, my own gaze still wary on the lights. “Don’t be sorry,” I say. “We’ve all been fooled by them at one point or another. I almost got lost not but two seasons ago.”
Maybe it’s the alcohol, but I add, “For me, it was the voice of my husband. Silly part was that I knew it was just the will-o-wisps the whole time.” I'd just wanted to keep hearing his voice. I don’t let anything deeper than a pause cross my face before I turn back to him, meeting his eye steadily. “What did you hear?”
stop and stare at the sea of smiles around you
